THE MASONIC PROVINCE OF YORKSHIRE WEST RIDING

​Thanks to a grant of £3,300 from the Provincial Grand Master’s Fund, Halton in Bloom were able to convert a piece of land, between the local library and Dial House, making the communal area more user friendly, by adding benches, raised planting beds and a living wall.

​Members of Tectonic Lodge No 9407, Ripon accompanied Duncan R Kilbride, Chairman of West Riding Masonic Charities Ltd, (pictured right) to the opening ceremony. 

This latest newsletter gives details of grants awarded in February, to charities and organisations across the Province.  Its aim is to ensure that all brethren and their families within Yorkshire, West Riding are aware of how their contributions are being used and the work that WRMCL is doing, on their behalf, to support those within our communities. 
Since the previous update, the Provincial Grand Master’s Fund has made grants, to the total value of £33,775 to 13 community organisations, where it is hoped there will be the biggest impact in terms of community benefit.
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Kirkheaton Youths F.C.

​The Club provides football facilities for the local and wider youth community, with matches and training sessions for children and youths aged 4 - 18 years.  A member of the West Riding FA with teams participating in the Huddersfield Junior Football League and West Riding FA cup competitions.  The club is run entirely by volunteers and funding is wholly by self-fundraising.
The Club have recently purchased a ‘shipping container’ to use for toilet facilities and a kitchen. The kitchen will enable them to continue with their main source of income, the sale of food and drinks on match days. 

The grant of £4,000 will fit out the kitchen with a sink, hob, extractor fan and fridge freezer; sponsored by Lodge of Harmony No 275, Huddersfield.

​Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice
The children’s hospice supports the families of babies and children with a life-shortening condition. From diagnosis, through bereavement and to a life beyond loss, their mission is to deliver pioneering care by offering high quality, bespoke, specialist services for mums and dads to be, babies and children across West Yorkshire communities. 
Last year, they provided palliative care to 124 babies and children and supported 332 other family members.  They also run parental peer-support groups, have a specialist sibling support worker and provide bereavement support and counselling when a child dies. 
Occasionally, there is a need to help a child’s breathing on a ventilator to provide either life-enhancing or life-sustaining support.  Currently, full ventilator training sessions are provided at Leeds Teaching Hospital, or by a presentation in the hospice, which is not ideal. 

The grant of £3,000 will enable the purchase of a Nippy 4 Ventilator on which the care team can practice and enable them to deliver training, without the need for time-consuming travel to Leeds; sponsored by Concord Lodge No 4126, Lindley, Huddersfield.
 
Carers’ Resource, Harrogate 

The independent, award-winning Charity is the local, specialist carers’ centre for the Bradford and Airedale, Harrogate and Ripon and Craven Districts of Yorkshire.

They provide individually tailored information, advice and support to carers, professionals and vulnerable adults. Support is open to everyone and provides emotional and practical help to enable them to cope.
In the past the Charity has been supported by local councils, but funding has been cut due to economic contraction, albeit the demand for its services has grown.
They have new premises in Harrogate and whilst Staff will continue to work from home, they will use the office for meetings and when there is a need to use particular equipment. Volunteers are able to come in for training and meetings and to carry out office-based volunteering roles or those that require supervision. 
The grant of £4,000 will equip the ground floor, open plan office with a range of desks, chairs, tables, soft seating, shelving and kitchen equipment; sponsored by The Spa Lodge No 7609, Harrogate.
 
Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity (HHCC)

​HHCC fund specialist equipment, training and services, going above and beyond the provision of the NHS, to help improve treatment and facilities for all departments and services across the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust Footprint.
 
Together with the Harrogate District Palliative Care Team, HHCC have teamed up in the acute hospital to enhance both dignity and practical support throughout end of life for all.
 
Over 600 patients each year spend their last days and hours in the Harrogate District Hospital and Ripon Community Hospital. Harrogate
 
Comfort Bags, containing a blanket, travel pillow, toothbrush/toothpaste, tissues, notebook and pen, hand lotions and essential toiletries, free meal voucher and free parking permit, were first developed in 2018 and since then around 300 have been distributed annually.
 
They are provided to relatives of patients who are receiving end of life care at one of the hospitals.
 
The grant of £2,000 will provide 80 Comfort Bags; sponsored by Doric Lodge No 2695, Harrogate.
 
Stepping Stones 2 Project
 
The Stepping Stones 2 Project in Skipton is a day service for adults with learning disabilities, all of whom are referred through social services and attend on a part or full-time basis. Others offer their time as volunteers.
 
The Project strives to build the confidence of the vulnerable adults through gardening, with the intention of enabling them to move on to different things, including paid employment; hence the name. New skills are developed such as using a variety of equipment, including petrol lawn mowers and strimmers, which opens up new opportunities. They make woodwork craft items, hanging baskets and grow plants to sell to the local community. 

There are also close links with Skipton in Bloom, Craven District Council and other interested parties from the local community, to provide and plant bedding plants for flower beds, roundabouts and hanging baskets in and around Skipton.
 
The vast majority of their activities are outdoors.
 
The grant of £1,735 will provide twenty-six ‘3-in-1’ waterproof jackets with the project logo embroidered on the front and twenty-six woollen hats to keep them warm and dry in the worst of the winter weather. The jackets will be embroidered with the initials of the user, giving a feeling of belonging and of being part of a team, enhancing their confidence and self-worth; sponsored by Mawsis Lodge No 4644, Skipton.

Sheffield Young Carers (SYC)
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According to a study carried out by the BBC, more than 7,300 children and young people across Sheffield are providing mid to high-level care for a sick or disabled member of their family; as many as three young carers in every classroom in the city.
 
SYC is the only dedicated service for young carers, aged 8 - 25, in the city of Sheffield. With nearly 24 years’ experience, they have built a wide range of skills, tools, techniques, contacts and networks to enable them to provide the best possible support to young carers and their families.
 
They also provide support to children and young people who are affected by drug and alcohol issues in their family.
 
Covid-19 has had a real impact on the children and young people that SYC supported during lockdown. Many were unable to take a break from their caring and missed out on the support and distraction that school provides.
 
At the start of lockdown, one third of the young people SYC were supporting did not have the right digital equipment to be able to do their school work from home. Some families, with several children, were trying to manage school work on a single mobile phone.  Despite some government assistance, through schools, SYC are still working with a large number of families who have little or no digital access.
This not only makes it hard for young carers to complete their school work; it also prevents them from accessing digital support, like the specialist online one-to-one support. 
 
The grant of £5,000, will provide at least 15 young carers with an electronic device and/or internet connectivity; sponsored by Welcome Lodge No 3779, Sheffield.

​SMILE
 
A free support group for families who have a child/children with additional needs. One of the largest support groups in the Barnsley area, they have a continuously growing network and currently support 580 members.  Prior to the pandemic, SMILE organised and held activities for members and their families; inclusivity being an important aspect of their work.  

Activity sessions and venues are booked for the exclusive use by SMILE, to allow families to feel safe from judgement of people who don’t understand those with additional or special needs; many of whom are ordinarily unable to access these activities outside of SMILE.
 
The pandemic massively restricted their fund-raising initiatives and ability to provide their services; provided free to all families.  Many parents are full-time carers and some face financial difficulties. 
 
The grant of £3,240 will enable them to plan one event per month, for the next 12 months, as they re-establish their activities and reintroduce their fund-raising initiatives; sponsored by St. Hubertus Lodge No 9934.
 
Harley Village Mission Rooms Trust
 
The Harley Village Mission Rooms, Rotherham were built in 1887 and have been used primarily as a church since then. Recently renovated and with a state-of-the-art extended kitchen, funded by a Major Grant of £14,000 from the PGM’s Fund in 2018, the building is now fully dual purpose, with church services on Sunday and as a local community venue at other times.
 
Groups using the venue include Mother and Toddler, Youth Club, Yoga, Pilates, Karate and Bingo. 

​The Trust wish to expand their facilities to provide more for the middle-aged and elderly in their local community.  A local survey. undertaken of this group. indicated an Indoor Bowling facility would be appreciated and well supported. 
 
The grant of £2,000 will purchase the equipment, including a suitable bowls carpet track; sponsored by Lodge of Industry No 6579, Sheffield.
 
The Dore Village Society (More in Dore)
 
Dore village is a relatively small suburb of Sheffield with a thriving and enthusiastic Village Society.
The Council Parks and Countryside Department have advised the Society that the equipment in the Dore Recreation Ground is close to the end of its life, on the grounds of health and safety and is to be removed in the near future; resulting in the closure of the playground. The playground is a valued amenity in the village, open to all in the community and particularly used by the children from local estates and from King Ecgbert School.

The grant of £2,500 will go a long way to enabling the group to replace the present wooden towers and slide with multi-play apparatus, suitable for both youngsters and teens, thus keeping the playground open; sponsored by St Philip’s Lodge No 7116, Sheffield. 
 
Riva Project
 
The RIVA Project was formed in 1998, as a one night per week youth club provision for young people with disabilities.
 
RIVA is committed to providing better life chances for people with disabilities in and around Sheffield. They offer work-based training, life-skills training and recreational activities, to youngsters with any type of disability, including learning disabilities, physical and/or sensory impairments and mental health issues.
 
RIVA is committed to its involvement with the local community and relies on voluntary help in all areas. The project uses Information Technology daily, to update social media, maintain client information and to deliver training and lessons.

​The grant of £1,800 will enable the purchase of two laptops, two desktop computers and a printer, allowing them to become more effective, enabling staff to become more efficient and involve more people at the same time; sponsored by St Philip’s Lodge No 7116, Sheffield.
 
Holmescarr Ark & Crafts
 
Established as a social enterprise in 2010 to support the local community, they offer a host of opportunities for learning, recreation and volunteering and foodbank services to the needy in their community, from their base in the village of Rossington, Doncaster. 
 
Activities include a community café which provides a focal point of the Holmescarr Centre, where they offer drinks and all food is prepared to order. Produce from their own allotment and local suppliers is widely used. 
 
The Ark is also a popular training facility and provides a range of classes; some sessions are delivered in partnership with Workers’ Educational Association and are free of charge to those on means-tested welfare benefits. They also run after-school and holiday clubs with art and craft activities, such as painting T-shirts, pebbles and ceramics, specifically designed for children.
 
In order to raise funds for subsidising their Food Train Cafe and foodbank services, they are to hold an event in February as a `Half-Term Fun Day' and the grant of £500 will cover miscellaneous expenses, including Bouncy Castle hire, Face Painting materials and food, sponsored by Don Valley Chapter No 3890, Doncaster.
 
Action For Sport 
 
A National Charity dedicated to promoting sport, preventing poverty being a barrier to sport by assisting disadvantaged children and young people to participate in sport.
They aim to achieve this by providing sports kit and equipment to children living in poverty, to enable them to participate in healthy recreational activity they could not otherwise afford.  Also, benefiting the environment by the provision of recycled sports kit and equipment. 
 
Due to the increasing number of referrals from schools, the Bingley branch is snowed under with requests and the need for footwear is such that the charity now needs to purchase new items in order to supplement donations. 

​The grant of £2,500 will enable the purchase of 200 pairs of new sporting footwear, including trainers and football boots, to distribute to disadvantaged children, including a growing number of girls wishing to play football and rugby; sponsored by both Lodge of Fidelity and Chapter of Fidelity No 289. Leeds.
 
SPINE
 
The voice of Pinderfields Spinal Patients was formed in 2011, following a successful campaign stopping Mid Yorks NHS Trust from closing the Yorkshire Regional Spinal Injuries Centre, Wakefield.
 
They provide assistance to the Spinal Injury Centre on the effective delivery of sport, recreational advice and physical activity for all patients, including out of hours activities.
 
Spine are starting a fishing experience for their wheelchair patients.  They have already been supported by a number of local fishing venues, providing free/subsidised fishing with wheelchair friendly access to their fishing waters.  They now wish to expand their already successful trials of wheelchair fishing, to enable more of their patients to take part in the fishing experience.  The grant of £1,500 will, together with £500 donated by the sponsoring Lodge - Nelson of the Nile Lodge No 264, Batley - be spent on new fishing equipment
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A grant of £1,500 from the PGM’s Fund contributed towards the cost of training manuals for the Leeds-based charity ‘Read Easy’, who have been training volunteers to be paired with individual adults with reading difficulties.

​Having supported the application for the grant, David Brazil of Loyalty Lodge No 4971, has himself volunteered and is pictured, with coordinator Joanne Kemp and the training manuals. 

Leeds Hospitals Charity recently updated their web site to acknowledge the £9.000 donation from West Riding Masonic Charities Ltd.

Click on the link for more details: 

​Freemasons’ donation helps transform hospital environment for hardworking NHS staff | Leeds Hospitals Charity

Thanks to a Major grant from the Provincial Grand Master’s Fund, renovation of the family accommodation in the Brotherton Wing of Leeds General Infirmary is now complete.

As previously reported here and in White Rose Masonic News, a grant of £29,000 was made last year, to the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF), to enable the complete refurbishment of seven rooms, consisting of new flooring, furniture and redecoration.

The accommodation is a vital part of CHSF’s support and is used by parents needing to stay close at a time when their child is receiving life-saving treatment.
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Sharon Milner, CEO of CHSF was pleased to show the accommodation to Dr. Andrew L Wright APGM and Carl Woodier of Chevin Lodge, No 6848. The application for the grant was sponsored by Chevin, after learning of the treatment received at the hospital by Carl’s granddaughter, Bella.

Sharon is pictured above, with Andrew, in one of the refurbished rooms.

Lisa Williams, Community Fundraising Manager said, “Our family rooms are so much more comfortable and inviting since their renovation and we are hugely grateful to the Freemasons of Yorkshire, West Riding for their incredible donation. We know how much parents crave a relaxing space nearby, to recuperate while their poorly baby or child is being treated at hospital and we are thrilled to be able to offer this support.”
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W Bro Wright commented, “We cannot begin to imagine how distressing it is for parents to have a child in hospital, needing open heart surgery. It’s vitally important for them to remain close throughout that time and these wonderful facilities will go someway to easing that distress. Freemasonry prides itself on being able to support worthy causes in the community.”

​A plaque, in the Chevin Room, acknowledging the support of Freemasons of Yorkshire, West Riding.

“It was brilliant to get the donation.” Jake Boyd, who runs the club’s foundation age teams, said. “You know it’s going to engage the kids all year round, not just depending on how the weather is. Games and training would often get cancelled because the pitches got waterlogged so quickly, or they would be frozen solid which is also dangerous. The kids are buzzing with it, they aren’t bothered by the weather. They just want to play.”

Addressing the Lodge of Dawn representatives, Luthel James who founded CFYDC with Will Bowler in 2002, said, “With what you’ve done and the help that you’ve given us, don’t under-estimate it, because it goes miles further than that. It’s one of those things that says ‘here’s a contribution’ but it’s been a catalyst to 50 to 100 other things happening because of that contribution.”
 
Following the visit, Christian Higgins, Master of The Lodge of Dawn said, “We’d hope that our involvement doesn’t stop here. We’ll be looking at additional ways to further support this great community project.”

Following the award of a grant in the sum of £4,860 from the Provincial Grand Master’s Fund, the Harrogate branch of St John Ambulance was able to purchase two Laerdal Resusci® Quality Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (QCPR) Training Manikins and at a special meeting in their Hornbeam Park premises, their use was demonstrated to members of the sponsoring Lodge, Harrogate and Claro No 1001.
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Lodge charity steward, Andrew Darling said, “We are proud to have been able to provide this fantastic equipment to a local charitable organisation that provides an extremely valuable service to the people of Harrogate and beyond. We must not forget the great work they do providing vital first aid coverage at many local events, thus releasing pressure on our overworked NHS.”

Pictured (l to r) are: (rear) Lodge members; John Birkenshaw, Michael Baxter, Andrew Darling and Clint Howard and (front) St John members; Ian Ward and Andrew Wilson.
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Andrew Wilson, Harrogate St John Unit Manager said, “We are very grateful to the Freemasons for providing this state of the art First Aid Equipment, which will no doubt help to save many lives in the future as we train more and more people on resuscitation techniques.”

​Four-year-old Logan Boycott attended Pontefract General Hospital Accident & Emergency Department, as a result of a fall in which he sustained facial injuries.
He was presented with a teddy, part of the Teddies For Loving Care initiative, supported and funded entirely by Freemasons in the Province.
Logan has autism and formed a massive attachment to his teddy, taking it everywhere with him, day and night. When school closed for the Christmas holidays, the teddy got left behind; Logan being sent home without it. He was distraught and mum, Joanne, reached out to the Scheme Co-ordinator in the hope of purchasing a replacement.
The very next day, local TLC Contact, David Evans of Saint Oswald Lodge No 910 and his wife, called at Logan’s home and delivered a replacement teddy, at no charge.

Mum wrote: ‘Thank you so much for the kindness you have shown to our family in finding a teddy for Logan and delivering him to our door. When I filled in the contact form I did not in my wildest dreams imagine that this would be the outcome.
David, after yourself and your wife left, I took the bear straight to Logan; he shouted, “Teddy”, started cuddling him said, "I love him" and hasn't put him down since. I can't thank you enough, or put into words the impact this has to Logan, or how much we all appreciate what you have done for us.’

A similar request was received the previous month, but on this occasion the teddy was not missing, merely looking the worse for wear, having been a constant companion for a little girl (pictured above) who received him on a visit to A & E at Calderdale Royal Infirmary. Mum, Carla, likewise hoped to purchase a replacement but again, within days a lilac-coloured teddy was delivered to her, without charge, by local TLC Contact Ian Shaw-Peters of the Lodge of Probity No 61.
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Over 3 million bears have been presented to children in A & E departments, helping to reduce the shock and distress of their experience. Every child that receives a teddy, gets to take it home.

​This latest newsletter gives details of grants awarded during December, to charities and organisations across the Province.  Its aim is to ensure that all brethren and their families within Yorkshire, West Riding are aware of how their contributions are being used and the work that WRMCL is doing, on their behalf, to support those within our communities. 
 
Since the previous update, the Provincial Grand Master’s Fund has made grants, to the total value of £22,606.77, to eleven community organisations, where it is hoped there will be the biggest impact in terms of community benefit.
 
Four grants of £2,000 each were made at the beginning of the month, to charities running Foodbanks and the following grants were made in time for Christmas:
 
Parkside School, Bradford

The school recognises that special educational needs are not a synonym for low ability or that pupils with special educational needs are homogenous. They value all pupils and celebrate diversity of experience, interest and achievement and provide a level playing field where pupils with special educational needs have access to the same opportunities as their peers.

The grant of £2,000 will assist in the establishment of a therapeutic garden, enabling students to enjoy a tranquil ‘break-out’ space; sponsored by Lodge of Felicity No 6001, Bradford.

Yorkshire Children's Centre
 
The Kirklees based charity is a network of practical projects, partners and services, dedicated to helping local residents achieve their full potential. Working in and for the community, their support begins at the earliest stage of an individual's life and extends to empower children, young people, adults, families and older people to improve their lives.
YCC listens, respects and cares and hopes to make a positive and lasting difference.
 
The grant of £2,000 will contribute towards the cost of a digital whiteboard for use in Food Technology lessons; sponsored by Lodge of Connaught & Truth No 521, Huddersfield.

​Focus4Hope, Brighouse
 
The team of volunteers provide care in the form of essential services; focusing on supporting local homeless, vulnerable, elderly, and otherwise isolated and lonely individuals. More recently, they have been reacting to the needs of the community during the Covid-19 pandemic. Support is provided to individuals in crisis, through referrals from a local primary care network and other related organisations. The Focus4Hope Foodbank, ensures families can access food and hygiene items. Debt and money management services are also provided. and are very often accessed by the same individuals who receive food parcels

The grant of £2,000 has enabled the provision of food hampers to the most vulnerable families in the area over the Christmas period; sponsored by Rastrick Lodge No 4885, Brighouse.

Ripon Community Link

​The charity supports adults and young people with learning difficulties. It offers a caring, happy, nurturing, learning environment for its members, who are offered supported activities to develop skills and grow in confidence. It offers training and supported activities in horticultural, retail and catering enterprises, allowing practical work and learning experiences.  It also offers a classroom-based timetable of activities including drama, arts and crafts, numeracy and literacy, dance and sports.
 
Having recently refurbished the kitchen at the centre, to enable use by the disabled, replacement equipment is now required. The grant of £2,000 will contribute to the cost of this; sponsored by Harlow Lodge No 4404, Harrogate.

​Project Linus Group, Herringthorpe
 
A member of the national Community Interest organisation, run entirely by volunteers, providing a sense of security and comfort to sick and traumatised babies, children and teenagers, through the provision of new, homemade patchwork quilts, knitted blankets and incubator covers. 

Beneficiaries include: young children leaving foster care, Rotherham Women's Refuge, Rotherham Hospital Children's Ward, Rotherham Hospice, Rotherham, Doncaster and Worksop Hospitals Premature Baby Wards.
 
The grant of £1,392 will enable the production of 12 Incubator covers and 12 quilts; sponsored by Fitzwilliam Lodge No 3023, Rotherham.

​Military Community Veterans Centre, Rotherham
 
Providing comradeship, advice and support to 16,000 military veterans in the Rotherham community, by promoting good health and wellbeing and by offering them a signposting service to expert support providers for their benefit.  This is achieved by holding regular coffee mornings, training for new employment, lectures and one to one support as required.

The Centre has been closed for a period of time because of the pandemic and is looking to relaunch. The grant of £1,070 will cover the cost of promotional and publicity equipment and materials; sponsored by Sandbeck Lodge No 7275, Rotherham.

​Leeds Children’s Charity at Lineham Farm
 
The Charity supports young people, from backgrounds of challenge and disadvantage, aged between 7 and 11, from the city of Leeds.
Lineham Farm is a facility situated on the outskirts of Leeds, where young people can spend free time in a safe environment. 
Whilst at the centre, the young people take part in activities including: low ropes, climbing, bouldering, orienteering; mountain biking, animal care, environmental work, night lines, and bushcraft.  The charity aims to work with and support 2,000 young people a year.

​Fresh, wholesome food is provided is provided from a commercial kitchen, in need of a replacement oven, which will be purchased with the grant of £4,144.77; sponsored by Lodge of Fidelity No 289 and St Wilfrid Lodge No 6395, Leeds. 

​In recognition of the NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers Day earlier this year, a total of £9,000 was donated by West Riding Masonic Charities Limited to three Leeds Teaching Hospitals for the refurbishment of staff spaces.

​The staff garden at Chapel Allerton Hospital has been completed and weather permitting, is being enjoyed on a daily basis.

The staff room at St James’s Hospital is expected to be completed in the new year.
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The staff room at Leeds General Infirmary has been completely transformed and is now a much more welcoming space for staff to relax during a long shift.
Some ‘Before’ and ‘After’ pictures are shown below.