It's no secret - Freemasons donate £36,000 to charities

The Trustees of the Richard Henry Holmes Benevolent Fund meets twice per year to consider any requests for financial help and support from worthy causes in Northumberland and Tyneside.

Awards totalling £36,750 to 28 recipients were presented at an evening in Cramlington Masonic Hall.

Recipients included Wooler First School PTA which received £2,500 for its forest school classroom.

Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline, which works in the Alnwick and Rothbury areas, received £2,000, while Northumberland Widows Sons Masonic Motorcycle Association got £1,500 and Northumbrian Ranters got £1,000

Elsewhere, Contact Morpeth Mental Health received £1,000, Charlotte Bloomfield charity work in Bali got £500 and Get Rae to Kenya received £500.

Tritlington farmer, Ian Craigs, the Provincial Grand Master of Northumberland explained that only the National Lottery donated more to charity than the Freemasons.

“Nationally, we give millions of pounds to charity every year but very often, the general public don’t know about our charitable donations so we’re now encouraging charities to talk to us as we may be able to help them,” he said.

“Freemasonry has a terrific amount to offer in today’s society and much of our work is helping to raise funds for deserving causes. I’m delighted to see so many of the charities present to receive their awards.”

The largest donation of £10,000 went to BRAINBOX, a charity which helps young people with Acquired Brain Injuries.

In total, £12,000 was given between Wallsend Sea Cadets, Whitley Bay Sea Cadets and Tynemouth Air Cadets.  Bedlington Academy’s Cadet Expansion Schemes also benefited.