The Province has now began Festival 2029.
For the next five years the province will be gathering money through lodges and events.
Each Province is asked every 11 years to raise funds for the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF).
From January 2024 until 2029 it will be our turn.
One of the events is a Festival Skydive and the lodge is sponsoring Bro Sam Hill to take part, money has already started to be collected
by the sale of the festival skydive pin badges, we will also pleased to recieve donations.
There are also festival jewels which can be obtained by a very small direct debit which can be spaced over the period of the festival.
Freemasons help provide emergency aid to the survivors of the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
They will be receiving vital emergency supplies thanks to a £60,000 grant from the Freemasons to the British Red Cross UK for UNHCR and UNICEF who are leading the relief effort on the ground. More than 16,000 people are reported to have died at this time, with more yet to be reported, in the two quakes which have devastated large areas of south west Turkey and across the border in Syria. The death toll is certain to rise significantly as more bodies are found. Tens of thousands of survivors are sleeping in the open in temperatures which have fallen well below zero. Snow is falling in some parts as the region experiences colder than average winter weather that is also hampering rescue efforts.Freemasons collect money for charity from Lodge members or at Masonic events, we do not normally collect money from the general public, but will accept donations. All Lodge meetings include a Charity collection and most will also hold a raffle or similar event where all the profits are given to charity. As raffle prizes are usually donated, this can be 100% of the proceeds!.
The charitable work is not just for freemasons and their families, although they do offer advice and assistance and sometimes some financial support following a life changing event like medical or changing care needs also the death in the family or family breakdown.
Orient Lodge has donated to many local charities and has recently purchased a kayak for the Lowestoft Lifeguards Corps who patrol the beach in Lowestoft.
Suffolk Provincial Grand Lodge Festival
All provinces run Festivals which run over a period of time maybe one year or until they reach their goal. Suffolk has been running one called Festival 2019 which ended in 2019. The festival is in aid of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution which runs care homes for freemasons with dementia and other debilitating illnesses and who cannot afford the care in the community.
The Worshipful Master for the year has the privilege to choose any charity for his year and all money raised, except certain small collections dictated by the lodge, go to this charity/charities. The Masters chosen charity for this year is The Sandra Chapman Cancer Centre at the James Paget Hospital Gt Yarmouth.
Our Charity Steward W.Bro Mike Vaughan is always pleased to take any donations during the meetings, and Bro Don generally sits in the bar to accept any loose change which goes
towards the lodge widows gift given at Christmas.
It is encouraged that members take out a covenant which goes towards the lodge charity fund, a monthly donation of either £2, £3, £5, or what ever you can give, which is gift aided can make a huge difference to the donations made to local charities.
