MASONIC CHARITABLE GIVING

All Individual Freemasons Lodges raise funds for charitable purposes to take care of the widows of past members and others who may be in distress. Individual members can ask the Lodge to support causes close to them and at Danehurst Lodge we have, for example, supported Macmillan Nurses, The British Heart Foundation, Little Havens Children's Hospice, various adult Hospices in Essex and the RNIB amongst many others. We also support Tender Loving Teddies which provides teddy bears for hospitals to gift to children who unexpectedly find themselves in Accident and Emergency Departments. The gift of a Teddy has a calming and reassuring effect on children frightened by the experience, and allows nursing staff to offer more rapid and effective treatment. Freemasons in Essex are proud to have recently presented the one millionth teddy under the scheme.

During 2013 our Master walked the length of the Great Wall of China to raise funds for his local hospice.

In 2014 Freemasons in Essex have contributed �40000 to Flood relief in Somerset and elsewhere with the United Grand Lodge also contributing �50000 to flood relief.

In 2014 Freemasons in Essex donated �735211 to over 400 local charities.

                                                    

During 2015 Freemasons donated �1.13 m to 13 medical research charities dealing with cancers , stem cell transplantation , heart disease , diabetes, macular degeneration, dementia and alzheimers  , prosthetic limbs and Parkinsons disease

In December 2015 �35000 was also donated to assist with Flood disaster recovery in Cumbria.

In total Freemasons throughout Essex have donated in excess of �1m to local charities during 2015.

It has been confirmed in January 2016 that Freemasons in Essex donated �71645 to local hospices in 2015 and �45000 to Alzheimers research. 

In March 2016 The United Grand Lodge donated �666500 to 17 charities including a donation of �250000 to research into Cystic Fibrosis , �100000 to blind veterans and �40000 to the Royal National Institute for the blind.

May 2017 : Within 48 hours of the Manchester bombing freemasons in Essex gave �10000 to a fund to help the victims. During the same week freemasons nationally have contributed �40000.

January 2018 : the Masonic Charitable foundation have provided a grant of £50000 to kids Inc , a childrens charity based in Chelmsford Essex

January 2019 : In 2018 185 people in Essex were helped by freemasonry. £314015 was paid over to support daily living allowances , £93077 was provided for health needs and £66596 for educational needs . In addition 13 local charities in Essex received £144212 . Six people also benefited from Counselling services offered by the Masonic Charitable Foundation.

August 2019 .Representatives of Danehurst Lodge attended the Harold Wood shop of the Rainbow Trust to present a cheque for £2100 to Pauline Obee MBE , Patron of the charity. The Rainbow Trust is a small Essex-based charity which helps families with children who have a life threatening disease.

                         

April 2020 . In response to the Coronavirus pandemic Freemasons in Essex purchased £20000 of full face masks which were donated to local care homes and the NHS. They also launched an appeal for old i pads and telephones which will be similarly donated to care homes and hospitals top allow relatives to facetime care home residents and hospital patients . In addition the United Grand Lodge of England have agreed to a match funded donation of £100000 to be spent in the county on similar initiatives.

December 2020. At the Pride of Essex 2020 presentation Essex freemasons received the "Community Top Team" award for their work during the Coronavirus pandemic. They donated thousands of visors and other PPE to 320 care homes( 506b were contacted overall) , NHS Community staff, Essex Air Ambulance service , numerous ambulance stations and the Search and Rescue service. They also made £100000 in grants available including £20000 for antibody testing.