CHARITIES
The Lodge nowadays supports the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF). https://mcf.org.uk/about-us/
Formerly these were managed as separate charities, namely:
- Grand Patron Royal Masonic Hospital
- Vice Patron Royal Institute for Boys
- Vice Patron Royal Benevolent Institute
- Vice Patron Royal Institute for Girls
- Patron New Masonic Samaritan Fund
- Vice Patron Middlesex’ 98
- Patron Lodge R.I.M.B. Festival 2009
Non-Masonic Charities supported by the Lodge
2022
In 2022 W Bro Ken Demmen presented a cheque for £1,700.00 to Sarah Rogers of Anthony Nolan Trust, his chosen charity for his marathon stint as WM thanks to Covid-19. (www.anthonynolan.org)
A second cheque for £500.00 was presented to the team of volunteers that run the Hillingdon Play Association, a local charity chosen by Uxbridge Lodge members to support. (Hillingdon-play-association) These funds help them provide play resources and events for underprivileged children across Hillingdon borough.
The last cheque of £100.00 was presented to Mr Michael Faraday (aka W Bro Darryl Boot) to Motor Neurone Disease Association. (www.mndassociation.org)
2020-2021 – Covid-19 Pandemic
During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the Province of Middlesex supported 9 different charities which were inundated with requests for help due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
Amongst these were 12 foodbanks, 12 homeless charities, 5 mental health charities, 5 unpaid carers charities, 5 local hospitals with funds to procure locally sourced PPE and 5 domestic abuse charities.
Also delivered were 1000 Easter eggs, 500 packets of biscuits/crisps for residents and carers to 20 care homes in Middlesex and PPE for the Prince Michael of Kent care home and the scrubs appeal for PPE to be supplied to Northwick Park Harrow.
Finally, the Province of Middlesex provided 120,000 meals for the neediest in Middlesex utilising the kitchens in the Uxbridge and Harrow masonic centres which would otherwise have been unused. These meals were cooked and delivered by Freemasons, including Uxbridge Lodge members.
2020 – The Middlesex 2020 Festival supporting the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys
This was a five-year festival in the Province of Middlesex to raise funds for the charity. Between 2015 and 2020 Uxbridge Lodge and its members raised £16,300 towards the grand total raised in the Province of £4,519,500.
2019
In 2019, we supported the Alzheimer’s society with £1000, Hillingdon Autistic Care and Support (HACS) with £500 and Hillingdon Play Association with £500.
2018 – Michael Sober Hospice, Hillingdon Play Association, and Hillingdon Brain Tumour
At the February 2018 White Table meeting we gave away three charity cheques to the value of £1,300.
W Bro David Craig presented cheques:
- For £500 to Mrs Ophelia Chambers-Henry for the Michael Sobell Hospice. This was given in memory of our late treasurer W.Bro Edward Taylor and very highly valued and respected member of the Lodge.
- For £400 to Mrs Glynis Ryan and Mrs Lyn Dyer for the Hillingdon Play Association.
- And for £400 to Mrs Maria Penicud for the Hillingdon Brain Tumour.
(See the Gallery)
2017 – Hillingdon Play Association Christmas Festival
Almoner W Bro Kevin Gates of Uxbridge Lodge 7066, in his role as Father Christmas for the Hillingdon Play Association Christmas Festival, took an opportune moment to present the Lodge’s donation of £300.00 to Mrs. Valerie Mohammadi, Chairwoman of HPA, in the presence of the local MP John McDonnell who was opening the festival.
Bro Gates said “I can’t think of a better moment to give you this than in the presence of the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.
(See the Gallery)
2017 – Hillingdon Brain Tumour Group
£300 donation.
2017 – Hillingdon Autistic Care and Support (HACS)
£300 donation.
2017 – Fundraising for Malawi Education
Uxbridge Lodge supported Joshua Greig, a 15-year-old school pupil who took part in a charitable trip to Malawi, with his school Aylesbury Grammar School. Twenty boys were tasked with raising £25,000, which would be used to purchase materials to help build a new classroom. This was aside from their own personal travel costs. Joshua exceeded his personal target of £1000 with the help of a grant from Uxbridge Lodge.
2016 – The Hostel of God [Renamed Trinity Hospice]
The contents of the Broken Column [alms collection box] at every December Meeting since 1955 being donated to the Hostel of God.
The Lodge has over the years made several donations to both Non-Masonic and Masonic charities.
Our Worshipful Master David Grieg has ridden to Brighton every June on the Master’s Ride and for the past two years has raised money for Lifelites. In 2013 the figure was £300, in 2014 £434, and in 2016 was £324.
(See the Gallery)
2016
£84000! Members of The Uxbridge Lodge 7066 and other Middlesex lodges help with marshalling at the annual Ladies in the Night Walk in aid of Michael Sobell Hospice, Northwood, which began in 2010. The most recent walk in June 2016 raised £84,000 and the total since the walks began now stands at £494,000.
(See the Gallery)
2015
£600 – National Autistic Society (See the Gallery)
On a damp Summer’s evening in July, WBro David Greig WM of Uxbridge Lodge 7066, along with his almoner WBro Kevin Gates presented a cheque for £600 to Antoinette Mullally, the chief executive of the charity HACS (Hillingdon Autistic Care and Support). The money was raised during David’s previous year as Master who chose HACS because he has a 45 year old brother with autism. David said that HACS had been a charity in existence for 18 years and constantly required funds to carry out their important work in the community for both children and adults with autism as well as their carers.
The cheque was presented at their AGM which was attended by the trustees, parents of autistic children and also some of the children and adults with autism, all of whom are supported by HACS. The Mayor of Hillingdon, councillor George Cooper, and his wife councillor Judith Cooper were also in attendance and the Mayor addressed the chair and the audience at the end of the meeting with his reasons for supporting HACS.
After the meeting, everyone joined together for a BBQ which despite the summer drizzle was an enjoyable occasion.
If you have been touched by someone near to you with autism and would like to support HACS, please see their website: http://www.hacs.org.uk/
2014
£52.50 – Diabetes UK (diabetes.org.uk)
£250 – Hillingdon Cherubs (Neonatal unit) (lauren@uwclub.net)
£50 – Royal Masonic Trust for Girls & Boys (rmtgb.org.uk)
£52.50 – Diabetes UK, Aylesbury Group (aylesbury.diabetesukgroup.org)
2013
£200 – Trinity Hospice (trinityhospice.org.uk)
£500 – Friends of Michael Sobell House (michaelsobellhospice.co.uk)
£150 – St Luke’s Hospice, Brent (stlukes-hospice.org)
2012
£250 – Marie Curie Cancer Care, Hillingdon Appeal (mariecurie.org.uk)
£200 – Trinity Hospice (trinityhospice.org.uk)
£500 – Friends of Michael Sobell House (michaelsobellhospice.co.uk)
£500 – 5th Hayes Scout Group
2011
£160 – Trinity Hospice (trinityhospice.org.uk)
£250 – Forces Children’s Trust (forceschildrenstrust.org)
£250 – Caudwell Children’s trust (caudwellchildren.com)