Freemasons donate more than £80,000 to Yorkshire charities during coronavirus lockdown

Charity organisations across Yorkshire have benefitted from grants totalling more than £80,000 during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, courtesy of the region’s Freemasons.
 
In the 12 weeks since the Government imposed a “lockdown”, the Province of Yorkshire West Riding has given donations ranging from between £1,000 and £5,000 to no fewer than 21 different organisations.
 
Those to benefit include:
 

• £10,000 - Platform 1, Huddersfield
• £5,000 - Cavendish Cancer Care, Sheffield
• £3,000 - Homeless Street Angels, Leeds
• £3,000 - Swinnow Community Centre
• £2,500 – Harrogate Scrubbers
• £2,000 - Wath upon Dearne Community Partnership
• £2,000 - Thorne & Moorlands Community Hub 
• £1,000 - Ripon Community House

 
Additionally, a number of these have been “match funded” to the tune of £13,500 by the Masonic Charitable Foundation, and the West Riding Masonic Charities Ltd has 
committed £60,000 of support to Yorkshire Air Ambulance over the next three years.
 
A donation of £2,500 has also been made to Prostate Cancer UK to help with raising awareness of the disease and hopefully encourage more men to have a test.
 
David S Pratt, the Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Yorkshire West Riding, said: “During this dreadful pandemic, which has sadly taken its toll on a number of our members and their dependents, we have been active supporting our local communities wherever we can.
 
“As soon as the impact of Covid-19 on our region hit home, we set up an emergency fund to help charities who were doing amazing work, despite having lost much of their traditional funding streams.
 
“Whilst we have always been supportive of the communities we live and work in, we are increasing our financial support during this lockdown.”