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Support for Families and
Members
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 (FGC) 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 (RMTGB) 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 New 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 £172,159 in 2007 and a total of
£1.67m in the last ten years.
To read the Almoner's Report, click
here. Contact: The Provincial
Almoner
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