Charitable Work
After a Lodge meeting, members enjoy an optional dinner known as a Festive Board, at which there are a number of formal toasts, and a charity collection if this had not been completed in the preceding meeting.
The giving of charity is central to a Freemasons sense of duty to others, but no-one expects large donations to be made in this way, and just a small token gesture is the accepted norm.
Very large sums of money are generated in this way, across hundreds of Lodges and many thousands of Freemasons – these sums are donated on our behalf by our Grand Lodge, and our Provincial Grand Lodge.
Often, a local charity will receive a donation from a local Masonic Lodge, this decision is made in a committee formed of Lodge members, for the benefit of its own local community.
It has never been the practice to canvass or collect funds publicly, and contrary to common understanding and belief, the majority of these charitable donations are made to non-Masonic organisations.
We are very proud that after the National Lottery, Freemasonry is the second highest charitable donor in this country, we don’t advertise our achievements, we just simply get on and do it.
The giving of charity is central to a Freemasons sense of duty to others, but no-one expects large donations to be made in this way, and just a small token gesture is the accepted norm.
Very large sums of money are generated in this way, across hundreds of Lodges and many thousands of Freemasons – these sums are donated on our behalf by our Grand Lodge, and our Provincial Grand Lodge.
Often, a local charity will receive a donation from a local Masonic Lodge, this decision is made in a committee formed of Lodge members, for the benefit of its own local community.
It has never been the practice to canvass or collect funds publicly, and contrary to common understanding and belief, the majority of these charitable donations are made to non-Masonic organisations.
We are very proud that after the National Lottery, Freemasonry is the second highest charitable donor in this country, we don’t advertise our achievements, we just simply get on and do it.