Charity here in East Kent

Kindness and charitable giving are deeply ingrained within the principles of Freemasonry. The organisation provides a support structure that helps members make positive contributions to communities and worthwhile causes through fundraising events or volunteer work.

Charity is one of the cornerstones of Freemasonry. It always has been, and it always will be. As an organisation we donate huge amounts of time, money and practical support to local and national charities.

Here in East Kent, we have our own Cornwallis East Kent Freemasons Charity. It supports local communities by providing financial help and relief for charities, voluntary organisations and individual people in need. Since its establishment in 2014 it has donated over £430,000 to these worthy causes.

The backbone of Charity in East Kent is our members – remarkable individuals who give their time and support to so many others. They work without financial reward and sometimes in the most difficult situations. As Freemasons, we are always taught to give what we can afford, without detriment to ourselves or our families.

In East Kent we are currently in what is called “FESTIVAL” mode ( full details here). Every eleven years or so each region or province embarks on a five-year campaign to raise funds for our national charity, the Masonic Charitable Foundation.  The aim of our current Festival, which ends in 2025, is to raise £3.5 million. This rolling programme of regional Festivals has made the MCF into one of the largest grant-making charities in the country.

Although each Festival has an end date, monies are not held back until then: instead, they are passed directly to the MCF as soon as they are received. We call it the “revolving door” principle: what comes in, goes straight out. By this means we achieve a steady and continuous flow of revenue for immediate use.

To find out more, head over to the MCF website at https://mcf.org.uk

Lodges

One local Lodge in Deal ( The Downs Lodge) stepped in when vandals broke in and stole thousands of pounds worth of equipment from a local Charitable Railway.

Over £14,000 worth of equipment was stolen, so a small donation from one lodge may not seem much, but with many small donations, as they say “Every Little Helps”. And the Charity were so grateful for the help.

East Kent Masonic Fishing Charity

The East Kent Masonic Fishing Charity is part of the Masonic Fishing Charity. With its aim to bring an interactive fishing and countryside experience to people with special needs.
Here in the East Kent Branch, we are able to run fishing events at various fisheries and inviting participants from special needs schools and centres and people who have suffered trauma to come and join in.
The Students all have a great time and look forward to spending the day outside. The Charity is always looking for help, so head over to their page under the Sports Tab, to see how you can give a little to help a lot.