Page 18 - Essex Mason Issue 84

Charity
Support the MCF

Your local charity and make a

difference
By Colin Felton, ProvGChStwd

t the time of writing, Essex Freemasons have raised more than £1.8 million for the Festival
A2022 Appeal and thanks to you we are well on our way to reaching our total of £5 million – and who knows – we may well
exceed it.
At this stage some of you may be thinking – that’s ok but “I would rather be supporting my local charities.” If that is the case then
here comes the good news – by raising money for the Festival you are supporting your local charities – and even better, you can
help decide where the money goes. I will explain how that works later in this article.
We are raising money for the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) which is in effect our local charity and every year some £1
million comes back to Essex to support good causes and of course brethren and their families in need.
Here are just a few of the grants that the MCF has made on your behalf using money from Essex Freemasons:
£52,000 to Kids Inspire in Chelmsford
£25,000 to Colchester Hospital
£15,000 to Southend Society for the Blind
£20,000 to St Francis Hospice, Romford

Kids Inspire in Chelmsford Colchester Hospital Southend Society for the Blind St. Francis Hospice (Romford)
It would not be difficult to publish an almost endless list of other local charities that have received help in every part of the Province
in the last 12 months and this process never stops because the MCF is a living charity that spends funds as it receives them.
No one Lodge or Chapter could afford to make grants of this size and they really make a difference and you and the members of
your Lodge or Chapter can now do the same.
I urge you to talk to your local charities and ask them what would make a difference. They are of course grateful for the £100 or
£200 you give them from time to time which is vital for the day to day needs of most charities – but let’s talk the big stuff.

Festival Thermometer
2022

£5m
£5m

£4m

£3m

£2m
£1.8m
£1m

18 19