Page 19 - Essex Mason Spring Special Edition

Almoner

A Summary of what we have done
A Call for Action
• The Provincial Team, using the buddy system, have been asked to contact their unattached widows and all their
existing claimants who they think may be vulnerable
• Lodge Almoners have been asked to set up a buddy system offering help and to identify those people in their lodge,
including their widows, who may be in need
• The Province has made funds available
• Lodges, Chapters and individuals have made, and continue to make, donations to the fund
• Cash payment awards have been made to brethren and widows identified as being in need within 24 hours and a
process of follow up awards has started
• Follow up messages have been sent to all Lodge Almoners asking for their support in identifying those in need and a
hard copy letter has been sent with the details of the scheme and with their Provincial contact details.
• An Essex Lodge Almoner’s ‘Z Card’ has been sent to every Almoner explaining the role, giving contact information of
relevant charities and sign-posting methods they can use in the pursuit of helping others.
The process is very simple for giving help via this fund, each person that is identified as a person in need, is reported Almoner
to their Almoner who in turns notifies his Deputy Group Almoner who then makes arrangements for an immediate cash
payment to be paid to the claimant.
There is no red tape, no means testing, just plain old fashioned trust and instinct. The scheme empowers judgement calls to be
made quickly, either by the Lodge Almoner or the Provincial Almoner’s Team and of course with the knowledge of the potential
claimant.
We have so far made awards to all applicants of £11,050 in the first three weeks. The demand spike for claims is clearly no where
near its peak and we are expecting many more claims as time goes on, not just for cash support (typically for food), but also for
other coronavirus related issues such as possible funeral support, short term daily living expense needs and even virus tests if we
are going to be asked to pay for such things.
The Next Steps of Empowerment
A Call for Action

I have personally spoken to many Lodge members recently about the call for action and to my surprise, despite the message
having been received, when I mentioned it again and asked if they had people we could help, some of them did not fully
understand that we had cash readily available to assist, and that it was simply based on their feedback, without the need for
close financial scrutiny.
So, this is again a call for action to all masons, if you know of a person connected to the Essex Masonic family and who you think
may need some help at this difficult time, please tell your Lodge Almoner.

You all know your brethren and widows better than anybody, therefore I would like to ask you please to just make sure that you help
me to leave no stone unturned in trying to reach out to all those who need our help.

The Role of the Almoner
A Call for Action
The current pandemic has reinforced even more, just how important the role of the Almoner is. Below are a few thoughts
about what I hope to be developing, as well as implementing over the coming months. These points would have been
discussed at the conference we had planned in April.
• Lodges to consider appointing Deputy Almoners if not already in place, and to align the skills in the job with the skills of the
person.
• To encourage all masons to recognise that the role of the Almoner has changed and it is not just giving a report in the unit
about the brethren who are ill, it is seeking out those who are in need and sign posting them to receive help.
• To encourage all Almoners to promote their work by using and showing others their Z Card. These have now been sent by
post to all Almoners and more are available via the Deputy Group Almoners.
• To ask that Almoners report any of their changed personal contact details as soon as possible to their Deputy Group
Almoner. Don’t wait for the Installation Return to be sent in please, we need to know as soon as possible how to get in touch
with an almoner.
• To hold a Lodge Almoner conference around the end of April 2021 and to arrange a workshop in 2021 for new Almoners. The
former will be in Southend as it is the only venue capable of holding such a big event and the latter would be in the north
and in the south of the Province for newly appointed Almoners. The aim will be to offer them guidance on the Almoner’s role
and, as we have been requested, to hold a Q&A session. This Autumn of 2020 is too risky to arrange anything.
• To effectively manage the Coronavirus fund that has so generously been created and after the virus news headlines and
the cameras have disappeared, to continue encouraging and delivering support for individuals and families, who have been
affected by the pandemic.
• To hold a free Men’s Health Day at Essex County Cricket Ground, probably in early May 2021.
• To enhance and roll out our current Social Isolation Scheme and put new initiatives in place to reduce loneliness.
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