Page 19 - EssexMason (Issue 89)online_version

Almoner

Free Men’s Health Day and a Prostate Update
This has been rearranged for Thursday 22nd April 2021 at the Essex County Cricket Ground in Chelmsford. This event will
cover Prostate Cancer screening plus other key health checks. See page 22 for all the details that George Young has produced.
A message from CHAPS,
“The European Association of Urology, probably the most expert, unbiased body in world urology, has
published the evidence that clearly supports the CHAPS Prostate Cancer Screening initiative and is now
recommending the establishment of National Prostate Cancer Screening Programmes. As screening has
been opposed by many medical professionals in the UK, as opposed to just testing, it’s nice to feel that
we are on the right track to develop this service for men in this province. If properly organised a screening
programme can halve the death rate from Prostate Cancer and that it should start in a man’s 40s -50s,
our efforts have been vindicated, and probably something we should highlight now that there are at least
16 Provinces in England with some form of PSA screening already up and running. In essence, properly
organised programmes halve the death rate from Prostate Cancer”

Almoners Raising Money with Pens
Yes, we still have the Almoner’s pens with a light. If you would like to buy, they are available from
Andy Jones andyjones.9999@ntlworld.com or 07832 051844 - He will package and
post them to you for just £4 a pen

Hermes news from UGLE plus a great Almoner Story
You will have read in various communications that UGLE are launching a new system called Hermes and primarily it will be
helping the Secretary, but the almoner will be involved as well. If a member misses three meetings then Hermes will generate
an email to the Lodge or Chapter almoner to ask him to check and see if that member is OK.
It is making the initial call for pastoral intervention more efficient and it reminds me of that very good story about an almoner.
“A member of a certain lodge, who previously attended meetings regularly, stopped going. After a few months, the Almoner
decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening and the Almoner found his brother at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.
Guessing the reason for the Almoner’s visit, the brother welcomed him, led to a comfortable chair near the fire place and
waited. The Almoner made himself comfortable but said nothing.
In the grave silence, they contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After several minutes, the Almoner
took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth, all alone. Then he sat
back in his chair, still silent.
His host watched all of this in quiet contemplation. As the one, lone ember’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a
momentary glow, and its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.

The Almoner glanced at his watch and chose this time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember, and
placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately, it began to glow once more, with all the light and warmth of the burning
coals around it.
As the Almoner reached the door to leave, his host said, with a tear running down his cheek, “Thank you so much for your fiery
summons, my brother. I’ll be back in our lodge at the next meeting”

Case studies of an almoner in Essex
I asked a group of masons for their opinion on what they would like to see in these articles, they said examples of the work you do. So here
is a selection of quotes, and I start off with the most frequent and perhaps the powerful one we receive.
• “Thank you for your call today, it has made my day”
• “When my stairlift broke down the almoners were there to help me and get it repaired”
• “ It has been wonderful to see the incredible Call for Action appeal donations given away so quickly and thoughtfully to those in need”
• “ My children needed help with school equipment during the lockdown and the masons came to my rescue”
• “ I lost my job but Essex Masons came to help me”
• “ I have received several calls from almoners during the lockdown to see if I was alright, it was very reassuring to know that masonry was
there to help me”
• “ I can manage by myself and I am an independent person but it was nice to get noticed from the masons who asked if I was OK”
• “I think the work the almoners are doing to get widows who are separated from their lodge is wonderful. I was so please to get a call from
the Social Officer, Gary, to ask me if I wanted to be linked to a new lodge”
• “Just knowing that I could pay the bills and have food in the house, has made life so much better for my family, thank you”
• “When I recently lost my tradesman tools, the Essex Almoners Fund helped me to replace them which allowed me to continue working”
• “Without the help of Essex masons in providing me with a motorised wheel chair, my life would now be so lonely as I would never be able
to get outside”
• “Due to loss of work, my rent got into arrears and thankfully the Almoners Charity Fund was able to help me. I am now back in work but I
will always be thankful of the support I was given”
• “ Please pass on my thanks to the almoners team for their excellent knowledge and ability to signpost me correctly to get help. The MCF,
Turn2 us and the Southend Welfare Trust were especially helpful”

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