Freemasons donate £1,655 to Hospiscare

This year part of their annual support of hospices throughout the country. The Provincial Grand Master of Devonshire Rt. W. Bro. Ian Kingsbury can be seen presenting a certificate denoting the £1655 given on behalf of the Devonshire Freemasons and the Masonic Charitable Foundation to  Katie Chantler, Head of Fundraising of Hospiscare’s  Searle House Hospice in Exeter.                                                                                                                           

The Masonic Charitable Foundation grants each year £600,000 to the 245 hospices in England and Wales, including £7,635 to seven hospices here in Devon as part of the £13.4 million total given since 1984. This includes £300,000 which will be distributed between hospices that each receive less than 65% funding from the NHS. A further £300,000 will be provided to the national charity for hospice care, Hospice UK, in a partnership aimed at developing and extending bereavement support services in hospices.  

The Freemasons have been long term supporters of Hospiscare’s  Searle House and along with individual donations made by many of the 131 Lodges that meet throughout the county and the Masonic Charitable foundation together, have donated nearly £130,000 to Hospiscare.

On receiving the certificate Katie, said: “We want to thank the Freemasons for their wonderful donation to Hospiscare’s Searle House.  This will go a long way in supporting our specialist end of life care for patients and their families.  We are reliant on 80% of our funding coming from the community and organisations such as the Masonic Charitable Foundation, and could not deliver our care without this support.” 

Searle House Hospice in Exeter supports patients and their families living with a terminal illness throughout Exeter, Mid and East Devon in its Inpatient Unit.  It also provides invaluable care and support to Exeter patients in its Day Hospice and by supporting patients and families in their own homes through its specialist Community Nursing Team.  

The Provincial Grand Master Rt. W. Bro. Ian Kingsbury when presenting the certificate said: “For the Freemasons of both Devonshire and the Masonic Charitable Foundation to be able to help in this way is very satisfying but when we come and meet the nurses and staff who dedicate their lives to helping people who find themselves in need of their help, it is also very humbling.”