Page 20 - Essex Mason (Issue 87) Online Version

Provincial Almoner W.Bro Nick Clarke

Let me open with a few thoughts from the book of Hebrews. “ Let brotherly love continue, do
not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, remember those who are in dark places as though
you were there yourself, remember those who are being mistreated as if you were also being
mistreated, give to others what you can afford and be content with what you have”.

This message runs through so much of our work and my stories for you in this issue reflect this
and I do hope that you will find this Almoners Corner useful
The Year Ahead
Like last year, we will no doubt be in for another busy year and especially we will be focusing on the
following
• Promoting the new almoner’s charity (EPAF)
• Improving PR material for lodge almoners
• To put new initiatives in place to reduce loneliness
• To reach out to more men for Prostate Cancer testing
• To deliver top quality messages for lodge almoners at the Conference in April
• To continue to work closely with the MCF and to try and deliver faster support

Reflections on Christmas
This last Christmas has been a most humbling time for many of us. In November we wrote to all of the 120 unattached widows and
told them about the strength of masonry in Essex with new lodges opening despite a few having to close. We focused on our work
that we are doing to reduce loneliness and the importance of pastoral care in our work.
The response we have had has been amazing with 92 widows replying to say, thank you for their gift and many asking me to pass on
their thanks to all the brethren in Essex for the work you do. Below is a typical quote.
“I lost my husband some years ago and recently a dear friend passed away, I still struggle with this and especially the loneliness that
it brings. Often it is just knowing that someone is there for a chat and some companionship. It is so important that people like me feel
involved and a part of the community. When the days and weeks stretch out before me, I often think how important the almoner’s work
is in trying to bring people like me together, I wish you well and please pass on my thanks to all Essex Masons.”
Update on the Role of the Lodge Almoner
Without any doubt the most important part of the lodge almoner’s role is giving pastoral support to lodge members, be they regular
or infrequent visitors, widows and of course those who are in distress with either their health or finance. It is a role that requires specific
skills, especially in listening, patience and good communication.
The role is also about signposting the distressed person to the relevant source so they can get expert help quickly. The list is long but
the top 5 are as follows and more will be given to almoners at the conference
The RMBI for masonic home consideration 020 7596 2400
The MCF for medical enquiries and counselling care line 0800 035 6090
The PGA/Team for immediate finance help, family support & medical enquiries
Turn 2 Us Benefit payments 020 8834 9277
Age UK Loneliness support 020 3033 0741
Lodge Donations – A new request in a new decade
Giving to those less fortunate is perhaps at the heart of a mason’s work, naturally the almoners team get many calls every week from
around the province asking if we (the Essex Provincial Almoners Fund) can help a brother in need and we always try to respond quickly
with advice or some tangible award.
We can only give the financial help if we have the money donated to us and there remains a huge variance between those lodges that
donate and those that don’t. In the last year, out of 302 lodges and 120 chapters in the province, we have had donations in from just
48 lodges and chapters totalling £4964 from 1st Dec 2018 to 30th Nov.2019. To all who have supported us may I say again, a huge
thank you and individual acknowledgements have been sent. The recent donations of £3221 during the run up to Christmas 2019
were healthier but sadly still insufficient to even cover the cost of the unattached widows Christmas gifts, let alone help to fund the
other work through the year.
The EPAF and the Southend & Essex Masonic Welfare Trust frequently find that some lodges make regular calls on the charities for
help, yet some of these units have never given any donations of money to the charities.
So maybe as we enter a new decade, I wonder if we can try and change how we support our eligible brethren in their hour of need
and my plea is for every lodge and chapter to try and give something each year. Just £100 from each lodge and chapter a year is all
the EPAF need and as a leading supermarket would say” every little counts”. My thanks in advance.
Keeping in touch
A common request from a mason, usually an elderly man who does not attend his lodge regularly, is for me to put him back in touch
with his lodge and for a member to visit him. Widows too often phone in and ask for more contact from their husband’s lodge.
Dozens of such requests come to me and so my message in this edition is for lodge members, led by the almoner, to try and keep in
touch as much as is possible with widows, widowers, country members and members who haven’t been to two or three consecutive
meetings.
Making a single phone call to somebody may be the only contact they get from another person that day or indeed that week and your
phone call will make all the difference to them.
20