Suffolk Freemasons

Freemasons’ annual report reveals 50% increase in membership enquiries

The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) has launched its 2021 annual report, which shows an increase in the number of membership enquiries from 12,000 in 2020 to 18,000 in 2021, reflecting its commitment to modernisation and transparency. There has also been a significant increase in the number of visitors to the UGLE website, up from 65,000 in 2020 to 83,000 in 2021, representing a rise of almost 30%. In 2021, UGLE launched its first National Digital Marketing Campaign (NDMC). The campaign aimed to modernise communication channels with the public and send a clear message about the world of Freemasonry and what being a member has to offer. Results from the campaign have already started to be seen. Currently, UGLE has a waiting list of 6,000 people expecting to become members, while more than 8,800 membership enquiries were received in less than three months (78% higher than the initial target). Recent research also showed that one in four people would consider joining the Freemasons today, compared to just one in ten when the same survey was conducted in 2018.

HRH The Duke of Kent, Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, said: “Freemasonry has had a profound effect on its members, drawing people together and celebrating the very best of humanity. I am enormously proud of the efforts of our organisation and its members. I hope that, having read this report, you will agree that we are a unique institution and, more than that, a real force for good in society.”

The annual report also highlights that Freemasons were busier than ever in 2021 in their local communities, looking after and supporting the vulnerable. They donated three million soft-toys for Teddies for Loving Care, while more than 33,000 adult, young and parent carers were supported by a donation of more than £715,000 from Freemasons. The funds helped to provide crisis support, guidance, advice and information. Elsewhere, Freemasons donated more than £550,000 to help individuals experiencing mental health issues across the UK.

The Armed Forces and Freemasonry have always been inextricably linked, so this combined and illustrious history made the signing of the Armed Forces Covenant a perfect fit for the UGLE and its Provinces. The signing took place during an event at Freemasons’ Hall in October 2021 and demonstrated the UGLE's support for members of the Armed Forces in several areas, including education, family wellbeing, getting a home, starting a new career, access to healthcare, financial assistance and discounted services.

Looking forward, the annual report also gives a glimpse of the UGLE’s new seven-year strategy known as the Strategic Roadmap. The project is being led by Pro Grand Master Jonathan Spence and his strategic team. Mr Spence is currently travelling to present the roadmap in greater detail to each region. The strategy aims to ensure the UGLE is a thriving organisation that members enjoy and are proud of being part of, and which positively impacts communities and supports wider society. Regarding the Strategic Roadmap, Mr Spence said: “Sustainability of membership is not just concerned with securing new members from across all age groups and backgrounds, but also about motivating and engaging our current membership.”

In 2023, Freemasons will celebrate the 300-year anniversary of the publication in London of The Constitutions of the Freemasons – known as the 1723 Constitutions – which would set a pattern for Freemasonry throughout the world. Understanding their context helps to explain the origins of modern Freemasonry and shed light on the relationship between Freemasonry and society today. Freemasonry is a unique members' organisation that has thrived for more than 300 years. Having no political or religious affiliations, we comprise members of all ages, races, religions, cultures and backgrounds. Freemasons gather in their individual Lodges throughout the country, where they have ceremonial traditions that encourage members to be more tolerant and respectful, and actively fulfil civic and charitable responsibilities. They also make time to eat, drink and meet together, often forming lifelong friendships.

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Livia Ferreira, public relations and marketing manager, United Grand Lodge of England Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Pakistan flood victims receive £30,000 from Freemasons for clean water and tents

Thousands of people who have had their lives devastated by the unprecedented floods in Pakistan will be given emergency relief thanks to a grant of £30,000 from Freemasons in Suffolk and other Provinces across England and Wales. More than a thousand people, including hundreds of children, have lost their lives in the disaster, and Freemasonry, through the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) and the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF, the Freemasons’ charity) is responding in partnership with the British Red Cross and UNICEF to provide emergency relief to the survivors. An estimated 33 million people from three of the country’s four provinces have been affected by heavy rains and floods, many of them losing everything. The victims include many of the most vulnerable people in the world, including 400,000 refugees from Afghanistan.

In addition to the loss of life and destruction of homes and property, millions have lost their livelihoods. A large part of the country remains underwater, with the loss of billions of pounds of crops and the deaths of more than 700,000 livestock. UNICEF and the British Red Cross will each be receiving £15,000 from the Freemasons for their relief efforts, which could provide clean drinking water and emergency food relief for hundreds of households, tents to provide basic shelter or mosquito nets to protect flood survivors from malaria and dengue fever.

Luke Tredget, Head of Emergencies atthe British Red Cross, said: “We’re very grateful for this generous grant which will allow us to provide immediate emergency relief to people who are in desperate need. This unprecedented disaster has devastated vast areas of the country and left millions of people in urgent need of help.”

Rick Orme of Suffolk Freemasons added “I’m very pleased we’ve been able to help UNICEF and the Red Cross with their relief effort in Pakistan. This is the most terrible situation for millions of people and I’m proud that Freemasons are providing help and support to charities on the ground working with survivors."

For further information about UNICEF - www.unicef.org.uk               For further information about the British Red Cross - www.redcross.org.uk  

Helping your community through the cost of living crisis

The Adviceand Support Team (AST) at the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), is committed to supporting Freemasons and their family members through financial, health, and other issues, and has had to step up its game in 2022 once the cost of living crisis struck. Since February 2022, the UK has been battling with a spiralling inflation, which is currently at over nine per cent. More and more people are worried about putting food on the table, being able to afford transportation to get to work or send their children to school, as well as paying for gas, fuel and electricity. Seeing these prices increase daily can cause a lot of anxiety; according to the Office for National Statistics, 77 per cent of adults in the UK reported feeling very or somewhat worried about the rising costs of living, and 50 per cent of those who stated being very worried think about it nearly every day.

Thankfully, the MCF Advice and Support Team (AST) is here to helpFreemasons and their family members with a free and confidential service, with advisers based regionally throughout England and Wales. Once a referral has been made, a local team member will call to discuss the situation and offer advice on any support or services available.

“There is a surprisingly large amount of people who are eligible for benefits but do not claim them because they are unaware or uninformed. One example that comes to mind is a recent conversation I had with a woman whose husband died after she had cared for him for 10 years. Her caring role was so all-consuming that she hadn’t considered or been aware of the benefits she was entitled to –and desperately needed when the cost of living started to rise –for her own financial and mobility struggles. Thankfully, we have been able to help her access disability credit and pension credit which she was entitled to all along.”– Caroline Wales, MCF Adviser.

As well as informing people of their eligibility, the AST can offer guidance and support with applications for state benefits. For those applying for an MCF grant, the team will take time to check the applicant’s eligibility by assessing their financial, personal, and/or health situation, as well as their link to Freemasonry. But the support doesn’t stop there; the MCF’s free and confidential counselling service has been crucial for many people dealing with the cost of living crisis and mental health illness as a result. Financial woes and poor mental health are strongly linked, as living in debt and struggling pay bills to can inviteconditions such as anxiety, depression and stress– so it’s unsurprising that one in two adults with debts also has a mental health problem.

As always, the Advice and Support team is continuing to monitor and respond to the current issues of today, and is able to make a difference to the lives of families in the Freemasonry community in these challenging times, thanks to the generosity of Freemasons.

 Contact the MCF enquiries team for more information and to get support

0800 035 60 90
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mcf.org.uk/get-support