Freemasons donate over £17,500 to charities in Hampshire

Freemasons from the Bordon, Alton and Petersfield Masonic Centres held a charity presentation evening to celebrate the United Grand Lodge of England’s Tercentenary

Held at the Bordon Masonic Centre, the evening was well attended by local charity and community representatives and Freemasons including Chairman of East Hampshire District Council Lynn Evans, Mayor of Alton Dean-Paul Phillips and Mayor of Whitehill & Bordon Colin Leach.

Provincial Grand Master of Hampshire and Isle of Wight RW Bro Mike Wilks opened with a talk about Freemasonry and the values it represents and teaches its members. A total of 26 local charities and community organisations were supported and then given the opportunity to talk about the amazing support and services that they provide to the local communities.

Over £17,500 was presented to the below charities:

• Alton Cardiac Rehab - Provides exercise and health education for post-op rehabilitation
• Lifelites - Provides specialist technology for children in every children's hospices
• The Rosemary Foundation - Charity providing a 'Hospice at Home' service
• The Petersfield Society of Special Needs - Improving the quality of life of those who develop a disability in childhood
• Petersfield Counselling Service - Offers short and long term counselling to people 18 years and over
• Petersfield ShopMobility - Motorised scooters and wheelchairs for hire
• Petersfield Girl Guides - Run exciting activities for girls
• The Oaks Playscheme for Disabled Children - Run playschemes during the Easter and Summer holidays for 3-11 years
• Bisters Big Build - Raising funds to build a downstairs bedroom and wet room for Joseph, who has a range of serious medical conditions
• Alton MS Society - Offer help to people who are living with or affected by MS
• Holybourne Theatre Company - A not for profit amateur dramatics group run by volunteers which stages an energetic and diverse entertainment programme
• Kings Arms Young Carers - Charity set up to meet the needs of the young people of Petersfield and the surrounding villages
• The Murray Parish Trust - Charity dedicated to raising £2 million to build a new Children's A&E department at Southampton
• Friends Forever - A service set up to meet the leisure expectations of a group of disabled people who wanted to have the opportunity to rekindle old friendships and make new friends
• Homestart Weywater - Independent charity supporting families in need
• The Downs Syndrome Association - Charity focusing solely on all aspects of living successfully with Down’s syndrome
• Hounds for Heroes - Provides specially trained assistance dogs to injured and disabled men and women of both the UK Armed Forces and Emergency Services
• The Royal Marsden Hospital - A specialist cancer treatment hospital
• The Kevin Ackling Fund - Raising funds for The Brain Tumour Charity in memory of Kevin
• Headley Youth Football Club - Provides inclusive football for all ages from under 6 to under 18
• Headley Holme Primary School - A school for boys and girls aged from 4 to 11
• St Johns Ambulance - First aid charity
• Riding for the Disabled - Charity dedicated to improving the lives of thousands of people through education, therapy and fun
• Masonic Trout & Salmon Fishing Charity - Provides exhilarating fishing day experience for people with special needs
• Headley Sports Association - To provide facilities for recreation for the benefit of the Parish of Headley
• Kings Arms Young Carers - Raises awareness and money for children with cystic fibrosis

This money is achieved by Freemasons holding charity evenings or by regularly contributing to a Lodge charity fund, which is then used for the benefit of local causes. 

Mike Wilks commented: ‘Listening to the charity representatives explain the work they do was very humbling. It provided even more motivation for us to keep raising funds for such worthy causes. 

‘For 300 years we have been supporting charities and I hope we’ll still be doing it in another 300 years.’

The evening concluded with a social gathering in the dining hall of the centre. This provided a great opportunity for the charities to further explain what they do and to learn about Freemasonry from its members.