Freemasons pump in millions in cash and commitment to fight Covid-19
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Lincolnshire Freemasons have contributed to more than £1 million raised to support those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the continuing lockdown preventing Lodges from meeting and holding charitable collections, Freemasons have used technology to keep raising money to support its national response.
Online and text donations have been pouring into the Freemasons’ Covid-19 Community Fund from Freemasons nationwide. The half-million pounds raised from individual Freemasons and their Lodges is being doubled by the Freemasons’ Charity the MCF, bringing the fund’s total to more than £1 million. The total could exceed £2 million as donations continue to flood in.
This fundraising is in addition to the £2.5 million the MCF has already allocated to fund more than 50 local projects around the country, and a major grant of £250,000 to Age UK’s coronavirus emergency appeal. Any donation made by Lincolnshire Freemasons will count towards our aspiration to raise £2.25m in our #Lincs2025 Festival.
Projects that Freemasons have chosen to support involve the provision of much-needed PPE, to health workers in hospitals and care homes. That has included almost 2,000 visors made in Scunthorpe for MCF care homes, and 2,200 metres of fabric being cut and sewn into scrubs in our Province. We have also cooked meals for the vulnerable, and continue to do so for diners in Louth, Skegness, Alford, Horncastle and Spilsby.
There has also been a major donation of hundreds of tablets and smartphones to more than 50 hospitals, care homes and hospices, to help patients stay in touch with their families while normal visiting is suspended. In London alone, 115 tablets have been provided to The Royal London, Queen Mary’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, while more than 200 tablets have been given so far in Kent, Surrey and Sussex and over 50 tablets in North Wales. Other regions of the country will see deliveries in the near future.
All this is in addition to the estimated £45m that Freemasons across England and Wales give to charity every year, and the 18.5 million hours of practical assistance they provide to those in need.
Lincolnshire’s PGM David Wheeler is leading the Covid response for a number of Provinces in our region. He said: “The dedication shown by our members has been remarkable. Faced with a major challenge they have risen to it and stepped in wherever they could to offer practical help.”
Dr David Staples, CEO of the United Grand Lodge of England, said: “Once again Freemasons are making a major contribution in response to a national crisis. The million pounds already raised will be added to our significant contribution to the fight against Covid-19, including the provision of vital PPE to key workers, tablets to the sick or elderly in hospitals and food to the most vulnerable. I’m sure Freemasons will keep giving to our fund so we can keep providing vital support.”
David Innes, Chief Executive of the MCF, said: “Covid-19 has created an unprecedented national crisis and I’m absolutely delighted that Freemasons have reacted with their usual generosity. A huge amount of critical support has already been provided and we’ll continue to deliver help and support where it’s most needed.”
