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Family Support
Members and Family Support
From the earliest days Freemasons have acknowledged a responsibility to care for each
other and for their dependents. Today such assistance is often rendered by the
Lodge Almoner visiting and supporting sick and infirm members and families on
behalf of Lodge members. In cases of greater need, a call can be made on
Provincial and national charitable funds.
The Freemasons' Grand Charity will consider making grants to anyone who
is appropriately connected to the English Craft, to ease the burden of need, as
and when it arises. Appropriately connected means any brother who has at any
time been registered under The United Grand Lodge of England, even if he is no
longer a subscribing member, his widow, children under the age of 21 years and
spinster daughter or spinster sister if incapacitated or over 60 years. Grants
are made for a number of purposes including to meet essential daily living
costs, unexpected needs (e.g. funeral bills, replacing damaged items), purchase
of disability equipment (e.g. wheel chairs, stair lifts, baths).
The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution (RMBI) has been delivering
quality care to Freemasons and their dependants for 160 years. The RMBI offers a
wide range of high quality care options in 17 homes including residential care,
nursing care, dementia support and respite care. Other services provided include
sheltered accommodation, care advice support, holidays and loans for home
improvements.
The Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys relieves poverty and provides
an education for life for the children of the family of a Freemason and, where
funds permit, for any children, as their fathers would have done had they been
able to do so. The main work of the Trust is to assist Masonic families who have
experienced a change in their circumstances that has led to financial hardship.
This could be for example following the ill health or death of a parent. The
main way the Trust helps is by providing ongoing financial support to relieve
poverty and advance education.
The Trust also funds TalentAid for gifted young people from Masonic families and Choral Bursaries for young
choristers at cathedrals and other choral foundations. There are many other
smaller funds that can help in all sorts of situations e.g. accommodation in
London can be provided.
The Masonic Samaritan Fund exists to provide assistance to needy, sick and
infirm Freemasons and their dependants. In order to qualify for assistance from
the Fund, applicants must demonstrate that they have a medical need which is not
available on the National Health Service without undue delay and hardship and
that they are unable to afford the full medical fees.
Including the support to residents in RMBI homes, freemasons and dependents in
Somerset received support totalling £237,778 in 2009; nearly £2m over
the last ten years.
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