On their 10th Annual Charity Presentation Evening the Masons of Middlesbroughand the
Zetland Ladies Club donated another staggering amount of £24,964 to Local Charities.
Hosted by WBro Jim Skelton of the Freemasonry in the Community Committe the evening
was attended by over 120 people and amongst those was the Assistant Provincial
Grand Master RWBro Bill Fisher and his wife.
After a light meal and refreshment, each Lodge presented cheques to their chosen charities,
money that had been raised through Socia evenings, raffles and sponsored walks etc.
At a time when a number of Charities are seeing a drop in
donations due to the economic downturn those fortunate
enough to be invited to the Annual Charity Presentation
evening held by the Middlesbrough Freemasons on
Thursday 21st May 2009 were extremely lucky.
The Masonic Hall in Roman Road was the venue and the
Freemasons gave £26,908 to 29 local Charities.
The sum raised was from their own donations and fund
raising initiatives during the last twelve months.
Examples of the events undertaken were the climbing of
the three highest peaks in the United Kingdom in 24 hours,
a Boxing Day dip in the North Sea and social evenings.
This was the ninth Annual Charity Presentation Evening.
Over £100,000 has been donated to local Charities since these events began.
At their seventh Annual Charity Presentation evening held on Thursday 15th May 2008,
at the Masonic Hall, Middlesbrough, the Freemasons of Middlesbrough and the Zetland
Ladies Club (a club for the wives/partners or widows of Middlesbrough Freemasons)
presented £13,385 to various local and some regional/national charities.
(The total given since this event was started has now reached £80,000).
The money had been raised locally during the last twelve months by Freemasons,
their wives/partners, families and friends at events such as social evenings,
sponsored walks etc, and from donations by the Freemasons themselves
Representatives from 24 invited Charities, together with their partners and colleagues attended
the evening to receive the donations. The representatives were entertained by
Freemasons from the specific Lodge(s) who were making a donation to their Charity.
The evening followed its usual format, with drinks on arrival before a meal was served.
There were then short presentations by a representative of the Daisy Chain Charity
and Nurses from the Accident and Emergency Department of the James Cook Hospital
on the Freemasons ‘Teddies for Loving care’ initiative. (Teddy Bears, purchased with
money donated by Freemasons, are presented to Hospitals. They are then given to
children attending the Hospital if they are in a distressed state. The children are
allowed to keep the Teddy Bears when leaving the Hospital.)
Cheques and a Lap Top Computer were then presented to the Charity Representatives.
A cheque was also presented to the APGM, Worshipful Brother Alan Brundall for the
P. G. M.’s Air Ambulance Appeal.
The formal Part of the evening was brought to a close by the Assistant Provincial Grand Master,
for Yorkshire North and East Ridings, Worshipful Brother Alan Brundall, who thanked
everyone for attending and hoped they had learnt a little more about the work of Freemasons.
He also said that he was extremely grateful to Worshipful Brother Jim Skelton who had
organised the evening on behalf of the Middlesbrough Lodges.
Guests were then invited to tour the building and speak to the Freemasons present
about what Freemasonry is and what Freemasons do.
Barry HILL
Tel No. 01287 632854 OR 07901 648283
The Information Officer for Middlesbrough Freemasons.