In addition to the millions of pounds given annually to non-masonic charities, freemasons are proud of their support of the various masonic charities, and like any club or organisation it is quite natural to want to look after your own members and their dependents.

Masonic charity starts in local Lodges with gifts and support for widows of past Members, summer outings and Christmas parties. In addition, many Lodges will support one or more local charities. Maidstone Masonic Charities also deals with local charities, widows etc. and can recommend certain cases up to London to the Grand Charity.
Whilst some Masonic Charities cater specifically for masons and their dependants, others do a great deal of non-Masonic charitable giving. The Grand Charity, in addition to helping Masonic petitioners and other Masonic Charities, is the central arm for the Craft's non-Masonic donations. Each year it gives in excess of £100,000 in sums from £500 - £2,000 to a whole range of national medical and welfare charities that have no connection with Freemasonry. In addition, each year it takes a major project to which it gives a donation, usually £250,000 over a period of five years. Over the last few years this has included the provision of a lifeboat to the RNLI; £250,000 to the Great Ormond Street Hospital Wishing Well appeal; the endowing of a Chair in Gerontology at Cambridge University; support to Crisis at Christmas, research into drug abuse, research into cancer and heart disease, and over half a million pounds to Hospices throughout the country. In addition large sums have been given to disaster appeals both at home and abroad. On a local level many Lodges support the local hospital, children's home, or old people's home etc. and in addition to money, provide time and talents to help within the community.

Of the Masonic Charities, the Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys supports over 1,000 children. The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution has 19 complexes throughout England and Wales, which combine flats and centralised accommodation. The Masonic Housing Association funds projects which result in sheltered accommodation part of which is reserved for Masonic use but the majority is available to the local community.

There is one slightly unusual but important aspect to Masonic Charity. All the money is raised internally by donations and covenants. We do not hold fund raising activities to obtain money from the general public.

Freemasonry is by no means confined to England or the U.K. It is world wide with 116 Grand Lodges which are recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England. It is particularly strong in the USA but also in the Commonwealth, South America, Europe and Australasia. The most exciting event of recent time has been the re-emergence of masonry in the former Communist countries. Hungary was first, then Czechoslovakia. Yugoslavia was anticipated to follow until civil war. Communism banned Freemasonry, just like the Nazis.

The Freemasons’ Grand Charity totalling £550,000. The grants were given in commemoration of the fortieth anniversary of the installation of His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent, KG, as Grand Master of United Grand Lodge of England and Grand President of the central Masonic Charities.

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Gurkha Nepalese Children Supported


Monckton Lodge have again given support to the Gurkhas.

The Worshipful Master accompanied by members of the lodge gave a cheque for £230 to Captain Prem Ali of the Royal Gurkha Engineers based at Invicta Barracks, Maidstone at the Maidstone Masonic Centre prior to their general meeting on Friday 15th May 2009.

The money was raised in support of The Pahar Trust, a registered charity, in aid of building and maintaining schools for children in Nepal. The project was first started in 1991 to provide schools for 10000 children. To date the project help 7000 children in thirty seven schools. An important element of the Trust is the school Friendship Link Scheme. Friendship links between schools in the UK and Nepal were established by the Pahar Trust to enable children from both nations to learn more about each other’s cultures and to forge friendships, which would endure over time.

The lodge, which has a strong military connection, is very proud in maintaining its links with the Gurkha Engineers

Between December 2008 and February 2009, 434 Masonic Relief Grants were made to support individual Masons and their dependants experiencing financial hardship or requiring mobility equipment. In total, £828,703 was approved for payment to assist the beneficiaries ... Read more

16 February 2009

£15,000 for Australian Bushfires Appeal ... The President of The Grand Charity has approved an emergency grant of £15,000 to assist victims of the bushfires that tore through the state of Victoria, Australia. The money will be donated to the Grand Lodge of Victoria, at Melbourne, Grand Master’s Victoria Bushfires Appeal. Read more 

19 December 2008

The Freemasons’ Grand Charity is supporting the disaster relief work of Save the Children with an emergency grant of £15,000 towards its activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As the result of conflict in the country more than one million people have been displaced and are vulnerable to rape, malnutrition, abduction and disease. In recent weeks the violence has escalated forcing even more families to flee their homes ... Read more

5th December 2008

Between September 2008 and December 2008, 549 Masonic Relief Grants were made to support individual Masons and their dependants experiencing hardship or requiring mobility equipment. In total, nearly £1.1 million (£1,085, 635) was approved for payment to assist the beneficiaries ... Read more

Members of the public are asked to donate £1, and receive a small yellow flower (or a yellow ribbon) as a token of thanks. W Bros Grumbridge and Thomas (probably two of the most unlikely looking flower sellers in the county) were pleased to lend their support to the project, each doing a stint for a couple of hours during the morning. "Delighted at the generosity of the public" was W. Bro Thomas's reaction to his busy station at the top of Gabriels Hill, whilst W. Bro Grumbridge commented that his high profile pitch at the entrance to The Chequers Centre was so busy that it required the energies of a young man, and that he was therefore very pleased to have been available.

The collection was this year organised by W.Bro Geoff Hart of the Bearsted Lodge, who was delighted with the support he received from the two Assistant Provincial Grand Masters, and that of the other dozen helpers, but was disappointed that only fourteen of the many hundreds of members of the Maidstone Lodges turned up. "If each Lodge pledged just two or three members, then each person would only need to help out for an hour" he commented "however, it has been a very happy and successful morning, and I would like to thank all those who made the effort to come along for an hour or two to assist in such a worthwhile event".

Well done W. Bro Geoff, and well done Maidstone!
A great example of Freemasons working IN and FOR the Community

W.Bro Hart (pictured above) would like to thank the following people for their time and assistance:

Miss Emma Merritt and W. Bro’s: J Grumbridge, P Thomas, M Ross, D Horne, D Herron, K Miller (West Malling), J Fry, R Humphrey, G Pomphrett, G Coomes, A Higgins and R Waltham.

For more information about The Grand Charity please visit the website
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The Masons behind the Appeal are everyday people with families, jobs and commitments of their own, but who have a little time on their hands to make a difference to people’s lives effected by the distress of a sick or injured child... read more