Wales

Freemasons donate £38k to ‘urban farmers’ project

eb63cab6aa52a4dbcb41c972dcd212aa

A Bristol city farm has been given £38,125 by the Masonic Charitable Foundation to support their Urban Farmers Project which works with disadvantaged young people from local schools.The project, at St Werburghs City Farm in Ashley Vale, works with teenagers who are among the 10 per cent most disadvantaged in the UK.The programme was set-up to engage young people in activities that support greater health, wellbeing and personal development. They are encouraged to learn a range of skills, working with the land and with animals, as well as conservation work and practical building projects.The young people are aged between 14 to 19, with many come from low-income families, are often at risk of exclusion from mainstream education or are so-called ‘NEETS’ being neither in employment, education or training. Some have learning difficulties, mental health concerns, physical disabilities or have been in trouble with the police.The aim is to break cycles of negative behaviour among the young people and encourage them to finish their secondary education, enter higher education, find meaningful paid employment.The funding for the grant comes from Freemasons and their families across England and Wales.Kari Halford, Director of St Werburghs City Farm, said: “We’re very grateful for the generous grant from the Masonic Charitable Foundation for our Urban Farmers Project. “We offer practical outdoor activities that increase the confidence and wellbeing of disadvantaged teenagers so that they can overcome the challenges they face. “Thanks to the Freemasons we can employ our Youth Officer for three years, who will be working with more than 650 young people.”Christopher Williams, Deputy Chairman of Bristol Freemasons said: “We’re really pleased to be able to support the Urban Farmers Project. St Werburghs City Farm will now be able to continue their excellent work with hundreds more disadvantaged young people, adding to all those they have helped over nearly four decades. Many thanks to all the staff and volunteers for making us so very welcome when we visited.”

Emulation Lodge of Improvement Annual Festival 2017

Old Freemasons Image

Emulation Lodge of Improvement will hold its Annual Festival at Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street, London on Friday 24th February 2017 at 17.00hrs.

Emulation Lodge of Improvement Annual Festival 2017
Tuesday, January 24th, 2017

Emulation Lodge of Improvement will hold its Annual Festival at Freemasons’ Hall, Great Queen Street, London on Friday 24th February 2017 at 17.00hrs.
There will be a demonstration of four Sections of the Lectures under the watchful eye of VW Bro Graham Redman, PGSwdB, DepGSec. The sections to be demonstrated are as follows:

Freemasons Make more Charity Donations

1644628b5450a7331acd0eab57731305

MORE CHARITY PRESENTATIONS
On Monday 16th January after visiting Christ Church Community Centre, St Michael’s Charity Shop and Harrogate Hospital Radio to present cheques, local Freemasons made their way to Martin House Children’s Hospice in Boston Spa where Mike Holmes Area 3 Charity Committee Chairman asked Doug Mills Provincial Charity Assistant to present a cheque for £3929 from the Masonic Charitable Foundation to Sarah Smith. In thanking Doug, Sarah also acknowledged that a further grant of £2000 had been received from the Provincial Grand Master’s Fund to purchase nine ‘smart’ TVs. The Masons are always pleased to meet Sarah and her colleagues and a gain an insight into the fantastic work done in support of the families and their loved ones. It was also interesting to have outlined an Action Plan for Medical Research at the University of York with core funding of nearly £900K coming from Martin House over a five year period.

Oscar Wilde – A University Freemason – by W.Bro. Yasha Beresiner

Oscar Wilde – A University Freemason

Today no one will deny the genius of Oscar Wilde. Yet during his own lifetime he was spurned and humiliated in spite of the success of much of his work. He was a victim of the society into which he was born. The Victorian middle-class, whose sacred institutions of morality Wilde was to infringe, simply had no patience or tolerance for him. The saddest of the tragedies that Wilde was to write could not match the events that were to unfold and Freemasonry, which did play a significant part during his time at Oxford

The philanthropy and tea empire of Freemason Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton

Photo of Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton

A self-made man who brought tea to the British masses, Freemason Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton also campaigned for the sick and the poor, as Philippa Faulks discovers

Many masonic lodges around the world can boast of a famous member among their ranks, but Glasgow’s Lodge Scotia, No. 178, has one rather remarkable brother – Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton. As with many other masons quietly carrying out acts of philanthropy, Lipton remains an unsung hero.


©2026 FreemasonryMatters.co.uk. All rights reserved.