Charity is in the DNA of a true Freemason, and one of the several ways we live out the teachings of the Order. As an organisation, Freemasonry is among the largest charitable grant donors in the country, and Freemasons up and down the country collectively spend over 18 million hours volunteering for their local communities. Every. Single. Year.
Generosity, kindness, and looking after those less fortunate are some of the values taught by Freemasonry in general, and are applied with great dedication by the members of Aurora Lodge in particular.
The main recipient of donations and funds raised by our members is the West Riding Masonic Charities Litd (or WRMCL), which is the Masonic charity for the Province of Yorkshire, West Riding (covering most of West and South Yorkshire).
Our national charity: Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF)
The main Masonic charity in England, its mission is to “be a force for good by providing support, care and services to Freemasons and their families in need, and supporting other charities to help the most disadvantaged in society.”
It is entirely funded by Freemasons and their families (over £50m last year) and supports Masons and the community through grants, care homes, bursaries, and disaster relief.
It is estimated that collectively, Freemasons spend over 18.5 million hours volunteering for the most varied of charitable causes.
Find out more about the MCF’s work on their website.
About West Riding Masonic Charities Ltd (WRMCL)
The principal aim of the charity is to support West Riding Freemasons as well as their family and dependents in their time of need. The Charity also assists the the wider community by offering grants for community projects through the Provincial Grand Master’s Fund. In total, the charity operates three schemes:
- Teddies for Loving Care (TLC)
This scheme donates teddies (plush bears) to children who are taken to A&E in hospitals, to help comfort their distress in what is often a traumatic and painful experience. Every child who receives a teddy can take it home with them once they leave the hospital. Since 2001, over 3.5 million teddies have been distributed across England and Wales to support sick children.
- CHOICES
CHOICES stands for Community Help Offering Independent Care & Effective Support and is a scheme dedicated to support a Freemason and his family or dependents in any case of financial distress, urgent needs, or pressing requirements of varied natures.
The scheme and its welfare officers make sure that our brethren and their dependents (or, in some cases, widows) get the appropriate level of support, from helping with IT challenges, making modifications to their homes to accommodate mobility challenges, or help with more urgent health or financial troubles.
- The Provincial Grand Master’s Fund
Established in 1987, the Fund allows individual lodges to apply for grants in support of community projects that are close to the heart of their members. At Aurora Lodge, we have successfull secured grants for several charities over recent years and have been able to directly support many local charities doing some much needed and vital work in the area. Those grants can make a significant difference to the recipient charities.
There are two types of grants that are offered by the PGM’s Fund. Minor Grants are for any community project of a value of up to £5,000. Major Grants support charities with larger projects, ranging from £5,000 and up to £100,000.
You’ll find below some of the charities that we have been fortunate to support either directly or through this Fund.