Suffolk Freemasons

Suffolk Freemasons to become strategic partner of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

    

More than 30,000 young people with disabilities and special educational needs will be able to take part in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, thanks to a grant of £300,000 from Freemasons. 

Suffolk Freemasons have become a strategic partner of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE), funding a new national programme to upskill its team and volunteers. The programme will also help enrol more schools and clubs, to ensure all young people have access to DofE. To make it possible, the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) and the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), the Freemasons’ charity, have teamed up to enable the charity to reach at least 30,000 young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) by 2024. The ambition is to increase the number of centres, such as schools and youth groups, offering DofE to young people with SEND and train hundreds of Leaders – trained individuals supporting groups of young people through their DofE journeys.  

At least 15,000 young people will achieve a DofE Award sponsored by the 200,000-strong UGLE, to support The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The programme has been designed to make DofE participation possible for students with diverse difficulties and disabilities. It will help the students to build crucial personal life skills, develop employability skills and become more independent, and aims tooffer students the same experiences available to their peers in mainstream education.

The impact of achieving a DofE Award is remarkable and will be life-changing for young people with physical or learning difficulties, who are often excluded from adventurous activities due to a lack of accessible equipment, facilities, trained support staff and funding. The programme aims to increase the opportunities for young people with special needs, as well as increasing the number of specialist Leaders by providing bespoke training to adults supervising young people with special needs. The aim is to have 240 more adults trained to support young people with SEND by 2024. The initiative also includes a plan to offer support to new delivery partners that work with young people with SEND, to encourage them to offer the DofE.

His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh, who founded the DofE in 1956, was himself a Freemason, having been introduced to Freemasonry in 1952 at the age of 31 by his father-in-law King George VI. Throughout his 99 years, he was associated with some 992 charities, either as president, patron or honorary member.

Dr David Staples, chief executive of the UGLE, said: “Prince Philip was well known for his charity work, having been involved with numerous organisations. At UGLE, we looked for a project that would honour Prince Philip's memory. Helping young people with special educational needs and becoming a strategic partner of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is therefore a great honour for us. "Helping the DofE was an easy decision as Freemasonry's core values are charity, integrity, respect and friendship,” he added.

Caroline Glen, Director of Fundraising, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, said: “We’re very grateful to the Freemasons for their generous grant, which will give many thousands of young people with disabilities and special educational needs the chance to take part in the DofE and gain its life-changing benefits. This is a wonderful and very practical way to continue The Duke’s amazing legacy and to spread the benefits of the DofE further than ever before.” 

As well as the late Duke of Edinburgh, the Freemasons can also count other Royal Family members among their number, including HRH The Duke of Kent, who is the longest-serving Grand Master of the UGLE.

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

 

 

 

 

Emergency food for Indian families during pandemic funded by Freemasons

Photograph shows women from Odisha state receiving an emergency food parcel

Families and children experiencing severe poverty in India during the COVID-19 pandemic will be receiving vital emergency support thanks to a grant of £50,000 from Freemasons to Plan International UK. The £50,000 grant is enough to provide an expected 1,700 emergency food parcels for some of the most vulnerable families whose livelihoods have been affected during the pandemic. Health services across India have been overwhelmed by the latest wave of coronavirus, and Freemasonry, through the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) and Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF), is responding with Plan International to support them by providing essential items, and training.

Hospitals across the country are reporting record-breaking daily case numbers, with oxygen for ventilators running scarce. A deadly transmission rate means disaster is unfolding for children, families, and communities. On Thursday 6th May 2021, there were more than 414,000 new confirmed cases as well as over 3,800 deaths. Sadly the country’s death toll is still dramatically climbing. In early May, India’s daily Covid-19 death toll accounted for half the total reported cases in the world according to the WHO. Five states account for over half of India’s COVID-19 cases: Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Deaths have been concentrated in urban areas, especially Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Punjab. Millions of families have already exhausted their savings during a five-month lockdown across the country. Livelihoods and jobs have been lost, and families all over India are struggling to afford necessities like food, and the hygiene materials they need to stay safe. The collapse of savings coupled with food shortages mean thousands and thousands of children, especially girls, are going hungry.

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 International UK, said: “We’re very grateful for this generous grant which will allow Plan International to reach families and young children in those parts of India hardest hit by the virus. It’s critical that we act now to provide this support to those most at risk”.

Rick Orme, Provincial Charity Steward said: “I’m very pleased we’ve been able to help Plan International with their relief effort in India. This is a desperate situation and Plan International and the other organisations responding on the ground need all the help and support we can offer.” 

 

About the Masonic Charitable Foundation The Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) is one of the largest grant-making charities in the country. Funded entirely through the generosity of Freemasons and their families, the MCF awards millions of pounds each year to local and national charities that help vulnerable people, advance medical research and provide opportunities for young people. The MCF also helps to fund vital services such as hospices and air ambulances and regularly contributes to worldwide appeals for disaster relief.  In total, MCF support helps to improve the lives of thousands of people every year in England, Wales and internationally. As well as providing grants to charities, the MCF supports Freemasons and their families with a financial, health or family need.

Visit www.mcf.org.uk

Freemasons are supporting carers with advice, breaks and activities

Freemasons are leading a project to help up to 33,000 adult, young and parent carers, with donations of more than £715,000.

According to Carers UK, the number of carers grew exponentially during the pandemic, reaching more than 13 million. The helping hand from the Freemasons is supporting them with essential items, life skills, counselling, crisis support, activities and breaks. Approximately 20,000 unpaid carers are receiving access to crucial support online, funded by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), the governing body of the Freemasons.

The UGLE is also working to protect young carers, who are under increasing pressure as they support family members during lockdown. In particular, the Freemasons project is providing 870 young carers with respite through activities and breaks, while 760 young carers are being provided with essential items and life skills. Elsewhere, almost 100 schools are receiving assistance to identify hidden young carers and provide support.

In total, more than 1,800 young carers are receiving advice, support and information.

In addition to their support for young carers, the Freemasons are providing funding for crisis support, advice and information to almost 3,000 adult carers. Meanwhile, the project is also assisting 1,050 parent carers with advice and support. In Bedfordshire for example, the donation will help up to 20,000 unpaid carers to access online support, information and guidance with ease, freeing up staff to help those who are most in need. And in Essex, the donation will benefit 4,000 carers with a new minibus, providing transport to and from activities and day centres, removing barriers to participation. Meanwhile in Buckinghamshire, almost 2,000 young carers will be supported at school, to improve their wellbeing and reduce stress and isolation. The donation will fund the salaries and project costs of three support staff to work with schools in identifying and supporting young carers. The aim of the project is to find young people with previously ‘hidden’ caring responsibilities and raise awareness of their burden. Elsewhere, in Cumberland and Westmorland, Freemasons’ donations are supporting the Eden Carers project with mobile phones and laptops for its staff, enabling them to continue to support more than 800 unpaid carers of all ages flexibly and remotely, complying with Covid-19 restrictions.

Dr David Staples, chief executive of the UGLE, said: “These have been very difficult times for everyone and especially for carers. With the donations, we are helping with training, counselling, support, mental and physical health, as well as activities to reduce stress. “We want to recognise the enormous contribution carers make to families and communities throughout the UK. They do their best because they want to make a difference and care deeply for their family members.”

 

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