Leeds Scouts Soak Up Freemasons Donation For Wetsuits

Scout leader Carl Oates, back right, and John Watson, charity steward from Victoria Lodge, back left, with members of the 1st Thorner & Scarcroft Scout Group holding the cheque from the Freemasons

A Leeds scouts group has “soaked” up a grant of £2,000 from the Freemasons to purchase new wetsuits.
 
The donation to 1st Thorner & Scarcroft Scout Group came via the Freemasons Province of West Yorkshire’s Provincial Grand Master’s Fund, who were nominated for financial backing by members of Victoria Lodge, which meets at the Midland Hotel in Bradford.
 
Each year, the Province of Yorkshire West Riding presents grants adding up to £200,000, but, to mark the tercentenary of the United Grand Lodge of England and the Province’s bicentenary, this figure rose to £300,000.
 
Lodge charity steward John Watson presented the cheque to the scout group, which “provides fun, challenging and adventurous activities to boys and girls aged six to 14”, at their meeting at Thorner Parish Centre.
 
Group Scout Leader James Nehaul said: “We are very grateful to John and the members of Victoria Lodge for nominating us for this grant.
 
“We are now one big step closer to being able to provide watersports activities to local young people using our own qualified volunteers, which will make a massive difference to our programme.”
 
John Watson, Victoria Lodge charity steward, said: “We are delighted that our application to the Provincial Grand Master’s Fund was successful, and this fantastic scout group will now be able to purchase wetsuits for use by the young members.”

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