East Lancashire Masonic Charity

£5,000 to Parkinson's North West - 31st October 2011

Parkinson's UK was given a big boost in Parkinson’s Awareness Week 2011 (11-17 April) by the award of a major grant of £250,000 from The Freemasons' Grand Charity. The money was divided and distributed to branches throughout the country, providing funding at a local level. Parkinson’s UK is the support and research charity and is passionate about finding a cure and improving life for everyone affected by Parkinson’s.

”Many Freemasons have experience of what it is like to live with Parkinson’s, either through a friend or family connection. Parkinson’s UK has therefore received much support within the Masonic community, which has been a key factor for why it was selected for this national grant. The Freemasons' Grand Charity is delighted to be able to join with Parkinson’s UK, to direct our support to local branches.”

The ELMC received a cheque for £5000 to present to the local branch of Parkinson's UK. The North West regional fundraiser is Joanne Dobbie who attended at Hewlett Court with the Bury Support Group Secretary, Ruth Hall, Treasurer, Betty Vesey and Tom Vesey, Betty's husband, who has Parkinson's disease. The Assistant Provincial Grand Master, WBro Philip Mountford, attended for the presentation saying that he was 'absolutely delighted to make this presentation on behalf of the Freemasons of England.' In response Joanne thanked the Freemasons and Grand Charity for their support. She then went on to describe how the money will be used.

Philip Mountford, APGM, present the cheque to Joanne Dobbie, with Ruth Hall, Tom and Betty Vesey

The funds will be shared between the Bury and Salford Support Groups and the Burnley Branch. Next year Burnley will be running an information and awareness day for which some of the funds will be used. Bury and Salford will be starting and running exercise classes for members. Some of the funds will be used by the Influence and Service Development Officer of PUK to raise awareness of the "Get it on time" campaign in the East Lancashire area. This aims to ensure that people with Parkinson's going into hospital get their medication on time, every time.

'Get it on time' was launched to ensure that the thousands of people with Parkinson's admitted into UK hospitals each year get their medication on time - every time.

Download the information booklet here

If people with Parkinson's don't get their medication on time, their ability to manage their symptoms may be lost, for example they may suddenly not be able to move, get out of bed or walk down a corridor.

ELMC and website News Update 24 September 2011

This re-designed website for the ELMC was launched today. Over the coming days archived news from the last few years will be made available for viewing in the archived sections available through the various menus. Much has happened during the last 18 months and below is a summary of our main activities. News that appears on these pages is your news and we hope you will all play a part in helping us to keep this website alive and up to date. Any relevant ELMC news will be considered for inclusion. Please send your news to Julie Ward who will look after it from there.

In October 2010, upon the retirement of Philip Crumbleholme as the Superintendent at Hewlett Court, Julie Ward, the Manager of ELMC was promoted to Operations Director to take an overview of both the Charity office and administrative activities at Hewlett Court. Since that time much of the day to day work of ELMC has been conducted from Hewlett Court. In November Brian Carter replaced Brian Horne as the Provincial Grand Almoner and in that capacity as a Director of the Charity.

In late December contracts were signed for the development of Freemasons Hall, subject to planning permission being obtained. This is a major development that will have a significant impact on the operation of Freemasonry in Manchester and substantial benefit to the Charity.Details of these changes are included within the appropriate sections of the 2010 Annual Report.

Throughout the year the committee structure has worked effectively to discharge the objects of the Charity. Due to the current economic climate and other considerations, the charities income from donations has greatly reduced. We are grateful for the continuing generosity of many Freemasons in the Province, who despite other pressures, have wherever possible, maintained their regular donations. There has been some reduction, as was anticipated, with a small number of commitments being withdrawn each month or reviewed on termination. Donations from Lodges and Chapters and other casual donations have unfortunately almost dried up, resulting in total donations received being considerably diminished. Our investments have however increased in value in the year, despite the volatile nature of the stock market and we are grateful for the care and attention applied by the Investment Committee.

Many Brethren have left bequests to ELMC in their wills, for which we are grateful. Legacies are a fitting and lasting tribute to the work of our Charity from departed Brethren and assist in ensuring that we can continue to give relief to those who are most in need within both our Masonic and the wider society.

The demand for our support continues to grow, undoubtedly influenced by the financial climate. Cases of hardship, financial and otherwise, within our Masonic community are increasing. During 2010 the number of beneficiaries receiving our support reached 618. This is particularly so with the number of widows of closed Lodges, approximately 350 of them, who are supported by the Charity. We are able to report with confidence that even during this testing time no deserving case brought to our attention has been turned away. The relief that we provide makes a huge difference to the quality of life experienced by many of our associates. The number of beneficiaries supported by the Committee of Benevolence and the Welfare Office continues to grow and reached 618 in 2010. In addition to the time given freely by Almoners, Charity Stewards and many other committed Freemasons, the financial value of the grants and support to those beneficiaries in that year amounted to £598,937 of which £508,638 was received from the Freemasons Grand Charity, the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys and the Masonic Samaritan Fund.

The support that we receive in this Province from our central Charities is immense. It is listed towards the end of the 2010 Annual Report and amounted to £532,363 in 2010. This is overall a significant increase and the grants received from the Masonic Samaritan fund and the Grand Charity are particularly worthy of note. Together these donations provide a huge amount, which over time, far outweighs the donations we give to these well deserving Charities by way of Festivals and demonstrates why we should give the EL 2015 Festival our full support.

The ELMC Community Fund is now well established enabling us to reach out into our local communities by supporting non-Masonic charitable activities and other worthy projects. Here too it improves the quality of life of the communities it serves by giving additional financial support to good causes that are usually already being helped and promoted by local Freemasons and/or their Lodges. A list of Community Fund Grants made to date are included on this website here. Members of the Charity are already aware that during the 2015 Festival period £150,000, £30,000 per year has been set aside so that this excellent work can continue. In the first full year this amount has proved to be adequate.

We are justifiably proud of our residential home, Hewlett Court. A visit to the home immediately conveys the caring and happy atmosphere delivered by the Management Committee and the staff. The 40 or so residents continue to be very well looked after. In addition the building is undergoing a continuous programme of refurbishment, maintaining and where possible improving the very high standards for the residents. A major development programme is being prepared for the consideration of the Board when funding allows. Refurbishment of the bedrooms is ongoing, and a programme of upgrading central and communal areas has been completed. The occupancy rate during 2010 was 80%, (a reduction from 85% in 2009), of the accommodation which has a maximum of 43 residential places. This reduction can partially be explained by the room refurbishment programme that has been taking place but members of the Charity should be assured that every effort is being made to maximize residency and to enable those who wish to benefit from the facilities to do so.

The most valuable tangible asset belonging to the Charity is Freemasons’ Hall in Bridge Street Manchester, which is held in great affection by Freemasons throughout the Province, and which is managed by the East Lancashire Masonic Hall Company Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Charity. However, as impressive as the building is, it has been recognised for some time that it is in need of modernisation if it is to continue to meet the needs of Freemasonry in the 21st century. As has been widely publicised in December, at the recommendation of the Hall Development Committee, the Charities Board approved plans from a development partner for the regeneration of the building. The new lease agreement satisfies both the needs of the Province and those of the brethren of Manchester. It ensures that the Charity retains the freehold of the building and that Freemasonry will be a key occupier of the Hall via a third floor refurbishment. Plans for this exciting development will be finalised across the next few months and internal work is likely to start in April 2012.

The AGM of the ELMC

This was held on 19 September 2011. You can read what happened here, including reports on presentations given by the Development Company responsible for the Hall re-development and a repot from Wood Street Mission and their work; the Community Fund supported Wood Street mission in 2010.