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24/05/10 - Grants made by the Community Fund
14/06/10 - 100 years Young
14/04/10 - Comforts Fund Spring Party
19/01/10 - Young Peoples' Committee Activities
14/01/10 - Donation to Beechwood Cancer Care
28/11/09 - ELMC gives £50,000 to new hospital
24/11/09 - Helping Adolescents with Cancer
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ELMC Residential Home - Hewlett Court
THE COMMUNITY FUND TAKES-OFF
At a meeting of the E.L.M.C. Community Fund Committee, held on 1 st November 2006, financial support for two deserving causes was approved, the very first donations to be issued by the new Fund.
The first was a sensory garden, to be installed at the new premises for Newfield Special School in Blackburn, for which the sum of £6,500 was allocated, with a first payment of £2,500 to be sent immediately, in order to allow the initial work to begin.
Newfield Special School is a day school which caters for the special educational needs of boys and girls aged 2 - 19 years, with complex learning difficulties and additional physical, sensory and emotional difficulties.
The school has relocated to new, purpose built premises in Old Bank Lane, but funding would not allow for a new sensory garden area, similar to one well used and appreciated by the pupils at the former school buildings, on a year-round basis.
The 'first sod' for the project was cut by the Mayor of Blackburn, Councillor Dorothy Walsh, at a ceremony held on 14 th November 2006, which was also attended by W.Bro. Derek Thornhill, A.P.G.M. Chairman of the E.L.M.C. Community Fund, W.Bro. David Lightbown, Blackburn District Charity Steward, and W.Bro. Ian Ashton, Blackburn District C.O. It is hoped that the whole project will be completed by March 2007.
The picture shows, from left to right, two pupils, David Lightbown, the Mayor, Derek Thornhill
and the Headteacher of The Newfield School, Mrs Jane Barry
Ongoing involvement from local Freemasons is expected and it is proposed that a plaque detailing the support given by Freemasons for the whole project should be fitted to a new bench, or some other suitable point at the site.
At the same November 1 st Community Fund meeting a donation of £5,000 was approved for The Bolton Lads and Girls Club, which has run a highly successful, internationally recognised, Mentoring Project, since April 1997.
The Project, which is strongly supported by our Provincial Grand Master, is a structured mentoring, education and recreation programme, designed to help young people set goals for their future, and reach these goals with the help of a caring volunteer mentor. Young people join the project voluntarily and agree to be linked with a volunteer mentor for a period of up to 12 months. In April 2004 the Club was awarded Gold Star Status by the Home Office. It is the only North West project to receive this award, and one of only eight nationally.
Mentors are recruited to provide a one to one supporting relationship for young people, helping them to make appropriate decisions regarding education, training and employment. Ongoing training is given to mentors, who should be committed, reliable, and able to befriend young people.
Our Provincial Grand Master is keen to encourage Masons, their family and friends to become mentors. Twelve months ago he expressed a wish that 6 mentors could be trained in the first year. So far 9 Freemasons have been trained and matched with mentees, 4 more are 'in the pipeline' and one non-Mason is in training.
A creditable effort, but more mentors are required !
Ronnie Berlyne - ELMC Communications Officer