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Charity The Grand Charity is the central grant making charity of all Freemasons in England and Wales. All funding for the Grand Charity comes from donations by individual Freemasons and their families. Masonic Relief Grants originally provided help for poor and distressed Freemasons and the making of Masonic Relief Grants is still one of the primary activities of The Grand Charity. However, The Grand Charity also provides financial support, when needed, to the other three main Masonic charities. Non-Masonic charities now receive a large part of The Grand Charity's annual allocation of grants. Since 1983, more than £22 million has been given to non-Masonic charitable causes. Hospices in England and Wales also receive support every year. Over the past 20 years The Grand Charity has given in excess of £4.8 million to hospices. This is in addition to the considerable sums raised by Freemasons around the country in support of their local hospices. Emergency Relief Grants are given throughout the year at the discretion of the President of The Grand Charity. Since 1981 over £1 million has been given to support relief efforts for victims of disasters worldwide. The Relief Chest Scheme is also administered by The Grand Charity. The Scheme offers individual accounts that can be used to accumulate funds collected by Masonic Lodges for charitable purposes. The funds are pooled in order to earn a higher interest rate and tax relief on donations can be claimed centrally.
The Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys objective
is to continue to relieve poverty and provide an education and
preparation for life for the children of the family of a Freemason and,
where funds permit, for any children, as their fathers would have done,
had they been able so to do. The New Masonic Samaritan Fund was established in 1990 andt seeks to provide medical assistance to needy Freemasons, their families and dependants who are unable to obtain NHS treatment without undue delay, and who cannot afford private treatment without suffering further hardship.
Local Charities In addition to the contributions made by Hereford masons to The Grand Charity, support is given to a number of local charitable causes through the Hereford Masonic Charity Association. These include, The Acorns Children's Hospice Trust, Hereford Cathedral Perpetual Trust, Hereford Age Concern, Gloucestershire Prostate Cancer Brachytherapy Unit Appeal, Courtyard Audio Description Association and Riding for the Disabled where Masonic donations help to sponsor their adopted horse 'Jaro'. The Hereford Masonic Housing Trust and the Provincial Grand Lodge of Herefordshire Benevolent Fund also exist to provide support to further worthy causes. Of recent special interest is the charitable support for the restoration of Hereford Cathedral's Lady Chapel.
Hereford Cathedral - Lady Chapel The refurbishment of the Lady Chapel has been a significant seven year programme of work which was completed in 2003. It is a matter of pride for the Masons of Herefordshire who's generosity further complemented that of the Grand Charity and English Heritage to make the restoration of the five windows possible and it is hoped that this will also give pleasure to local residents and visitors alike. Furthermore a commemorative stone, inscribed with the Square and Compasses and the date 1753 – 2003, has been placed by the Cathedral adjacent to the North pathway where it is readily visible. This signifies the enduring bond between Hereford Freemasons and the local community, giving visible evidence that Freemasonry continues to support and maintain the foundations and traditions of culture and society.
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