The Freemasons' Grand Charity

Freemasons approve £1.5 million for charities

14 March 2008

A number of non Masonic charities, across England and Wales, will benefit from generous grants announced by The Freemasons’ Grand Charity and totalling an incredible £1.5 million. The grants have been awarded to worthwhile causes in the areas of medical research, youth opportunities and vulnerable people. The sum includes £600,000 for adult and children’s hospice services and £180,000 for air ambulance charities to be distributed during the current year.

One of the largest individual grants awarded will contribute to a new Breast Cancer Haven centre in Leeds providing support, information and complementary therapies before, during and after medical treatment of breast cancer. In the same category, SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association), who provide support for serving men and women in today’s Armed Forces, also received a substantial donation of £100,000.

Other grants included support for research into deafness and help for unemployed young people to learn skills of a trade. Smaller charities are also set to benefit with grants totalling £50,000 and beneficiaries will be announced during the course of the year.

Summary of Grants approved in March 2008

Medical Research

Royal National Institute for the Deaf - £60,000

Vulnerable People

Breast Cancer Haven - £250,000
SSAFA Forces Help - £100,000
Vitalise - £25,000
The Down Syndrome Educational Trust - £25,000
Action on Addiction - £20,000
ERIC - £15,000
The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home - £15,000
Royal National Lifeboat Institution - £4,000

Youth Opportunities

The Prince’s Trust - £50,000
Outward Bound - £40,000
Clubs for Young People - £35,000
Shelter - £25,000

Purpose of Grants

MEDICAL RESEARCH

ROYAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF (RNID) (£60,000)
The grant is to support biomedical research by PhD students into hearing loss. The RNID donates £750,000 to medical research into hearing loss and the research projects will be located at Sussex, Oxford or Sheffield.

VULNERABLE PEOPLE

BREAST CANCER HAVEN (£250,000)
The grant is a contribution towards a new Haven in Leeds. Breast Cancer Haven works with the NHS and medical professionals to provide support, information and complementary therapies to meet the physical and emotional needs of people affected by breast cancer. There are two existing Havens in London and Herefordshire and all services are provided free of charge.

SSAFA FORCES HELP (£100,000)
The grant is a contribution towards the Helping Heroes and their Families emergency appeal. The grant will be used to fund the provision of suitable accommodation for families visiting severely wounded servicemen at Headley Court and Selly Oak during long rehabilitation periods.

VITALISE (£25,000)
The grant is to fund 12 specialist week-long respite breaks for people with Alzheimer’s Disease and their carers. Vitalise operates six residential centres providing holidays and respite care for disabled people and runs 300 specialist Alzheimer’s weeks during which the charity organises outings, events and social occasions.

THE DOWN SYNDROME EDUCATIONAL TRUST (£25,000)
The grant is to fund the conversion of 48 books in the Issues and Information Series into open-access versions that will be available online. The books are for families and professionals dealing with the early education of children with Down Syndrome.

ACTION ON ADDICTION (£20,000)
The grant is to fund the Working Recovery programme providing training in creative and woodworking skills for recovering addicts. The charity provides treatment, research, family support and education for those with drug and alcohol addictions and the training programmes deliver specific support designed to avoid relapse.

ERIC (£15,000)
The grant will fund a specialist continence nurse providing advice to 800 families each year and clinical input into the information service. ERIC provides information and support on childhood continence problems.

QUEEN ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL HOME (£15,000)
The grant is to fund a speech therapist for residents with acquired brain injury. The Hospital provides nursing and residential care for 60 ex-Services personnel who require intensive nursing care and the speech therapist will provide therapy as part of a tailored rehabilitation programme.

ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION (RNLI) (£4,000)
The grant is to contribute towards a new lifeboat in Jersey.

YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES

THE PRINCE’S TRUST (£50,000)
The grant is to fund the Get into Youth Work programme providing training for disaffected young people. The Get into Work programmes provide intensive three-month courses for unemployed young people in industries such as construction, hospitality, social care and youth work.

OUTWARD BOUND TRUST (£40,000)
The grant is to fund the three-week Classic course for 28 young people from northeast England and a one-week Adventure and Challenge course for 40 pupils from a London school. The Trust provides challenging outdoor activities for 27,500 young people each year.

CLUBS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE (£35,000)
The grant is to fund the salary of the national Sports Development Manager. Clubs for Young People has 3,500 local member clubs running community based activities and the sports development manager trains youth workers to deliver sporting activities and provide national challenges.

SHELTER (£25,000)
The grant is to fund services to support children of homeless families in southwest England. Shelter campaigns and provides services to ensure better housing for all and the service will specifically highlight the effect of the use of unsuitable or temporary accommodation on children’s schooling and development.

Contact Details:

For further information please contact Natasha Treweek, Information and Communications Officer, on 020 7395 9394.

The Freemasons' Grand Charity is the central grant making charity of all Freemasons in England and Wales. It was registered in 1981 and carries on a tradition of charitable support for both Freemasons and the wider community which has been maintained since 1727.