Provincial Grand Lodge of Lincolnshire
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Masonic  Charities

Introducing Freemasonry Cares:
Financial, Healthcare and Family Help
For You and Your Loved Ones

We all hope our lives will be free from trouble, but sadly this is not always the case. Many people find themselves facing problems at some point in their lives, whether it is financial difficulty, poor health, the need for assistance in their old age or help to support their children.

The central Masonic Charities - The Freemasons’ Grand Charity, Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys, The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution and Masonic Samaritan Fund – offer a wide range of help to Freemasons and their dependants who find themselves with real financial, healthcare or family related needs. However, many of those who are eligible for this support are missing out, often because they are unaware of the help the charities can provide or are reluctant to come forward to ask.

In response to this the central Masonic Charities are working with Provinces across England and Wales to launch Freemasonry Cares, which makes it easier for Freemasons and their dependants to remember and access the full range of charitable support available to them. We are delighted to announce the launch of Freemasonry Cares in the Province of Lincolnshire, so you and your family know where to turn in your time of need.

What is Freemasonry Cares?

Freemasonry Cares makes it easy to remember that support is available by delivering a simple message: if you have a Masonic connection and a real financial, healthcare or family need then contact Freemasonry Cares as help might be available.

A central freephone (0800 035 60 90)
Email: help@freemasonrycares.org
Web site: http://www.freemasonrycares.org/

have been set up which give easy access to the full range of support the Masonic Charities collectively provide. The service is confidential, there is no charge and no obligation so you have nothing to lose by getting in touch.

Freemasonry Cares is designed to work in conjunction with Province’s own care arrangements and is not a replacement for these; the Province of Lincolnshire remains fully committed to the welfare of you and your family. Your Lodge Almoner continues to offer support and guidance and we encourage you to turn to him should you find yourself in need. Freemasonry Cares simply provides another route to access assistance if, for whatever reason, you feel unable to talk to someone in the Province.

Perhaps you are reluctant
to discuss your problems with your Lodge Almoner because he is personally known to you, or you are the dependant of a member and don’t know who to contact, or perhaps you simply want to make your initial enquiry anonymously. These are some of the many reasons why you might want to use the Freemasonry Cares service and we would strongly encourage you to do so.

Mary’s Story

Freemasonry Cares is already making a huge difference to the lives of Freemasons and their families across England and Wales. Mary, the elderly widow of a Mason, is just one of hundreds of people who have already benefitted from help accessed via Freemasonry Cares.

Mary became the resident of a care home but needed a highly specialist wheelchair in order to socialise and participate in the residents’ activities. The chair she had been previously using was condemned for health and safety reasons but without a suitable replacement she became confined to her bedroom.

Fortunately Mary received a timely letter from the Provincial Grand Master of her late husband’s Province. Sent to all known widows in the Province, the letter urged Mary to contact Freemasonry Cares if she had one of a number of needs, including requiring mobility equipment. Mary’s daughter read the letter on her mother’s behalf and was very surprised as her father had never mentioned the Masonic Charities and so she had no idea that help might be available.

With nothing to lose the daughter decided to contact Freemasonry Cares via its central helpline number. She was astounded by the speed and efficiency with which the enquiry was handled and following submission of application forms, a suitable wheelchair was sourced and provided. Mary now has the freedom to move around her care home and enjoys an active social life with the other residents.

The central Masonic charities offer a wide range of care, help and assistance to people like Mary but they can only help if people ask for support. To ask for support people need to know it is available. This is why Freemasonry Cares is so important.

Freemasonry Cares for You Today, Tomorrow and in the Future

You will find a leaflet about Freemasonry Cares enclosed in this copy of Masonic Lincs. This provides details about the financial, healthcare and family related help you can access via Freemasonry Cares and contact details for the service. Please take the time to read the leaflet carefully and share its contents with your loved ones. If you know of someone else who would benefit from seeing this – a widow of a member or a retired member in need – the leaflet contains information on where to request extra copies to pass on. Most importantly, make sure you keep the leaflet safe. Even if you don’t need help now your circumstances may change and Freemasonry Cares is here to help today, tomorrow and in the future.


Summary Report for the Province of Lincolnshire

1 August – 31 October 2011

Enquiries

• During this quarter, a total of 993 enquiries were received to the Freemasonry Cares service.

• 25 enquiries were directly attributed to the Province of Lincolnshire. The enquiries fell into the following categories:

• 80% (20) of the enquiries were positively progressed. This includes enquiries where an application was made, where advice was given that the client is likely to be able to apply for assistance, or where the client was referred back to the Province or to other appropriate services for further support.

• It was not possible to progress 16% (4) of the enquiries received. This is because the request fell outside of the remit of the Charities, the enquirer did not meet the Charities’ eligibility criteria or the enquiry was unrelated to Freemasonry Cares.

• 4% (1) of the enquiries were recorded as ‘other’. This means that the enquiry relates to Freemasonry Cares but is unrelated to making an application, for example, requests for further copies of the leaflet or information about Freemasonry Cares.


Allocation of Enquiries by Charity

• 8% (2) of enquiries were allocated to The Freemasons’ Grand Charity

• 12% (3) of enquiries were allocated to the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys

• 20% (5) of enquiries were allocated to the Masonic Samaritan Fund

• 4% (1) of enquiries were allocated to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution

• 56% (14) of enquiries were dealt with by the Freemasonry Cares Team and included those enquiries generally logged as ‘Other’, for example, requests for leaflets and information about Freemasonry Cares.

Notes

The figures provided relate to all enquiries which can be reliably attributed to the Province. In some cases an enquiry will not be attributed to any Province because the caller does not provide this information, most frequently when the person calling is not a Freemason, for example the widow, child or other dependant of a Freemason.

In other cases an enquiry will be triggered by a Freemasonry Cares promotional activity but will go directly to the Province or one of the Charities. It is not possible to capture data relating to this sort of enquiry because it is not received through the central Freemasonry Cares services.

Given the difficulty of capturing data for those types of enquiries listed above, it is fair to assume that this report shows the minimum number of enquiries generated by Freemasonry Cares in the Province during the period of the report.

MASONIC CHARITIES
As you will see from the following descriptions of the Masonic Charities, they are not in fact totally for the benefit of Freemasons but also do sterling work in the wider community. Our charitable work for the local community is covered on a separate page.

The Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys»

The Freemasons Grand Charity»

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution»

The Masonic Samaritan Fund»

THE ROYAL MASONIC TRUST FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

2008 saw the launch of a new Festival for Lincolnshire in support of The Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys. It is appropriate, therefore, that we look a little more at the work of the Trust and further information will be provided on this page as the Festival gets fully under way.

Grand President
HRH The Duke of Kent, KG, GCMG, GCVO, ADC.

President
Mike Woodcock, DLitt, CIntMC, JP

Chief Executive
Les Hutchinson, MBA, BA (Hons), MCMI

60 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AZ
Telephone: 020 7405 2644
F acsimile: 020 7831 4094
Web site: www.rmtgb.org

Mission Statement

To continue to relieve poverty and provide an education and preparation for life for the children of the family of a Freemason and, where funds permit, for any children, as their fathers would have done, had they been able so to do.

Origin of the RMTGB
In the mid -1980s two national charities were brought together to form the Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys (MTGB). The former charities, the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls (RMIG) and the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys (RMIB), were merged with the MTGB and given the overall aim of relieving poverty and advancing education of children of all ages.

The girls' charity was set up in 1788. The trust deeds allowed for legitimate daughters of and female children legally adopted by Freemasons who, from some unexpected calamity, were driven into poverty, to be educated at the School. All girls were boarders and educated free, unless it was deemed that a parental contribution was required in accordance with the income of the parent(s). The boys' charity followed in 1798 (although there was no separate School for 60 years) along similar lines to that for the girls. The Boys' School was sold in 1977 and the money raised was, and still is, used for supporting boys at whatever school is best suited to their needs. The Girls' School was not sold, but set up as a separate foundation as a girls' independent school, the Royal Masonic School for Girls operating in the private sector in competition with all others in the area. The school can provide sheltered accommodation when required.

The aim of the merger was to create one new body having wider terms of reference and able to give greater assistance to the children of distressed Freemasons and, when resources permit, to give relief to children outside the Craft.

By gracious permission of Her Majesty The Queen, the Trust adopted the title of "Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys" (RMTGB) on 1 May 2003.

Petitions.
The Petitions Committee meets to consider petitions submitted to the Trust through sponsoring Lodges. In the case of Provincial Lodges these are transmitted through and reported on, by the Provincial Grand Secretary or Provincial Grand Almoner.

Forms of Petition for children to be admitted to benefits are obtainable from the Provincial office. Petitions are considered at the earliest opportunity after completion and return to the Trust.

Lodges sponsoring Petitions are invited to nominate a Case Almoner to supervise the particular case and act as the communication, and frequently the executive, link between the Trust and the child, the parents or guardian. The attention of Lodges and potential Case Almoners is invited to an informative pamphlet on the duties of this officer published by the Trust.

The Trust depends on Lodges for information about cases of distress which may qualify for assistance. All members of Lodges are urged, therefore, to be particularly vigilant in this respect. When a case comes to light, the Lodge Secretary or Lodge Almoner should at once inform the Trust through the Provincial Office. In cases of difficulty the Staff of the Trust are at all times ready to help.

With regard to assistance to children who are not the children of Freemasons, the Council has decided that assistance under this secondary object should usually take the form of donations to children's charities with similar objects to those of the Trust.

The Move to New Accomodation.
The long awaited move of the four central Craft Charity's into purpose designed accommodation within Freemasons' Hall took place early in 2008. Nearly 100 staff are now co-located in the refurbished area on the new Charities Floor.

Prior to the move the staff were dispersed over a number of floors. The improved arrangements mark the start of a new era of even greater co-operation, innovation and cost saving in the delivery of charitable support to the Craft. The closer proximity of staff to old colleagues and new ones from the other Charities reflects a genuine desire to foster improved and expanded working relationships among the organisations, with the aim of providing the best possible charitable support to thousands of applicants every year.

The move is enabling the Trust to embark upon an extensive refurbishment of its former home and it’s other building at 26 Great Queen Street, which was previously occupied by the Masonic Samaritan Fund. It will also explore ways of reorganising the student accommodation facilities currently focussed within Parker Street. Letting the refurbished offices should provide much needed income and reduce the annual operating deficit enabling the Trust to maintain the current level of support for its core, Masonic, beneficiaries.

Facts and Figures
During 2007 the Trust supported 857 girls and 803 boys at schools, colleges and universities. 66 young people received grants under the TalentAid scheme. Many others benefited from grants from our subsidiary funds. In all over 1,800 were helped at a cost of almost £7M.

Like all Charities, the Trust has set criteria for Grant Making. Cases must fall into specific categories before assistance can be given. In all there are 11 categories of distress; the four main categories relate to distress where the father of the children is a Freemason, these are:- Death, Desertion, Disability and Financial Distress. Then there are those cases where the father is not a Freemason but where some other person, often the Grandfather, has to some extent supported the child. The final three categories cover the death or desertion of both parents, the orphans, children of former beneficiaries of the Institutions and, lastly, where the Freemason father is over retirement age, and disability of a child.

Anniversary Festivals
The Twenty-third Anniversary Festival was held on 9 May 2008 at the Lakeside Country Club, Frimley under the Presidency of RW Bro E Stuart-Bamford, Provincial Grand Master for Surrey.

The Twenty-fourth Anniversary Festival will be held on 13 May 2009 at Newcastle Racecourse, Gosforth Park under the Presidency of RW Bro Peter Magnay, Provincial Grand Master for Northumberland.

Millenium Project
In December 1998, the Trust launched lifelites a special £7.5M fund for helping all children's hospices throughout England and Wales. Emphasis is placed on providing networked multi-media communications and computer-aided educational and recreational facilities. At the end of 2007 thirty-nine children's hospices had benefited from the project. It is anticipated that the number will have risen to forty or forty-one by the end of 2008. It is proposed that all new children's hospices will be invited to join the network as they open. Local Masonic volunteers with IT skills are helping the Hospices to maximise the benefits of the new equipment. On 1st January 2006 lifelites was launched as an independent charity able to seek both the Masonic and non-Masonic support that will secure its future. It remains under the administrative umbrella of the Trust. Please visit www.lifelites.org for further details.

Choral Bursaries
Established in 1995, the Trust's Choral Bursary scheme now awards bursaries to choristers at 25 cathedrals and other choral foundations. The bursaries enable children to join a choir and attend a choir school when their families are unable to meet the fees. In 2007 25 bursaries were awarded.

Talentaid
TalentAid was established in 2001 to help gifted children and young people develop their talents in music, sport and theperforming arts. Both the children and grandchildren of Freemasons are eligible.

Two types of grant are given. Recurring Grants are for fees at specialist schools and colleges, such as Wells Cathedral School (one of the specialist regional music schools) or the London College of Music and Dramatic Art. Grants for fees are means-tested and usually go to the children of low-income families.

Non-Recurring Grants are for sports coaching, music lessons, the purchase of equipment or instruments, and towards the incidental expenses of having a talented child.

During 2007, 66 young people received assistance through TalentAid.

TalentAid
Case Study
Claire began dancing lessons at the age of eight. She progressed through the grades to the higher levels of medal exams becoming an Associate of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) at the age of only 18, which qualified her to teach Disco and Freestyle.

Claire passed both her BTEC Foundation and National Diplomas in Performing Arts with Distinction. She successfully auditioned for a place as a dancer at Her Majesty's Theatre Haymarket and was one of only 30 out of 5,000 who were recalled from open auditions for the West End show 'Chicago'.

In 2005 she commenced a 3-year Professional Diploma in Performance at the Millennium Dance 2000 performing arts school. She began commuting from her family home but the long days and evening rehearsals meant that this arrangement soon became impractical. Claire was awarded a place in the Trust's student accommodation, Ruspini House, which has allowed her to concentrate on her dancing. The TalentAid scheme provides an accommodation grant and a contribution towards her fees.

One of the problems facing a young person starting a course or seeking a job in London is the difficulty in finding good quality yet reasonably priced accommodation. The Trust has Ruspini House for young men and women - close to the Trust's offices near Covent Garden in Central London. Preference being given to Beneficiaries or former Beneficiaries, but places are sometimes available for other Masonic children. Potential residents are welcome to visit and view the halls of residence at almost any time during office hours. Demand for places can be considerable, so early application is advised. Contact the Trust for more details.

Planning an Open Day
Did you know that the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys has a professional presentation stand, which can be used to illustrate some of the good works carried out by this charity? If you would like to find out more about utilising this useful facility for your open day or fundraising event, or to receive a promotion pack, please contact W Bro Ray Collings, Fund-raising Manager.

Guest Speakers
The Chief Executive will, on request, be happy to arrange for a speaker to attend Lodge meetings to talk about the work of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys.

Gift Aid Envelopes
Our Gift Aid envelope is available for you to use if you are a UK taxpayer who has paid an amount of income tax or capital gains tax in each tax year at least equal to the amount we may reclaim on your donation. [In 2008/2009 this is 28p in every £1]. The envelope enables the Trust to reclaim tax on donations made to alms collections, festive boards and ladies nights, etc.Gift Aid
The Trust actively encourages all eligible donors to complete a Gift Aid declaration, which enables the benefit of your donation to be maximised. Please ensure that you contact the Trust if your tax situation changes or if you change address.

Legacy Giving
By remembering the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys in your Will you can make a real difference to the level of support we provide. Legacies are immensely important to our work. Making a Will is a simple but very important step. It is the only way of ensuring that you decide who will benefit from your estate after your death.

Your legacy can help us to change the lives of generations of children by enabling us to continue our work well into the future.

Please contact the Trust in order to receive your legacy pack.

Subsidiary Trusts Administered by the RMTGB
In addition to the main funds, there are several subsidiary trusts available to the RMTGB to give relief to children and young people, and these fall into three categories. The first contains two funds available at the discretion of the Trustees to provide immediate relief in an emergency or in special circumstances affecting the whole family of the child or young person. The second category covers accommodation in London, and the third comprises Scholarships, Bursaries and Travelling Fellowships available to qualified students on application and awarded on merit at the appropriate time in the academic year.

Discretionary Funds for Emergency Relief
The normal procedure for granting relief to children and young people in need is through the presentation of a petition to the RMTGB. However, there are many occasions when immediate relief is necessary through emergency and these can arise both before and any time after a petition has been heard and approved. Such relief is available through the medium of two discretionary funds, known respectively as the Ruspini Fund and Burwood Trust.

Ruspini Fund (for Girls)
The Ruspini Fund, which is supported by voluntary donations from Lodges and members of the Craft, exists to provide limited assistance to girls in circumstances not provided for in the Rules for the application of the General Fund. Help may also be given to a girl's immediate family to relieve hardship or to overcome a problem, which affects the whole family and their ability to support the girl. It is named after the founder of the RMIG, Chevalier Ruspini. It is a most useful fund, permitting instant response to emergency need.

Burwood Trust (for Boys)
The Burwood Trust was inaugurated by the Council of the Trust in 1991 for the purpose of assisting boys in the same way as the Ruspini Fund assists girls. It is named after William Burwood who, with other members of the United Mariners Lodge, founded the RMIB.

Student Accomodation
One of the problems facing a young person starting a course or seeking a job in London is the difficulty of finding good quality yet reasonably-priced accommodation. The Trust has Ruspini House for young men and women – close to the Trust's offices near Covent Garden in Central London. Preference being given to Beneficiaries or former Beneficiaries, but places are sometimes available for other Masonic children.

Potential residents are welcome to visit and view the halls of residence at almost any time during office hours. Demand for places can be considerable, so early application is advised.

Contact the Trust for more information.

SCHOLARSHIPS, BURSARIES AND TRAVELLING FELLOWSHIPS
RESTRICTED TO BENEFICIARIES OR FORMER BENEFICIARIES

MTGB Scholarship Fund for Boys
The Scholarship Fund was founded in 1896 to assist in setting up scholarships for boys who had been assisted by the RMIB. In the light of modern conditions, however, it has been decided that the Fund would be put to better use by financing travelling scholarships to enable boys going on to higher forms of education to broaden their minds by travel abroad. The very interesting reports received from the recipients clearly indicate the great value of these scholarships.

The Empire Lodge Centenary Travelling Fellowship (for Girls and Boys)
and The Prince of Wales's Lodge Bicentenary Fund (for Girls and Boys)

Both the Empire Lodge Fellowship (1985) and the Prince of Wales's Lodge Fund (1987) were established to further the education of Petition girls or boys who, in the opinion of the Trustees, are the most deserving in each year. Selection is on academic achievement in the final year at school for travel to any part of the world and may be used in addition to, or as a supplement to, another award. The successful candidates are required, at the conclusion of the Fellowship, to write an account of their travels and the use to which the award has been put.

Scholarship Fund of the Public Schools' Lodges of Freemasons (for Girls and Boys)
This Fund was established in 1962 with capital provided by the Public Schools' Lodges Council. It was originally set up for the benefit of boys, but was changed on the formation of the MTGB. The objects are to provide Scholarships, Bursaries and Maintenance Allowances tenable at any University or other places of learning in respect of any girl or boy who is or has been under the care and protection of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys who, in the opinion of the Trustees, is in need of such assistance. The Fund will also provide tools or books to help beneficiaries prepare to enter a profession, trade or calling.

FOR THE BENEFIT OF CHILDREN OF FREEMASONS
NOT RESTRICTED TO BENEFICIARIES OR FORMER BENEFICIARIES

The Frederick Phillips Charity (for Girls and Boys)
This Charity was constituted, founded and established in 1927 and was originally administered by the Grand Charity. It has wide terms of reference, but is currently being used for assistance with post-graduate education. Accordingly, the Charity was passed to the RMTGB for administration.

The Leslie Smith Bursary (for Girls and Boys)
This Bursary was established in 1985 by the Trustees of the Leslie Smith Foundation and takes its name from the late W Bro L H A Smith, a founder member of the Council of the RMTGB. The object of the Bursary is to advance education and/or relieve poverty for the benefit of children of the family of a Freemason under the United Grand Lodge of England.

Old Masonians Association Memorial Trust (for Girls and Boys)
This Bursary was established in 1989 as a permanent memorial to Norman Taylor Sinclair, a former Headmaster of the Royal Masonic School for Boys, to former pupils of the School who gave their lives in the service of their Country and to the School and the work it did over a period of 179 years. The object of the Bursary is to provide assistance by way of relieving poverty and/or advancing education for the benefit of children of the family of a Freemason under the United Grand Lodge of England.

FOR THE BENEFIT OF ANY GIRL OR BOY

The Masonic Boys' Welfare Fund (for Boys)
This Fund was originally set up in 1922 for the maintenance, further education or advancement of boys under the age of 23 years who had been beneficiaries of the RMIB. In January 1988 a scheme was approved by the Charity Commission, which removed the dependency on the RMIB and inserted that beneficiaries must be in need of financial assistance, and that preference would be given to boys and young men who were the sons of Freemasons.

The Ruspini Welfare Fund (for Girls)
This Fund is similar to the Masonic Boys' Welfare Fund, but is for girls. It was started by a donation from St Alban’s Lodge No 29 to mark their 275th Anniversary, and to commemorate Chevalier Ruspini, who was a member of the Lodge and founder of the RMIG.

The Croydon Lodge of Endeavour Travelling Fellowship (for Girls and Boys)
This Fund is for the advancement of the education of girls and boys through travel.

The London Grand Rank Association Heritage and Educational Trust, The Colin Dyer (1988) and Nigel Haines (1989) Bursary Funds (for Girls and Boys)
These Bursaries have been provided for application by the Secretary for such educational purposes as the RMTGB and the Heritage Trust may from time to time think fit.

The Canada Lodge Travelling Fellowship for Girls and Boys
The Canada Fellowship is similar to the Empire Lodge Fellowship and the Prince of Wales's Fund, but preference is given to any child wishing to travel to Canada.

The Globe Lodge 275th Anniversary Fund (for Girls and Boys)
The Globe Lodge 275th Anniversary Fund was established by the Globe Lodge No:23 on 6 September 2001 to assist young people wishing to study abroad.

THE ROYAL MASONIC SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
The Royal Masonic School for Girls is an independent establishment operating freely in the private sector of education in competition with all other fee paying girls' schools in this country. The School is open for the admission of fee paying students of any denomination, whether or not the daughters of Freemasons, but is required to accept girls placed there as beneficiaries of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys.

The setting of the School, in 320 acres of most attractive Hertfordshire parkland and its superb facilities compare favourably with all other girls' schools in the land. Please help to publicise the School to your fellow Masons and to your friends as a place worthy of consideration for the education of their daughters, that by this method of support for our work they assist in maintaining the School as a safe haven for the less fortunate "Daughters" of the Craft

WHAT THE FUND IS DOING IN LINCOLNSHIRE AT THIS TIME
There are 29 current cases in Lincolnshire (as at April 2008). The cost for the year ending April 2008 was £126,039.86. Over 5 years the support has been to the value of £542,957.78.

On the Choral Bursary area we have one Chorister at Lincoln Cathedral and 2 Choristers at Great Grimsby.

There is one child receiving TalentAid assistance to the value of £4,877.

THE MASONIC PROVINCE OF LINCOLNSHIRE IS TOTALLY COMMITTED TO MAKING THE TARGET FOR THE FESTIVAL AND WELCOMES ALL THE SUPPORT THE BRETHREN CAN MUSTER IN ACHIEVING THIS AIM.

THE GRAND CHARITY

The Grand Charity was formed as an independent charity in 1980 to take over the functions of the United Grand Lodge of England's Board of Benevolence, which itself had its origins in the Committee of Charity set up in 1725. Like its predecessor, the Grand Charity has a threefold function:

  • Relieving distressed Freemasons and their dependents
  • Making grants to other Masonic Charities
  • Making grants to non - Masonic causes

For further information please look at the Website www.grandcharity.org

THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION
The RMBI provides a comprehensive range of services designed to meet the needs of older Freemasons: Sheltered accommodation and residential and nursing care in homes throughout England and Wales, as well as practical and financial support for those who wish to remain in their own homes.

The Institution has a daunting challenge to provide these services to an increasingly large number of older Freemasons and their dependants. Regular practical help and advice, through the Care Advice Team, home improvement loans and holidays are other important ingredients in the help the Institution provides.

For further information please look at their website on www.rmbi.org.uk

THE MASONIC SAMARITAN FUND
Established in 1990 with the active support of United Grand Lodge of England, the masonic Samaritan Fund is an independent charity, which provides support for sick and infirm Freemasons, their families and dependants who are in need. The Fund gives relief to those applicants who cannot afford the full cost of private healthcare and who are unable to obtain their treatment on the UK's National Health Service without undue delay or hardship.

For further information please look at their website at www.msfund.org.uk


Freemasons' Hall
Great Queen Street
London WC2B 5AZ
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7831 9811
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7831 6021