Suffolk Freemasons

Suffolk Freemasons provide emergency funding
to support K1 Britannia Foundations relief efforts in Haiti after major earthquake

K1 Britannia Foundation’s disaster relief and crisis team has successfully completed its relief efforts in Haiti after the tragic 7.2 earthquake on August 14. Suffolk Freemasons working together with the Masonic Charitable Foundation donated £2000 to enable the K1 team to respond within 48 hours of the crisis developing.

The team’s relief efforts took place within the main areas of emergency logistics and the provision of personnel to load and offload much-needed supplies and equipment to affected areas. Based in Port-au-Prince, the team was able to help streamline and assist with managing emergency logistics at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport. This meant helping to manage flights carrying relief aid, supplies and personnel back and forth between the affected areas in the South and Port-au-Prince.

Due to the volatile situation on ground in the affected areas, travel by air was the safest way to move humanitarian aid, workers and equipment. On the ground, K1 worked closely with World Hope International, Global Support and Development (GSD), World Food Programme (WFP), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Mission of Hope Haiti, the United States Southern Command and others. The K1 team assisted with much-needed medical evacuations via helicopter from remote areas not reachable by road or larger planes. K1 also flew to the South to assess the damage and needs in various villages. K1 Direct’s Head of Operations said: “The deployment was a unique and challenging situation. It was unique because of the tasks we were entrusted with at the airport, and challenging because there were so many people in need and various circumstances made it hard to reach them”.

Rick Orme of Suffolk Freemasons commented “We were very pleased to be able provide emergency funding at extremely short notice to help fund the K1 Foundation’s relief operation in Haiti and we must thank the Masonic Charitable Foundation for assisting us in this donation”.

For more information about the charity visit www.k1britanniafoundation.org/projects/

The three millionth teddy to be given to poorly children across England and Wales has been presented, with Suffolk Freemasons playing a big part locally

Dave Wilson, TLC Co-ordinator for Suffolk Freemasons delivering teddies to the A&E Department at James Paget Hospital in Gorleston

Suffolk Freemasons have given teddies to 14500 children at hospitals across Suffolk since the TLC (Teddies for Loving Care) scheme began in 2001. The bears are given to children in hospital to comfort them or reward them for their bravery. Children are often first met by a bear when they arrive at a hospital Emergency Department to provide comfort and reassurance, in what can be a scary and unknown environment. The bears are used to demonstrate procedures, with doctors and nurses often showing children the procedures on the bear, before performing on children. The James Paget Hospital in Gorleston commented “Suffolk Freemasons have been raising funds to buy teddy bears for children arriving in A&E and this has resulted in hundreds of bears being donated to our team over the years for us to pass on to our younger patients who are in need of a friend during their hospital visit. More TLC Bears arrived recently and we would like to say a big 'thank you' to all the Suffolk Freemasons involved for this thoughtful donation, which we know will continue to bring smiles to the faces of the young patients who have to come into our Emergency Department”.

The three millionth bear was presented to Jackie James, Play Specialist at Peterborough City Hospital, in the hospital’s Amazon Children’s Garden,
by Dr David Staples a hospital Consultant Physician and CEO of the United Grand Lodge of England.

Speaking as she received the three millionth teddy, Jackie said: “The Teddies for Loving Care bears are very special to us in the Emergency Department and have a wonderful, positive impact on children who are receiving care. When a child first arrives at hospital not only are they feeling unwell but they may also be feeling scared and anxious. The little TLC teddies provide some comfort and really help make them feel at ease".

Dave Wilson, TLC Co-ordinator for Suffolk Freemasons said “This simple but effective idea was started in 2001 and we will continue our efforts to donate these bears to children in hospitals across the county when they are at their most vulnerable.”

For more information about the charity visit teddiesforlovingcare.org.uk
or contact David Wilson, Suffolk TLC Co-ordinator, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

To help more than 1.4 million people experiencing mental health issues,
Freemasons in Suffolk and across England are donating more than £550,000

Many people are reaching crisis point with their mental health due to the pandemic. According to NHS Prevalence Data 2020, one in six young people have a probable mental disorder, while the Young Minds Survey 2020 found 83% of young people said the pandemic had made their mental health worse. To help the population exit the pandemic in a better state of mental health, the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), the governing body for Freemasonry in England and Wales, are supporting various institutions, schools and universities.

The UGLE and the Masonic Charitable Foundation’s (MCF) - the Freemasons’ charity - donations will also help 100,000 children and young people across the UK to access information, support and guidance online. In addition, the donation will help to develop and pilot the Suicide Safer Schools programme in three to five schools in west Cumbria, supporting 1,000 young people and 500 parents, teachers and staff, by raising awareness of suicide prevention, understanding help-seeking behaviour, and training selected staff in suicide intervention. In a separate project, the Freemasons also aim to reach 800 young people in London, who will benefit from better understanding about the prevention of young suicide through volunteers running awareness-raising events in their local communities.

Elsewhere, 2,188 children and young people through three projects will be supported with mentoring and skills workshops. About 270 parents/staff will receive awareness workshops and support, while 270 young people will be trained as peer mentors. The Freemasons’ donations will also support at least 600 teachers, professionals and parents, who will be provided with support through three projects offering mental health first aid training, learning events and parental support, and this will in turn will help 25,000 children and young people. The support will also fund seven projects to help 1,780 children and young people with counselling and group therapy, while 40 parents and carers will also benefit. Elsewhere, 100 young men with mental health issues will benefit from a project offering weekly talking group sessions.

During almost two years of the pandemic, Freemasons have donated millions of pounds to support people in need. They have donated many tonnes of food, tablets for hospitals, ambulances and PPE, as well as supporting carers, women’s refuges, care homes, hospitals, hospices and funds for NHS workers. In 2020, the Freemasons total charitable donations topped £51 million. In addition, Freemasons also worked 18 million hours as volunteers in a range of different areas where there was a need, including driving vulnerable people to hospital, preparing meals, taking care of people at risk, organising care packages, as well as producing scrubs, PPE and hand sanitiser.

Dr David Staples, chief executive of the UGLE, said: “The pandemic has been devastating and mental health is a very important topic to us and our members. During the pandemic, thousands of Freemasons supported people in their communities, preventing mental health problems and supporting many families. This issue must be one of our priorities and we are joining forces to keep the population safe and feeling well. "The UGLE has carefully chosen the institutions we are supporting, focusing on those with important objectives to achieve in the areas of tackling racism, mental health issues, living with bipolar disorder and prevention of young suicide. We need to do everything we can to help as many people as possible.” In addition to the £1m donated in 2020, the Freemasons have committed a further fund of £2.1m to support the ongoing Covid-19 crisis response. Of that £2.1m, £850,000 has been allocated to support homeless people through several charities with which UGLE partners, while £715,000 is earmarked to support adult, young and parent carers.

Livia Ferreira, public relations manager, United Grand Lodge of England. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Telephone: +44 (0)20 7395 9208