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News Releases
NEW SCANNER ARRIVES AT THE COUNTY HOSPITAL
August 2008
The new scanner enabling thousands of people to benefit from a new osteoporosis service at Hereford County Hospital has arrived. Staff will be trained in August followed by the scanning of a small number of patients each week and a plan to be fully operational during October. The hospital was awarded £87,860 by the National Osteoporosis Society (NOS) to help buy the scanner to measure the density of bones. Currently patients from Herefordshire and Powys, many of them women, have to travel up to 80 miles for the scan, to Abergavenny or Worcester.
As reported in the Hereford
Times recently, Martin Woodford, chief executive of the hospital trust said:
“Securing this funding from the NOS is fantastic news for our patients. The new
equipment will mean that thousands will have faster access to scans closer to
home.” Caroline Johnson, development manager for the NOS, said the hospital
trust would now be able to offer more than 2,000 people a year the opportunity
to have a scan and receive an accurate diagnosis of osteoporosis. Early
diagnosis and treatment could help to prevent future cases of fractures of the
bone.
The money for the new service came from the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons,
which donated £3m to the NOS to help fund a better national scanning service and
buy scanners. Health trusts were invited to apply and an overwhelming 90 bids
had been received requesting nearly £21m. Hereford Hospitals Trust, which serves
a predominantly rural population of 175,000 patients in Herefordshire and 50,000
in neighbouring Powys, was successful in its bid.
Pictured at Hereford
County Hospital recently are, left to right:-
Paul Knight, Head of Operations; David Joyce,
Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Mark Masons; Dr
Vicky Alner, Consultant in Geriatric Medicine; Dr
Peter Wilson, Consultant Radiologist; Tony Body, Mark
Provincial Treasurer

Dr Alner said: “I would like to say thank you to the Mark Masons and the
National Osteoporosis Society for this fantastic opportunity. It has enabled
Hereford County Hospital to provide DXA Scanning and a fully integrated
Osteoporosis service for Herefordshire.”
In explaining the background to the award David Joyce said: “Beneath the
umbrella of Freemasonry there are a number of different orders. Among these, is
what we call Mark Masonry. In this part of the world we are administered by the
Province of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire, a very large area.
Every year in turn, Mark Provinces throughout this country are responsible for a Festival for the Mark Benevolent Fund, which is administered by our headquarters in London. This Province held its Festival in 2003 and raised the sum of £550,000, all of which came from members in their individual Lodges working over a period of years in the run-up to that Festival.
In October 2006 Mark Grand Lodge celebrated its 150th anniversary and a special meeting was held in the Royal Albert Hall to mark the occasion. At the end of that meeting a presentation was made to the National Osteoporosis Society in the sum of £3 million in order to provide funds for mobile scanning units to assist in the detection of this debilitating condition.
Hospitals interested in setting up fixed scanning units were invited to submit their bids. At the initial instigation of our Provincial Treasurer, Tony Body, Hereford Hospital NHS Trust put in an extremely comprehensive bid, laying out precisely the parameters which were required and, of course, this bid was eventually successful.
May I say that we in Mark masonry are very proud of the very significant contribution which we have been able to make to benefit society in general.”
HEREFORDSHIRE FREEMASONS 5 YEAR FESTIVAL APPEAL
RAISED £583,679
June 2008
The Festival President, the Provincial Grand Master for Herefordshire, Rodney
Smallwood announced at a special festival dinner held at the Three Counties
Hotel, Hereford on 23rd June that the Herefordshire 2008 Freemason’s Grand
Charity Festival had achieved a total of £583,679 against his target of
£400,000.
The size of this achievement is illustrated by the fact that Herefordshire is
the smallest Masonic Province on the mainland, with only 14 craft lodges
comprising of 600 members, giving a per capita sum in excess of £900 per member
over the period.
The event was the culmination of 5 years of fundraising and visitors from Grand
Lodge in London included David Williamson The Assistant Grand Master, Grahame
Elliot President of The Freemasons’ Grand Charity and Laura Chapman Chief
Executive.
The Provincial Grand Master for Herefordshire in announcing the amount thanked
his Festival team, and all Herefordshire Freemasons and their families on the
variety of initiatives such as an auction of promises, cow pat competition, race
night, walk across Wales and many others producing such a result.
David Williamson and Grahame Elliot responded by praising such “a magnificent
achievement by Herefordshire masons which will continue to help those in need”.
The Grand Charity is the central grant making charity of all Freemasons in
England and Wales. Funding is provided with annual contributions by Freemasons
through their lodges and major fund raising ‘Festivals’ held in any of the 47
provinces in England and Wales.
The Grand Charity makes grants to distressed Freemasons and their dependants,
other masonic charities, non masonic national charities serving England and
Wales and emergency relief work for world wide national disasters.
The Grand Charity donated £3million in the year ending 30 November 2007 alone,
to 368 non-Masonic charities, including Medical Research, Youth Opportunities,
Vulnerable People, Air Ambulances, Hospices, and Emergency Relief Grants.
St Michaels Hospice, Acorns Children’s Hospice, Hereford Cathedral Perpetual
Trust, and the County Air Ambulance are among the beneficiaries.
The Grand Charity grants are in addition to the considerable sums raised by Freemasons around the country each year in support of their local charities and hospices.
Pictured are :-
Left to right - David & Jill Bowen, Brian & Mary Kelly, Laura Chapman, Grahame
Elliot, David & Margaret Williamson, Rodney & Christine Smallwood, Sebastian
Madden, Nicholas Bosanquet.

FREEMASONS PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE
June 2008
The annual
Herefordshire Provincial Grand Lodge meeting, a ceremonial occasion, was held on
2nd June and attended by 189 Freemasons with over 50 distinguished visitors
with 11 Provincial Grand Masters, 8 Deputies and many Grand Lodge Officers
from other Provinces who formed the impressive procession.
The business of the day was completed after which The Provincial Grand Master
for Herefordshire, Rodney Smallwood appointed and invested his Provincial
Officers for the new Masonic year.
During his annual address he praised the efforts made over the last 5 years by
all lodges in respect of fundraising towards the Herefordshire Freemason’s 2008
Grand Charity Festival Appeal Fund, with a target of £400,000 by the actual
Festival date to be held on 23rd June, at the Three Counties Hotel Hereford.
The Grand Charity donated £3million in the year to 30 November 2007
alone, to 368 non-Masonic charities, including Medical Research, Youth
Opportunities, Vulnerable People, Air Ambulances, Hospices, and Emergency
Grants.
A Festival chalice is awarded annually to the Lodge deemed to have shown during
the preceding year the most originality and endeavour in supporting the
Festival, and this year Coningsby Lodge of Hereford was declared the winner,
following a successful year including their Auction of Promises which raised
£2500.
As is tradition, The Provincial Grand Lodge Meeting was followed on Sunday 8th
June by a packed Choral Evensong at Hereford Cathedral attended by the
Provincial Grand Lodge, visiting dignitaries from other Provinces and strongly
supported by freemasons representing every lodge in the Province together with
their families. All of the lodges from Hereford, Kington, Leominster,
Ledbury, Bromyard, Ross On Wye and Hay On Wye processed into and out of
the Cathedral under their respective lodge banners, followed by Provincial Grand
Lodge.
Following a warm welcome by the Dean of Hereford, the Very Revd. Michael Tavinor,
the lessons were read by Rodney Smallwood, Provincial Grand Master for
Herefordshire and The Revd. David Bowen, Deputy Provincial Grand Master. The
sermon was given by The Rt. Revd. Anthony Priddis, Bishop of Hereford, and this
was followed by the Provincial Chaplain David Jones who offered prayers.
TREK TO ABERYSTWYTH RAISES £6725 FOR THE FESTIVAL
June 2008
Rising fuel prices was not the primary reason for a Group of Senior Freemasons from Herefordshire, walking the 60 miles from Kington to Aberystwyth on May Day.
Eight Grand Officers, led by the Provincial Grand Master, R.W. Bro. Rodney C. Smallwood, walked the route - passing through the picturesque Elan Valley, Cwmystwyth and Devil’s Bridge, conveying a congratulatory letter in the form of an Illuminated Address to the Provincial Grand Master of the West Wales Province, R.W. Bro. Dr. John Lloyd to mark his seven years as the Provincial head in Dyfed, and as Dr. Lloyd is retiring as Provincial Grand Master.
Commenting on the background to the walk, R.W. Bro. Rodney Smallwood said :-
“2008 is the Herefordshire Province’s Festival year, when we aim to raise £400,000 in support of the Freemasons’ Grand Charity which, since its formation in 1981, thousands of Masonic and Non-Masonic Charities-both large and small, have benefited from grants exceeding £72 million”.
“Since 1984” he said “children’s and adult Hospices alone have received over £7 million”.
“Knowing that Dr. John Lloyd was retiring as Provincial Grand Master for West Wales shortly” continued R. W. Bro. Smallwood,” it was the wish of my Province to send him our congratulations for his sterling Masonic leadership in West Wales over the last seven years, and it was suggested that we arrange a sponsored walk, from the doors of Kington Masonic Lodge to the Aberystwyth Lodge, conveying a letter of congratulation, whilst at the same time raising funds for our Festival”
The Herefordshire walkers arrived at 4 o’clock on Thursday 1st May where a number of Aberystwyth Lodge members greeted their arrival. After tea and a shower, the walkers continued on to the Aberystwyth Masonic Lodge at Market Street where the formal presentation to Dr. Lloyd was made.
In his response before a packed Lodge, Right Worshipful Brother Dr John Lloyd said, “In thanking the Herefordshire Brethren for their tremendous efforts both in raising a magnificent sum in support of Grand Charity, as well as braving the elements today by walking the 60 miles from Kington, I am honoured to have been the recipient of this congratulatory letter that has travelled with the Group.”
In turn, a cheque on behalf of the Province of West Wales, as well as a cheque from the Aberystwyth Masonic Lodge was presented to the Herefordshire Province to boost their efforts.
The target for the Festival
is £400,000, raised by Herefordshire Freemasons over
the last 5 years for the Grand Charity which continues to support local and
National registered charities catering for Medical Research, Vulnerable People,
Opportunities for young people, Hospices and Emergency Grants for Disaster
Relief, the latest of these being £20,000 in emergency relief for Burma and also
£20,000 to China. The Grand Charity receives funds from individual Freemasons
and fundraising "Festivals"
held each year in Provinces within England & Wales.
Pictured are:-
The Merry Band of walkers:
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Also The Provincial Grand Master, Rodney Smallwood, making the presentation of
an Illuminated Address to the Provincial Grand Master of the West Wales
Province, Dr. John Lloyd during the lodge meeting:
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BOB BECOMES MASTER OF DEAN WATERFIELD LODGE IN HEREFORD AT 84 YRS OF AGE
May 2008
W Bro.
Robert Donald McDuff was born in London in 1924. At an early age he
developed an interest in Radio transmissions and during the war years he was
part of the Advanced Units in setting up communications for the Normandy
Landings. Later he ran an army newspaper and stage managed army shows. After
leaving the forces he moved to an electronics company in Liverpool and whilst
there he developed the first Motor Car Alarm, the Egg Grading Machine for the
Egg Marketing Board, the first Split Beam Oscilloscope for the children’s
hospital in Liverpool, and a Tennis Ball Grader for Dunlop. All of this, in the
days of “Steam Radio”. In his spare time he was involved in voluntary youth work
in Scotland Road Liverpool, an area where Patricia White lived,
“Cilla Black” as she is now known, before becoming a Rural Youth Officer in East
Sussex. He moved to Much Birch in 1985.
His Masonic career is equally impressive:
|
Joined |
Queensway Craft Lodge Liverpool |
1959 |
|
” |
Queensway Royal Arch Chapter |
1962 |
|
” |
Loxfield Craft Lodge in East Sussex, becoming Assistant Secretary |
1969 |
|
” |
Thornton Royal Arch in East Sussex, becoming Secretary |
1969 |
|
” |
Thornton Lodge Mark Master Masons, becoming Secretary |
1972 |
|
” |
Thornton Lodge of Royal Ark Mariners |
1985 |
|
” |
Dean Waterfield Lodge Hereford, becoming Assistant Secretary then Almoner, Junior Warden 2006, Senior Warden 2007 |
1986 |
Also a member of Cantilupe
Chapter, Leofric Lodge of Mark Masons, & St Ethelbert’s Lodge of Royal Ark
Mariners, in Herefordshire.
Bob will have completed 50 yrs in Freemasonry in 2009.
Pictured below left to right
:- Rodney Smallwood the Provincial Grand Master for Herefordshire congratulates
Bob on achieving “ The Chair” of his lodge.
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Congratulations Bob,
from all of us!
50 / 60 YEAR
CERTIFICATES
April 2008
A rare
event took place at Hay on Wye Freemason’s Lodge recently when Geoff Mattocks
and Bob Miles, both members of Loyal Hay Lodge were presented with certificates
on the same evening to celebrate 50 and 60 years respectively in Freemasonry,
from Rodney Smallwood the Provincial Grand Master for Herefordshire.
The Provincial Grand Master thanked them both for their contributions over many
years to Freemasonry in general and Loyal Hay Lodge in particular, which was
warmly received by all of those present.
Pictured at the
event are from left to right:-
The Provincial Grand Master, Bob Miles, Geoff Mattocks and Terry Holden the
current Master of the lodge.
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HEREFORD’S CANTILUPE LODGE SUPPORT REFURBISHMENT OF THE CANTILUPE SHRINE IN HEREFORD CATHEDRAL
February 2008
Following a recent meeting of Cantilupe Lodge in Hereford local Freemasons presented The Dean of Hereford, The Very Revd. Michael Tavinor with £3000 towards the refurbishment and improvement to the stonework around the base of of the St. Thomas Cantilupe Shrine at Hereford Cathedral.
The Dean was pleased to received two cheques, each for £1500 from members of Cantilupe Lodge and Chapter, and also from The Revd. David Bowen The Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Herefordshire on behalf of the Herefordshire Province.
The Shrine situated in the North transept of Hereford Cathedral is the original tomb of St. Thomas Cantilupe, (1218 – 1282) who was Bishop of Hereford from 1275 to 1282, and canonized as Saint Thomas of Hereford in 1320.
The Shrine became a focal point for pilgrims who flocked in large numbers into Hereford to pay homage to his memory and to touch the holy shrine.
Cantilupe Lodge, whose
lodge banner depicts the Shrine was formed in 1920 with two prominent churchmen
serving as founders, the then Bishop of Hereford, Rt. Revd. Herbert Hensley
Henson, and the Dean, the Very Revd. Reginald Waterfield, who also became
Provincial Grand Master for Herefordshire in 1923.
Pictured left to right:- Roy Davies of Cantilupe Chapter, David Haines of
Cantilupe Lodge, The Very Revd. Michael Tavinor and The Revd. David J Bowen.

AUCTION OF PROMISES
February 2008
Coningsby Lodge of
Hereford hosted a
Provincial Auction of promises this month attended by 97 people representing 11
lodges.
There were 42 promises made and due to the expertise of Brian Lambert,
auctioneer for the day assisted by Gordon Bumfrey the auction raised £2500 for
the province's 2008 Grand Charity Festival being held
in June of this year.
Ege Parker assisted by Mike Hopkins followed this with the 2008 Festival Draw
and announced that it had made £3000.
The Freemasons Grand Charity
gives support locally to The County Air Ambulance, St Michael’s Hospice, Acorns
Children’s Hospice and Hereford Cathedral.
TREAT FOR WIDOWS
January
2008
On January 19th widows of Freemasons throughout Herefordshire again enjoyed
their special annual luncheon at the Masonic Hall in Hereford, and this year the
event was attended by 44 ladies and 40 lodge members from across the Province.
The lodge members transport the ladies to the luncheon and either join them for
a meal or act as stewards for the day.
This popular event provides an opportunity for the ladies to meet many old and
new friends, and was hosted again this year by Rodney Smallwood the Provincial
Grand Master, and Terry Neate the Provincial Almoner.
Pictured left to right:- Rodney and Christine
Smallwood with Pat and Terry Neate during the luncheon.

FREEMASONS'
SUPPORT FOR ST. MICHAEL’S & ACORNS
January 2008
Supported by all Herefordshire Masons, The Freemason’s Grand Charity has made a
further donation of £3500 to St Michael’s Hospice, and also a further £4000 to
our local Acorns Children’s Hospice, which will also be enhanced by an extra
£300 from Hereford’s Cantilupe Lodge following their New Years Eve raffle.
Hospices across England and Wales are receiving a funding boost as The
Freemasons’ Grand Charity distributes £600,000 towards the operating costs of
the widely respected services.
The money will be shared between 220 hospices, with over half of the children’s services receiving more than £3,000 and each adult service receiving an average of over £2,600.
The newly announced grants will take The Freemasons’ Grand Charity’s support for the sector to over £7 million since 1984.
The Grand Charity gave grants in 2006 alone to 331 charities totalling £2.2 Million, in the areas of Medical Research, Vulnerable People, Youth Opportunities, Hospices and Emergency Grants for disaster relief.
The Grand Charity is supported by all Freemasons and each year several Provinces in turn start 5 or 10 year fundraising appeals from amongst their members to be able to continue financing the extensive support programme, and Herefordshire Freemasons are now into the final leg of our Provinces 5 year Festival Appeal to realise a target of £400000 by June 2008.
Many of the 14
lodges in our Province have already installed a new team of officers for the
new year and in addition to the extensive support given to local charities the
new masters are working with their teams to continue the festival support
including a Race Night sponsored by Royal Edward Lodge of Leominster which
realised £1700, an Auction of Promises due to be held by Coningsby Lodge in
early February, and a team of officers are planning to walk across Wales in the
near future.
£20,000 FOR BANGLADESH CYCLONE VICTIMS
November 2007
In November 2007 following the devastation of parts of Bangladesh by Tropical Storm Sidr, The Freemasons' Grand Charity is supporting the relief work of the Red Cross with an emergency grant of £20,000. Around 1 million were believed to have been affected by the storm which hit the Southern Coast of Bangladesh on 15 November, destroying homes, crops and infrastructure and triggering a tidal surge that swamped three coastal villages.
The emergency grant approved by the President of the Grand Charity helped to fund the work of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, providing for the needs of some of the most vulnerable people affected by the storm, including the provision of blankets, food, shelter, medical supplies and basic healthcare.
REPLACEMENT ORGAN AT ST MICHAEL'S CHURCH, SUTTON ST NICHOLAS
November 2007
St.
Michael's is a small but active village church some 5 miles north of Hereford
with history from
the 12th century.
Having recently completed repairs and renovations to the tower, roof and bells, to finalise the programme the church needed a new electronic/digital organ with which to accompany the services.
Their existing instrument was old and inadequate and did little to engender an atmosphere conducive to worship, or to enhance the musical element of the services, with it’s condition failing for some while.
It was realised
that expenditure on the old instrument would be a waste of funds as it was
sadly lacking in accompaniment capabilities even when fully operational.
The church were therefore in need of help, and over a seven month period they
have run events to raise funds, had the benefit of donations from parishioners,
and also asked Herefordshire Freemasons if they would also support the cause
which they were pleased to do.
On visiting the church to see the
new organ The Revd. David John Bowen who is also the Deputy Provincial Grand
Master for the Masonic Province of Herefordshire said: - “ I am delighted to be
present, I have known the church for some time and also known the old instrument
which was absolutely diabolical ! ”
Roy Gillham – As organist and on
behalf of the
Parochial
Church Council said: “We
are thankful for the assistance from several sources and grateful to the
Herefordshire Masonic Charity Association for their contribution”.
Pictured left to right are:- Roy
Gillham, The Revd David Bowen and Mike Hopkins Secretary
of the Herefordshire Masonic Charity Association with the new organ.

KINGTON FREEMASONS SUPPORT THE HOSPITAL
October 2007
When Geoff Wilding was admitted as an emergency patient to
Hereford County Hospital two years ago with progressive paralysis of his lungs
and upper torso, a spare Spirometer machine wasn’t readily available at the time.
After recovery from his illness, he knew that the hospital would benefit from a
Portable Spirometer to enable 24 hour use for any patient with a similar problem
to enable early detection of a rapidly progressive respiratory weakness giving a
timely warning before the condition reached a critical level.
He determined that he would support the hospital during his current year as
Master of Arrow Freemason’s Lodge in Kington and gained full support of the
members to raise sufficient funds during his year to provide the hospital with a
portable Micro Lab Spirometer.
This was achieved from the proceeds of a Treasure Hunt, Sunday Luncheon, Clay
Pigeon Shoot, Raffles and private donations which collectively raised £1200 to
purchase the machine.
Geoff was pleased to be able to present the portable machine on behalf of the
members of Arrow Lodge at the hospital on the 16th October 2007 to
Doctor Richard Williams and Janette Humphreys, the Respiratory Physiologist,
knowing that it will be used to good effect by the admissions department and
other patients on any ward as necessary.
In presenting the machine together with the good wishes to the staff from
members of Arrow Lodge, Geoff was warmly thanked by Doctor Williams and Janette
Humphreys for their gesture and goodwill.
Pictured left to right: - Janette Humphreys, Doctor Richard Williams & Geoff
Wilding

£25,000 FOR FLOOD RELIEF ACROSS AFRICA
September 2007
The President of the Grand Charity, Grahame Elliot, has responded to a British Red Cross Appeal to assist hundreds of thousands of people affected by flooding across East and West Africa by approving an emergency grant of £25,000.
Countries from Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso in the West of Africa to Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia in the East have been hit by the heaviest rains in living memory. Over a million people have been affected as the waters have swept away belongings, destroyed livestock and harvests and reduced homes to little more than mud and bricks. A number of remote areas are now unreachable and deadly waterborne diseases are an increasing threat.
The grant to the Red Cross will help to provide the most vulnerable people with shelter, kitchen sets, blankets, candles and water purification products. Seeds and tools will also be provided to help families get back and their feet by supporting their return to work.
£12500 Donated to County Air Ambulance
May 2007

Pictured:- Paramedic Jim Hancox with Rodney Smallwood, at the Strensham Services helicopter base.
The Freemasons Grand Charity which is supported by all Herefordshire Freemasons has donated £12500 to the County Air Ambulance Service.
The service was launched in 1991 and now covers 11 counties including
Herefordshire, West Midlands, Shropshire. Staffordshire, Derbyshire,
Leicestershire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Rutland & Powys, with 3
helicopters covering 8000square miles, and a population of over 7.8m people,
with an average of 2000 missions per year.
It is the largest air ambulance service in the country, recognised as a major
provider of pre hospital care by the NHS, and funded entirely through charitable
support.
The cost of running and maintaining the current level of operations is £3m per
year.
Rodney Smallwood The Provincial Grand Master for Herefordshire said “
Coincidentally the emergency warning bell rang after the photograph was taken
and the helicopter was up in the air in no time at all to that emergency which
made us all feel that the donation was well justified .”
Anne Newell Special Events Coordinator said “We are grateful to all concerned
for helping us to keep this vital service operational.”
VISIT TO HEREFORDSHIRE
May 2007
Pictured left to right are:- Rodney Smallwood, Laura Chapman, and The Revd.
David J Bowen.
Laura Chapman, Chief Executive of The Freemasons
Grand Charity based in London was welcomed to Herefordshire in May by Rodney
Smallwood Provincial Grand Master for Herefordshire and The Revd. David Bowen
Deputy Provincial Grand Master.
In addition to ongoing and extensive support for local charities and hospices
Herefordshire freemasons are also moving into the final year of a 5 year
Festival Appeal, aiming to raise £400,000 by June 2008 in support of The
Freemasons Grand Charity with many events planned running up to the festival.
The Grand Charity is supported by all freemasons and each year several
Provinces start fundraising appeals from amongst their members to be able to
continue financing the Grand Charities extensive support programme.
The Grand Charity gave grants in 2006 alone to 331 charities totalling £2.2
Million, in the areas of Medical Research, Vulnerable People, Youth
Opportunities, Hospices and Emergency Grants for disaster relief.
On a local basis substantial grants have been made in 2006 /7 to St. Michael’s
Hospice, The County Air Ambulance, and Hereford Cathedral Trust.
The latest emergency grant was in July of £65000 to The British Red Cross UK
Floods appeal.
In its first 25 years The Grand Charity has given over £28 million to national
charities, over 6.4 million to hospices and over £1.5million in emergency
grants.
Laura Chapman wished Herefordshire freemasons every success in the final year
towards the Festival and thanked all Charity Stewards of the various lodges
within the province for their support.
Freemasons Continued Support For St. Michael’s
January 2007
Pictured:- Chief Executive Nicky West, St. Michael's Hospice with Rodney Smallwood Provincial Grand Master for Herefordshire.
St Michael’s hospice in Hereford has received an extra £3000 grant from The Freemasons Grand Charity which is supported by all Herefordshire Freemasons, bringing the total to date to £57854.
Richard Shackelford head of fundraising at St Michaels said:- “We are so grateful to the Freemasons for their continued support of our work, it is an important area of fundraising as we rely for over 85% of our funding from voluntary sources.”
Overall another £1/2 million of grants for hospices across England and Wales have been announced by The Freemasons Grand Charity, to complement the generosity Provincial and individual Masonic Lodges regularly show for their local service.Open to independent Hospices from across England and Wales, The Grand Charity’s Hospice scheme annually distributes grants to services that receive no more than 60% of their funding from the NHS and contributes to the millions of pounds needed each and every year for Hospices to deliver their compassionate services.
Speaking about the grants, Grahame N Elliott, President of the Grand Charity said:-
“For many years Freemasons have recognised the importance of the care provided by the Hospice movement. Over 22 years, the Grand Charity Hospice Grant Scheme has distributed more than £6 million in support of the activities of Hospices and we are pleased to contribute to the continuation of their important work through the Scheme, which has great support from all Masons throughout the country.”
Herefordshire Freemasons ongoing support for Acorns
October 2006
Pictured: - Fran Winterbourn & Rodney Smallwood.
Rodney Smallwood The Provincial Grand Master for Herefordshire has presented a further donation of over £3000 to the Acorns Trust, on behalf of several local lodges.
Fran Winterbourn, Community Fundraiser for Acorns said: “A great big thank you for all the tremendous ongoing support for Acorns by Herefordshire Freemasons, and also from The Freemasons Grand Charity which together have given us very substantial support over many years which makes such a difference to the children we care for and the families we support”
Rodney Smallwood has also announced a target of £400000 for the 2008 Herefordshire Grand Charity Festival Appeal and 14 local lodges are working towards this figure to continue the work of the Grand Charity.
The Grand Charity is supported by all freemasons with fundraising Festivals held in different parts of the country each year and has to date donated over £33million over 25 yrs to non Masonic charities working in England and Wales, covering medical research, vulnerable people and youth opportunities, and including nearly £6million for more than 250 Hospice services. £1.5million has also been given for emergency relief work following devastating disasters worldwide.