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Masonic Charities
Friendship Clubs–what are you doing?
At the Royal Masonic Benevolent
Institution (RMBI), we are mindful of the
commitment that has been made to ensure
the well-being of older Freemasons and
their dependants.
We constantly strive to fulfil this
commitment not only in the quality of life
and standard of care offered in our 17
Homes, and the activities and entertainments
they provide, but also through the support
offered to many living in their own homes,
through our Care Advice Visiting team.
We also support Widows and Friendship
Groups via the Link Newsletter, and
provide a number of much needed holidays
each year.
Whilst people living in our Homes have
access to various activities such as trips,
presentations and a full range of entertainment
including games and crafts, life can be very
different for an older person living on their
own. However, help is at hand.
Many Masonic Provinces have now set
up Friendship Clubs, in conjunction with
their Provincial Grand Almoner, designed
to combat the loneliness felt by widows
and widowers.
These informal groups, some of which
are aimed at widows only, others focus on
interested couples or individuals, all aim to
offer regular additional social contact. The
impact of such clubs can be dramatic as
shown by the following extract from a letter
recently received by the Link Editor:
“…Having moved home recently, I was
extremely disappointed to discover that
there is no Friendship Club anywhere near
my new home. The old club formed a large
part of my life, by offering regular lunches
and outings, and I made many dear friends,
dearly missed. Can somebody not set a club
up in this Province?”
If you would like to receive a copy of the
Link Newsletter yourself, or if you are an
Almoner looking for advice on setting up a
Friendship Club in your Province, please
contact the RMBI’s Link co-ordinator John
Radwell, on 020 7596 2406.
Cost-cutting measures
The Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys
(RMTGB) is proud to state that it has never
turned away a Masonic applicant due to a
lack of funds. However, in times of falling
stock markets, low interest rates and a
significant income over expenditure deficit,
certain cost savings measures have had to be
introduced to help enable us to continue our
activities at the current level.
One planned area of change is in
connection with the highly popular
UndergradAid scheme. The number of
grants awarded each year under this scheme
varies depending upon the funds available
(In 2001 – 971; 2002 – 919 and 2003 – 728).
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Whilst we expect the funds available in
2004 to be somewhat limited, it is our hope
that the number of grants awarded can be
maximised, and the efficiency of the scheme
improved, by introducing certain new
measures. In essence, application forms
for 2004-5 will only be available from our
website at www.rmtgb.org. Please visit the
site on or after 4 May 2004 and download
your form. (This applies to new and
repeat applicants.)
All applicants must provide an email
address and valid bank account, details
which MUST NOT change until notification
of the decision has been received.
All applicants will receive their decision
by email and successful applicants will have
grants paid directly into their accounts at
sometime during the Autumn Term.
The scheme continues to be available for
young people at university undertaking a
first degree or equivalent whose father,
stepfather or guardian is a subscribing
Freemason under the English Constitution,
or was in good standing at the time of his death.
All applications will be means-tested and
those most in need will get priority.
UndergradAid is not available to existing
beneficiaries of the Trust. Although the
number of awards will be limited, we hope
to continue to make a significant difference
to the lives of many of our Masonic children
who decide to further their education at
university.
Grand Charity aids
Iran earthquake victims
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In the early hours of 26th December 2003 a
massive earthquake devastated the ancient
city of Bam in the south east of Iran. It is
estimated that at least 41,000 people were
killed and 30,000 were injured. About 85%
of all houses in the city were completely
destroyed and 75,000 people were made
homeless. The Chief Executive of the
British Red Cross described a “level of
damage of biblical proportions that has
brought this once beautiful city to nothing
but a pile of stones. I saw not a single entire
house standing. Street after street that we
drove down was just a massive pile of bricks.”
On 30th December, The Grand Charity
gave an immediate donation of £20,000
towards the relief effort. The emergency
grant was paid to the British Red Cross to be
applied towards the chartering and fuelling
costs of the cargo plane used to transport a
British Red Cross Emergency Response
Unit and the relief supplies to Iran, as well as
contributing to the cost of the four
warehousing tents used to store the relief
items on the ground in Iran.
Support for the victims of the Iranian
earthquake is the most recent of many
‘Emergency Grants’ which the Grand
Charity has given since it was established in
1980. These are authorised by the President,
often within hours of the disaster, and
usually range from £10,000 to £20,000.
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Most of the grants are given for disasters that
occur in countries where the local
government is less well prepared for these
emergencies and international assistance is
welcomed. Recent examples of Grand
Charity Emergency Grants include support
for the victims of the earthquake in Algeria
in 2003, the food crisis in Africa in 2002 and
the earthquakes in 2001 in India and El
Salvador.
The British Red Cross, via whom most
of these grants are made, recognises the
Grand Charity as one of its staunchest
supporters, “The long term commitment of
the Grand Charity helps us to respond to the
needs of vulnerable people during disasters.”
And from the Chief Executive of the British
Red Cross, Sir Nicholas Young, “Thank
you so much for your support.”
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