Page 49 - EM-Issue-93

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O n lin e S u p ple m en t

Respect for Wildlife

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Written by Tony Hales
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An experienced professional photographer had an enjoyable
photo shoot on a visit to Hanningfield Reservoir Nature
Discovery Centre in Essex.
Mike Barrett is the official photographer for the Essex
Freemasons Provincial Communications Team and a member of
the Provincial Charity Team. He works hard as a volunteer and
travels many miles each year to take photographs of masonic
charity endeavours and other special events involving the 8,000
plus Essex Freemasons.
On 4th July, Mike accompanied the Provincial Grand Master of
Essex, Paul Tarrant, and the Provincial Grand Charity Steward,
Chris Hicks, to discover how a £6,000 grant made through the
Masonic Charitable Foundation one year ago is helping Essex
Wildlife Trust in their conservation work. Colin Felton, an Assistant
Provincial Grand Master Grand Master, explained “The Trust has
used the money to help protect bees and other endangered
insects.”

Like many Freemasons and their families, Provincial Grand Master
Paul Tarrant and his wife Jenny are very keen on environmental
issues. They are Wildlife Trust members as well as the RSPB. Paul
said “We are concerned that man-made climate change is having
an impact on wildlife, the country and the world which is why we are supporters of Wildlife Trusts in general.”

Essex Freemasons share their respect for wildlife with Freemasons across England and Wales. Durham Wildlife
Trust received £3,600 to raise awareness of wildlife during lockdown which led to 23,846 new online users. A
£50,000 Wildlife Appeal has been launched by Surrey Freemasons to help transform an impoverished 20-acre
floodplain meadow into a nature reserve with a purpose-built wildlife hospital for the Wildlife Aid Foundation.
Not just the respect for wildlife but also the overall charitable impact of Freemasonry is much understated by
its supporters. In 2020 alone over £51.1 million was contributed to local and national charities and deserving
causes and more than 18.5 million hours of volunteer work is undertaken every year.