Page 40 - EssexMason (Issue 89)online_version

Online Supplement

Charity

Essex Masons

support front

line emergency

teams

Freemasons have donated 50 litres
of hand sanitizer to Essex Search
and Rescue, a team of 63 volunteers
Volunteers from every part of the county that make up the working across the county who
Essex Search and Rescue Team help to find missing and vulnerable
people.
Their volunteers operate in every part of the County - work alongside Essex Police and are called out in the event that a high risk
or vulnerable person such as a child or someone with dementia goes missing.
As a life saving charity which receives no public funding, Essex Search and Rescue are on call 24 hours a day to respond to requests
for assistance from the Emergency Services, putting them firmly into the key worker category, which is why they need essential PPE
such as hand sanitizers.
“We are members of our national body Lowland Rescue,” said Trustee Martyn Tillett. “Sadly we are a charity few have heard of, but
to explain more clearly, Mountain Rescue take care of the high ground, Cave Rescue specialise in caves and underground locations,
the RNLI looks after the sea and we look after everything else in between.”
“In Essex we are called out on average once a week when a vulnerable person goes missing working alongside Essex Police. Our
volunteers include paramedics, former fire fighters and former police officers and like other emergency workers we needed hand
sanitisers and cannot thank Essex Freemasons enough for their support.”
Nearly £30,000 has been spent so far by Masons on essential PPE equipment for 300 Essex care homes, a further £20,000 has been
donated to boost antibody testing with an additional £100,000 pledged to fight the virus in every part of the region.

The campaign to support front line emergency staff will continue says Essex Freemasons and have appealed to all those involved
in the front line against Covid-19 to make contact with Lee Taylor via e-mail: lee.taylor@essexpgl.org.uk if they need help.
Money to support the campaign has been donated via the Essex Freemasons Community Fund, set up earlier this year Provincial
Grand Master Rodney Bass to support charities and good causes across the entire county.

Rainham Lodge 3079

Pre Corona Meeting

n the 7th March 2020 Rainham Lodges’ newest charity
Osteward W.Bro Griffin believed it was his duty to ask
for the very latest information on any and all aspects of
charity and found himself talking to our W.Bro Colin Felton
PAGDC, Provincial Grand Charity Steward & Provincial
communications Officer for Essex, the outcome of which
resulted in Bro Colin visiting Rainhams’ March meeting,
and a fine opportunity for him to update not only Bro Karl,
but all Rainham members on the needs and benefits of
the festival 2022 and aspects dear to Rainham members
who have regularly subscribed and given locally to good
causes.

Bro Karl reported nearing £5,000 given this last year between at least 15 worthy local causes through the generosity of
Rainham members under the guidance of then Charity Steward W. Bro Gary Clubb for whom Karl and Lodge members
conveyed their thanks for approximately 17 years of charitable work by Bro Gary (Karls thanks also went to W.Bro John Lowry
for collating the information).
W.Bro Colin took away with him at least 7 more covenants for which he luckily had acknowledgement medals available lol and
can be seen here with Rainhams’ current Master; W. Bro Richard Moore and Rainhams’ newest member; Bro Ferdin Napoleon
who had been initiated at that very meeting, handing over a cheque for £2,000 towards the festival 2022 with Rainhams’ very
best wishes.