£16,905 for local Hospices
Back row l-r:
Jenny Watkins-Pitchford & Julie Askew – Heart of Kent; Donna Wells & Keith Lee – Demelza;
Steve Hudd & Elaine Higgins – Ellenor Lions; Richard Morey – Pilgrims
Canterbury Masonic Centre was proud to host the presentation of grant cheques on behalf
of the Masonic Grand Charity, on the 28th January 2010,
to representatives from six Hospices in East Kent. Stewart Cale, the Provincial Grand
Charity Steward, welcomed and thanked everyone for attending. He then introduced the
Provincial Grand Master, Michael Bailey, who gave an address describing briefly the work
of the Masonic Grand Charity and passed on the Province’s best wishes and thanks for the
sterling work carried out by the hospice movement.
On behalf of the Grand Charity, Michael was delighted to hand over a cheque for £1,677 to
Donna Wells & Keith Lee, representing Demelza House Children’s Hospice in Sittingbourne; for
£2,479 to Julie Askew & Jenny Watkins-Pitchford, representing The Heart of Kent Hospice in
Aylesford, Maidstone; for £2,848 Elaine Higgins & Steve Hudd, representing Ellenor Lions Hospice
and three cheques totalling £9,901 to Dr Richard Morey, representing The Pilgrims Hospices in
Canterbury, Ashford & Thanet.
Each of the representatives thanked the Freemasons and explained how the charitable grants will help them
in their various specialist projects.
Dr Morey announced that the Pilgrims have started a scheme called “Hospice at home”. Recently,
a 20 year old girl from Canterbury, in the Pilgrims’ care, wished to die at home. Three of the
Pilgrims’ nurses stayed with her for 3 days until she passed away. An elderly gentleman wanted
to die in the Pilgrims Hospice but had not been able to say goodbye to his adored cats. Two
of the nurses took him home for an afternoon to enable him to say a fond farewell to his pets.
Michael Bailey then thanked members of the Provincial Executive and the local Charity Stewards
& their wives for attending.
There followed a superb informal buffet get together upstairs, where all of the 30 or so who
attended fed both body and mind.
Through their 2014 Festival the Province plans to raise, by that date, at least £3,000,000
from their membership for the Freemasons’ Grand Charity: it was gratifying
to see that their money will be gratefully received & faithfully applied.
For further information about the Grand Charity,
click here.
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