MORE THAN TWO MILLION REASONS TO SMILE

Yorkshire Masons give £2,325,000 to youngsters

Saturday the 20th May 2006 saw the culmination of six year’s efforts by Yorkshire North and East Ridings Freemasons when almost 1000 of them crowded into the Central Hall of York University to hear the Provincial Grand Master, Richard Anderson announce that over £2.3 million pounds had been raised for the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys.

Also present on this historic occasion were David Williamson, the Assistant Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England and Andrew Stebbings, President of the Charity. 

This Charity was founded over 200 years ago to provide support for the children of deceased or distressed Freemasons and, where funds permit, for ANY children. This it does in many practical ways; for instance: -Schooling, welfare, holidays, further educational grants, scholarships for music, dance and sport, secure accommodation for students and youngsters on work placements in London.

One major recent focus of the fund was the support of the Lifelites project which has equipped 34 children’s hospices (plus another 5 planned for next year) with IT and computer equipment to enhance the lives of the boys and girls living there. To date more than £3million has been spent on this project which helps all terminally ill children, irrespective of whether they come from a Masonic background or not.

The fund is now independent and the RMTGB have pledged a further £4million to secure its ongoing success

The £2.3 million pounds has been raised by the masons from within the 99 Lodges in the Masonic Province of the N & E Ridings of Yorkshire through 6 years of varied and often innovative fund-raising without any external appeals being made.

Presenting the cheque to Andrew Stebbings, the Provincial Grand Master stated “I am delighted to present you with this very large sum of money which I am sure will be put to extremely good use in making the lives of many children throughout the country happier and more successful. It is a wonderful example of the generosity of ordinary Freemasons throughout the North & east Ridings of Yorkshire”