Read on to find out about some of the grassroots charities and community groups WFC has recently helped – and how, in their words, our support has helped them.

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Health

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Special Steps  (£ 500)  

An organisation helping children with special needs.

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Herefordshire and Worcestershire 1st Responders ( £349)

Provide trained volunteers to attend medical emergencies as directed by the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust. They have also been known to attend masonic events!

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Equal Vision (£400)    

A start-up charity providing career support to the mentally and physically disabled in the audio-visual industry. The award was specifically to purchase  specialist  earphones.

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Crackerjacks ( £750)

A charity based in Kidderminster which provides equipment for disabled children and runs respite homes for families with disabled children.

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MIND Worcestershire ( £1000)

A charity which offers peer support counselling and courses to those with mental health issues. Currently provision in Worcestershire is run in conjunction with Warwickshire and funding is being sought to establish a larger and independent provision in the county. ‘Worcestershire Freemasons Volunteers’  (WFV) are to provide stewarding for a fundraising event later in the year. Anyone wanting more information on, or looking to join, this new initiative should contact Mark Barber, Vice President of WFV.

 

 

Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust ( £500 from the HRArch Fund)

A charity which funds research into rare and aggressive childhood cancers,  educates families and clinicians about  childhood cancer and produces information booklets to explain to parents and children about the treatments they are facing. It also, locally, provides financial, practical, and emotional support to families whose children are suffering from cancer.

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Community Tenbury Transport Trust ( £1000)

Its aim is to reduce isolation and loneliness, promote independence and keep communities together. It does so by providing a minbus service to Tenbury and other local towns, doing weekly shopping for those unable to do so, running a wheelchair accessible car service etc – all done by volunteers.

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Men’s Shed, Pershore  (£750)

Pershore is a rural town of 9,000 residents, of whom over half are aged 50 or over. Although the “shed” is open to all,  it is targeting older men who may be at risk of isolation and/or poor well-being.

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Halesowen Town FC (£ 600)     

WFC has sponsored the U10 kit. As well as teaching children to play football the Club aims to provide an inclusive and safe environment for children where they can have fun, keep fit and build friendships,

 

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Education and Culture

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Friends of Script Haven  ( £400 )

This is a voluntary group (charitable status applied for) which aims to encourage young people to appreciate the importance of reading for pleasure  - introducing new books to them. It is primarily responsible for Curious Minds (Worcester’s children’s literary festival and Alchemy of Words, Worcester’s summer literary festival – and includes 3 Worcestershire  Poet Laureates within the management team. WFC’s grant is for the purchase of a speaker system.

 

Fort Royal School  ( £500 from the HRArch Fund)

This is a community primary school in Worcester catering for children with an Education, Health and Care Plan. The school has a low pupil to staff ratio and it works in conjunction with other professionals, such as speech therapists and physiotherapists, to cater for the special needs of children who attend the school.

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Armed Forces Covenant

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Supporting Grand Lodge’s Armed Forces Covenant at a local level the following grants have been made:

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SSAFA (Soldiers’ Sailors’ & Airmen’s Families Association) (£500)– the local Worcester branch supports the needs of serving military personnel (regulars and reserves) and those who have returned to “civvy street”, including the relief of physical disabilities, post-traumatic stress, homelessness

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"Worcestershire Soldier at The Commandery" project (£250)– a project to remember the fallen and the contribution of Worcestershire soldiers (29th Regiment of Foot and successor regiments) to both the military and the development of the county. One of whom was a Lieutenant Meara whose son, Barry Edward O’Meara, was a member of Mercy and Truth Lodge (Evesham) and surgeon to Napoleon whilst he was captive on St Helena.

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