Ashford Lodge Supports
Village Play Scheme.
When Members of Ashford Lodge No. 8945 heard about a village raising funds for their recreation ground, they had no hesitation in showing their support.
Griff Bromfield Jenkins and David Burdon present a cheque to the Pluckley Rec Association
During a wonderful sunny summer’s Friday afternoon, a group of from Ashford Lodge 8945, were at the Pluckley recreation area, to look around the work taking place to upgrade the play equipment, for the children of the village of Pluckley, and to hand over £500 towards the project, having recently received match funding from the Cornwallis East Kent Freemasons Charity.
As is the case with a lot of small villages, upgrading play equipment has become difficult. Firstly, the existing equipment is aging and being removed due to safety concerns, and replacements are expensive, and funding is difficult to come by. Typically, new play areas are funded as part of wider housing developments as part of the planning conditions, but in the areas where these developments aren’t taking place, it is up to the residents to raise funds in order to upgrade the play areas themselves.
Friends of Pluckley Recreation are a society of local residents, who are doing just that. Having been undertaking a wide range of fund-raising activities over the last few years, such as village fairs, garden shows and selling compost, they have now commenced construction work on the play area, having reached their first fundraising target.
There is more to the project than just upgrading the play equipment, it is also to improve inclusivity, accessibility and the safety of the whole area, through the construction of new wheelchair friendly pathways to both the play area, and the football club’s pavilion.
The members of Ashford Lodge 8945 were keen to support the project, due to a recent commitment to support more locally based initiatives, as well as ones with a focus on children and supporting them to become more active.
Following the tour and the handover of the cheque, the brethren paid a visit to the local pub, another dying British institution, that was in need of our support! or at least, that is what we told ourselves!
Members of the Pluckley Rec Association explaining the project to David Burdon and Simon Gore of Ashford Lodge..
Find out more about the Cornwallis East Kent Freemasons Charity
What is the Cornwallis Charity?
The Cornwallis East Kent Freemasons Charity is a grant making charity. The primary focus of our giving is social welfare and need, including the prevention or relief of poverty. Grants are restricted to individuals, charities and organisations with connections in or around Kent.
The CEKFC’s Mission
- To provide relief and support by the provision of grants to individuals in need, or other charities and organisations working to prevent or relieve poverty in East Kent.
- To make emergency grants to relieve poverty or distress arising from disasters occurring inside or outside East Kent which affect persons residing or working in East Kent.
- To support vulnerable people and the personal development of young people.
- To positively promote the community support and generosity provided by Freemasons in East Kent.
- To be visible, accessible, and responsive in our administrative procedures.