Somerset Freemasons' generous grant
CHSW’s Charlton Farm hospice in Wraxall has received a grant of £746 from The Provincial Grand Lodge of Somerset Freemasons which comes through the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF).
This is just one of 237 grants to hospices around the country from Freemasons. In total £600,000 will be donated to hospices all over England and Wales this year.
This includes £300,000 which will be distributed to each hospice that receives less than 60 per cent funding from the NHS. A further £300,000 will be provided to individual hospices across England and Wales via Hospice UK, the national charity for hospice care. MCF is partnering with Hospice UK to develop and extend bereavement support services in hospices.
Contributions from Freemasons to hospices have exceeded £13 million in England and Wales since 1984 and are continuing to increase at a rate of £600,000 a year.
Lisa McKeever, Trusts & Grants Assistant at CHSW, said: “We’re very grateful to The Provincial Grand Lodge of Somerset Freemasons for their generous grant, which will help us to provide respite for the whole family, including a sibling service for brothers and sisters, emergency support, end of life care, and a bereavement service for as long as it is needed.”
Stuart Hadler from The Provincial Grand Lodge of Somerset Freemasons said: “I’m very pleased we’ve been able to assist Charlton Farm hospice. They do an outstanding job helping children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, as well as supporting their families through very difficult times.”