Page 16 - Essex Mason (Issue 92)

Provincial Charity Steward

£50,000 grant from Essex Freemasons to help children in hospices

Advanced technology, helping life-
limited and disabled children using
hospice services across Essex to play,
communicate and achieve things they
never thought possible, has been
secured for at least the next four years
thanks to a £50,000 grant from Essex
Freemasons.
Developed by Lifelites, one of the
country’s most innovative charities, the
grant will help children, many of whom
are suffering with complex cognitive
and physical impairments with
technology which has been described
as ‘simply magical’, giving young
people opportunities to join in with
the world around them, irrespective of
their disabilities.

“This grant will make a massive
difference with our work across Essex
allowing us to fund the technology
needed to enhance the lives of life-
limited and disabled children using
hospice services,” said Simone Enefer-
Doy, Chief Executive of Lifelites.

“Essex Freemasons have been a huge
supporter of our charity allowing us
to provide a wide variety of assistive
and inclusive equipment such as
virtual reality and sensory tents. Most
importantly this technology allows
children to communicate, in many
cases just by using eye movements.”

Essex hospices do not pay a penny towards the equipment and services donated by Lifelites and the charity continues
to maintain the complex technology to ensure it is kept in good working order for the children for whom every second
counts. The equipment together with ongoing technical support and training at each hospice costs Lifelites around
£50,000 over four years and is paid for entirely through donations.
“We have been very aware for some time of the
magnificent work carried out by Lifelites,” said
Paul Tarrant, Provincial Grand Master for Essex
Freemasons. “Their work in the community
changes lives for children with life-limiting
conditions and their families. The technology
they donate is awesome and makes such a huge
difference which is why we were pleased to
make this grant.”

The technology and services donated by Lifelites is literally
changing lives. It gives children in hospices the opportunity
to do so many things that they never thought possible,
such as paint a picture, create music, play a game, or
communicate with their family – and that service can now
continue across Essex until at least 2025.

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