Masonic Charity Work

Charity is at the heart of Freemasonry

The three Great Principles by which we stand are Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth. Freemasons are taught to practise charity and to care, not only for their own, but also for the community as a whole, both by charitable giving, and by voluntary efforts and works as individuals.

From it's earliest days, Freemasonry has been concerned with the care of orphans, the sick and the aged. This work continues today. In addition, large sums are given to national and local charities.

Masonic Charity

Masonic charity is exercised at every level, individual Lodges make gifts and give aid to their own communities and every Province also gives large sums of money to regional causes. Nationally, our efforts are channelled through four main charity organisations, they are:

Old Edwardian Lodge of Stourbridge, 6141, and Charity.

The 6141 Lodge contributes to charity locally by supporting charities and organisations or individuals in need in and around Stourbridge, as well as contributing to the Provincial 2011 appeal.

The local charities supported are generally chosen by the Worshipful Master of the year, but representation to or from the lodge committee may also be made where an urgent need arises.

The Lodge also maintains close contact with the widows of former members of the lodge, meeting annually to entertain them to a family Sunday lunch at Stourbridge Golf Club, and by visiting throughout the year - particularly at Christmas when we will deliver a small gift.

Provincial Masonic Charity

2011 Appeal

Helping Children of the Masonic Family "Masonic Girls and Boys in Need"

The Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys grew from 1785 when a philanthropic surgeon, Chevalier Bartholomew Ruspini, established a school with 15 girls aged 5-10. The school was for the daughters of deceased and distressed masons. In 1789 the first institution for clothing and educating sons of indigent masons was founded.

Nowadays the Trust is not to educate but to relieve poverty and distress. From such a small beginning the institution has given, and continues to give, enormous financial assistance and pastoral help to so many poverty stricken children and grandchildren of masons and their wider family: also, when funds allow, to children in non-Masonic families.

There can perhaps be no cause more distressing or disturbing than young children, with life curtailing conditions, who will never have the chance to live a full and active life. Many live and die in children's hospices. To mark the millennium the Trust established "Lifelites' a project to provide & maintain entertainment & education information technology for all children's hospices in England & Wales.

The Trust designated over £7.5 million for Lifelites. Lifelites equipped & funded this programme in all 38 children's hospices .The list continues to expand. This success led RMTGB to establish Lifelites as a separate charity to seek Masonic and non Masonic support thus safeguarding its future; independent of the Trust.

In Worcestershire in the past year over £100,000 has been provided by the Trust in alleviating hardship and distress for children in Masonic families of our Province. Twenty three of our children are being looked after.

Library and Museum Appeal

An update on the progress of the Library and Museum Appeal, from the Chairman of the Library & Museum Committee:-

The Library and Museum Appeal raised nearly £200,000, a magnificent sum. This has put the Library and Museum on a firm financial basis and enabled us, as already reported, to refurbish the old Coach House at Bromsgrove as a climate controlled archive store. In addition we have completed the lease on the caretaker's flat at Rainbow Hill and the major works in this extended and enlarged Library and Museum are nearly finished, indeed the books are already in place in the new Library.

The next stage will be to implement the scheme being developed by the Library and Museum Consultant, whose work has been made possible by a grant from MLA. This is intended to lead visitors through the museum by illustrating the story of Freemasonry in general and the Province of Worcestershire in particular, with reference to our artefacts. It also forms part of our work to gain accreditation. This, of necessity, will be expensive and will, in large part, depend upon grant aid, which may take some time. But it is important if we are to open up our Museum to more people and to provide the educational framework, which must be part of our work in the future.

None of this would have been possible but for the devoted work of the Curator and his team.

Thanks are also due to those Library and Museum Representatives who gave so freely of their time to sit in as "doorkeepers" whilst the work was carried out; their efforts made the task of the Library and Museum team that much easier.

http://worcestermasonicmuseum.co.uk

Ellard-Hanson Court - the Worcestershire Masonic Home

One of the Province's major assets is the Worcestershire Masonic Home at 94 Birmingham Road, Bromsgrove, which provides sheltered accommodation for elderly Worcestershire Freemasons and their dependents.

Comprising 14 spacious self-contained flats, the Home offers secure and comfortable living for those who have chosen to move to communal facilities. They include a garden, residents' lounge, guest flat and other facilities of a very high standard. A Warden resides on the premises and is responsible for the welfare and well-being of all who live there.

The late RWBro. E. F. Hanson, the then Provincial Grand Master, conceived the idea of providing the Home in the mid-1980s. Worcestershire Freemasons responded generously to an appeal to raise funds for the purchase and conversion of the building. Grand Charity donated £250,000 from the Harry Ellard Fund which, together with a similar amount raised in the Province, enabled the project to be completed. The first residents were received in 1988.

The Home is part of the Worcestershire Masonic Charity Organisation and is run by a Board of Management, which is responsible to the Trustees of WMCO.

The Home is completely self-sufficient financially and requires no funding from WMCO or any outside bodies. Over the years, the Board have carried out regular refurbishment programmes to maintain the Home to the highest standards.

Applications for accommodation are welcomed from Worcestershire Freemasons, and names are placed on a waiting list until accommodation becomes available. If you are interested in applying, please write to the Secretary to the Board, c/o 94 Birmingham Road, Bromsgrove, Worcs B61 0DL. The rents charged for the Flats are very reasonable and full details will be provided on request.

Text taken from Provincial Lodge of Worcestershire website and used with permission.