On New Year's Eve, Peter Boyd, Immediate Past Master of Ashley Lodge No. 6525, presented a cheque for £2,950 to Janine Golding of the charity SPRING, which stands for ‘supporting parents and relatives through baby loss’

This was Ashley Lodge’s nominated charity during Peter's year as Master, with a large proportion of the monies raised donated under the Gift Aid scheme, increasing the benefit to SPRING by more than £500; giving total in excess of £3,450.

SPRING is part of Poole Hospital Charity and supports parents and relatives through baby loss. Everything they do is to benefit bereaved parents and relatives who experience the loss of a baby. They offer support for baby loss that occurs at any stage of pregnancy, at, or just after birth – whatever the circumstances and however long ago.  

Graham Glazier, Provincial Grand Master of Dorset, said: 'I am proud that Ashley Lodge has been able to assist SPRING, a great local charity helping to support bereaved families at their lowest ebb.’

SPRING’s services include: emotional and practical support at the point of loss; professional counselling; open support meetings for parents and relatives; and ways to remember their babies. They are also there to support bereaved parents through subsequent pregnancies.

They work closely with medical professionals, and others who come into contact with parents and relatives whose babies die. By sharing their experience, they help ensure bereaved parents are treated sensitively and with genuine care.

An impromptu meeting was held underwater between three lodges at the bottom of The National Diving & Activity Centre on 14th October 2018

Michael Wilson, Senior Warden and Master Elect of Ashley Lodge No. 6525 in Dorset, donned his diving gear to meet with Luke Sibley, Master of Arthurian Lodge No. 5658 in the Province of Hampshire & Isle of Wight, and John DeLara, Past Master of the Loyal Berkshire Lodge of Hope No. 574 in Berkshire, to help Michael celebrate his 70th Birthday at a depth of 70 metres for 70 minutes, whilst raising funds for the charity DDRC Healthcare, the Diving Diseases Research Centre in Plymouth.

In the event, the depth and duration were slightly exceeded with 71.2 metres for 78 minutes. The temperature at the bottom of the quarry was 6C and on the wind and rain swept surface it was a balmy 15C. Following the dive, refreshments comprised numerous mugs of hot chocolate and lashings of Old Jamaica ginger cake soaked in rum and cream. 

To date, over £400 has been donated to DDRC Healthcare by the British Sub-Aqua Lodge No. 8997, Ashley Lodge, Arthurian Lodge, Loyal Berkshire Lodge of Hope and Fins and Flippers Swim School in Poole, Dorset.

Ashley Lodge No. 6525 in Dorset has donated £2,650 to the Piam Brown Children's Oncology and Haematology ward in Southampton General Hospital

The Piam Brown ward caters for children from Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Surrey, Sussex, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands.

Funds raised for the ward go towards providing those 'extras' that the NHS doesn't. These include things like pull-out beds so exhausted parents can have a decent night's sleep and be close to their child, computer games, DVDs, books and games for the children and young people, as well as pleasant décor, quiet rooms and kitchen facilities so parents can cook for themselves and their child.

Each year the ward cares for around 120 new patients. Their team is multidisciplinary, led by four consultants and supported by differing grades of nurses and trainee doctors. Other people on the ward include social workers, physiotherapists, dieticians, pharmacists, research and data staff and support and play staff.

Master of Ashley Lodge David Sanford presented the cheque for £2,650 to the Piam Brown ward, which represents part of their charitable donations raised over the last year.

Other recent donations in the Province include the Dorset Jurassic Youth Adventure, which provided over 200 children from around the country with a free adventure holiday in Dorset.