News

7th July 2021

Families on brink of famine in South Sudan receive emergency support funded by Suffolk Freemasons
 
 
Hundreds of families on the brink of famine in South Sudan will be receiving emergency support thanks to a grant of £35,000 from Freemasons to Plan International UK.
 
Freemasonry, through the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) and Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), is responding with Plan International to support communities at this critical time. £35,000 is enough to provide cooking kits to 525 families. Plan International is on the ground in Pibor, one of the worst affected regions, delivering vital programmes for nutrition, education, livelihoods, and child protection.
 
The UN has described South Sudan’s food crisis as its “worst on record”, with children and communities facing multiple threats at once. Late last year, heavy flooding affected over a million people in the country, destroying homes, devastating livelihoods and displacing thousands of children and their families. On top of this communities are still reeling from the pandemic, as well as political upheavals, escalating conflictand a stagnating economy.
 
With the country in the middle of its ‘lean season’ - the time between harvests when households run out of stored food - there is now a critical window to prevent the onset of famine. Lasting from March until August, the lean season will see 7.2 million, or 60 per cent of the population, pushed into extreme hunger. 1.4 million children under the age of five and almost 500,000 pregnant and lactating women are expected to be left severely malnourished. It is crucial that aid reaches these communities before the floods come again, further hindering access to support for some of the world’s most vulnerable children.
 
Suffolk Freemasons contributed to the grant, from the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is funded by Freemasons, their families and friends, from across England and Wales. Rose Caldwell, Chief Executive of Plan InternationalUK, said: “We’re very grateful for this generous grant which will allow Plan International to reach families and young children in those parts of South Sudan most badly hit by the food crisis. It’s critical that we act now to distribute food and other vital support to those most at risk”
 
Rick Orme of Suffolk Freemasons commented “I am very pleased we’ve been able to help PlanInternational, who are distributing food to the most vulnerable families and children in South Sudan. This is a desperate situation and PlanInternational and the other organisations helping on the ground need all the help and support we can offer.”
 
For further information about the Masonic Charitable Foundation visit www.mcf.org.uk

July 2nd 2021

SUFFOLK FREEMASONS TAKE LEAD ROLE IN NHS FRONTLINE WORKERS’ DAY

The inaugural celebration of NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day is set to take place on 5 July 2021, with Freemasons in Suffolk having organised events across the county in Bury St. Edmunds, Diss, Felixstowe, Framlingham, Halesworth, Ipswich, Lowestoft, Saxmundham, Stowmarket, Southwold, Sudbury and Woodbridge.

The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), the governing body for Freemasons, is inviting its 200,000 members to fly specially designed flags at 10am on 5 July, to celebrate this unique day dedicated to the NHS, social care and all those that work on the front line, who have saved so many lives during the pandemic. The celebration will also remember those workers we sadly lost.

As part of the event, the Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) scheme, managed by the Freemasons, produced a limited edition of TLC teddy nurse badges to be given to medical staff that use the bears in their day-to-day work. Some 48 provinces across England and Wales took part in the campaign and distributed them to NHS staff.

Suffolk Freemasons have been donating teddy bears to NHS accident and emergency units for 20 years. Almost 3.5 million teddies have been donated to hospitals, minor injuries clinics and other NHS services to comfort young children during times of distress. Many Freemasons also volunteer hundreds of hours each year to manage the scheme, deliver bears to hospitals, campaign to raise funds and increase awareness through events and talks.

The UGLE is one of the core supporters of NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day, alongside the Cadet Forces, English Heritage and the Women’s Institute. A £5 donation from every flag and length of bunting made will be equally divided between NHS Charities Together and the National Care Association.

Freemasonry for Women and the Order of Women Freemasons have also joined the UGLE in this initiative, as Freemasons aim to set a record for the number of flags raised simultaneously across the nation.

Subsequently, at 11am, the UGLE headquarters in Great Queen Street will be raising the flag and a trumpeter will play the last post. At the same time, Freemasons are planning a moment’s silence to remember NHS workers and all those who died from Covid-19. The day continues with a toast to the NHS at 1pm. After this, they will be raising a cuppa to the NHS during afternoon tea at 4pm.

At 8pm, the Freemasons will join the nation in an evening clap for NHS workers, while church bells are set to ring 73 times to celebrate 73 years of the NHS. Closing the celebrations at 9pm, there will be a #timetotoast for all NHS workers. So far, nearly 130 Lodges and Provinces have made a commitment to the raising of the flag and other elements of the day.

Bruno Peek, pageant master to the Queen and creator of NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day, said: “We are delighted that Freemasons, whose members come from all walks of life, are playing such a high-profile and active role to start this special day of celebration and commemoration of those within the NHS, social care and on the front line, who undertake so much for us all, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 52 weeks a year, without any thought of their own safety.” 

In addition, Dr David Staples, chief executive of the UGLE and a consultant in acute internal medicine at Peterborough Hospital, said: “We are facing the greatest global pandemic in living memory and the NHS has never been so tested in its history. Its staff have been stretched beyond comprehension during the last year and they deserve our gratitude, our applause and all the support we can give. “We are encouraging not only our 200,000 members, but the entire population to celebrate the day honouring and remembering NHS workers with a complete programme of events on 5 July.”

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Freemasons have been supporting the NHS in many different ways. They have donated more than £2.5m so far to the Covid-19 effort and completed 18.5 million hours of volunteering to help those in need each year. The donation is being used to help with food, personal protective equipment, supplements for hospitals and hospices, funds for NHS workers and ambulances.

To find out more about NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day and to register your participation in the event, please visit: www.nhsfrontlineday.org

  

15th June 2021

NHS, Social Care & Frontline Workers’ Day on 5th July 2021

Suffolk Freemasons are playing their part in NHS, Social Care & Frontline Workers’ Day to celebrate all those who have worked so tirelessly to help our country through the Coronavirus crisis, and who continue to support some of the most vulnerable people in society. Organised nationally by Pageantmaster Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR, NHS, Social Care & Frontline Workers’ Day takes place on 5th July this year, with events throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, the Isle of Man.

We have organised various events across the county in Bury St. Edmunds, Diss, Felixstowe, Framlingham, Halesworth, Ipswich, Lowestoft, Saxmundham, Stowmarket, Southwold, Sudbury and Woodbridge.

Bob Lee, Assistant Provincial Grand Master of Suffolk Freemasons commented: “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to pay tribute to all the local doctors, nurses, care workers and other frontline staff who played such a key role in saving lives and keeping essential services going when Covid-19 struck our country. Their commitment and sense of duty was an inspiration to everyone and this is our chance to say a huge thank you to every single one of them.”

The NHS, Social Care & Frontline Workers’ Day was conceived and organised by Pageantmaster Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR, who has organised national and royal events for 40 years, including key aspects of Her Majesty The Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee celebrations and 90th Birthday Beacons celebration. Bruno said: “July 5th 1948 was an historic moment in our country’s history. It was the day our pioneering National Health Service (NHS) was born, bringing free healthcare to everyone. We have treasured it ever since, but never more so since March 2020 when the Coronavirus pandemic gripped the UK and utterly changed all our lives. “We were suddenly at war with a ruthless, invisible enemy and on the front line were our NHS doctors, nurses and paramedics, plus platoons of critical workers keeping our shops open and stocked, our streets safe and our essential services running. “Now we have the chance to show our gratitude to all NHS and frontline staff with what I believe will be an annual day of thanks, and remembrance of those who lost their lives because of this dreadful disease.”

National Schedule:
10am Raising and Displaying the NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day Flag.
11 am Two-minute silence and playing of The Last Post and Reveille.
1pm The Nation’s Toast to the Heroes of the NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers*
1pm Street, Garden and Village Parties, and Parties at Home.
4pm Afternoon Tea.
8pm Clapping our Heroes and the Ringing of Church Bells 73 times to represent each year of the existence of the NHS.

More information on NHS, Social Care & Frontline Workers’ Day can be found at www.nhsfrontlineday.org