Charitable Activities
Charitable activities at Bexhill Lodge no 4898
The Freemasons, one of the world’s oldest and largest fraternal organizations, are renowned for their extensive charitable activities. Rooted in principles of brotherhood, integrity, and philanthropy, Freemasons have a long history of supporting various causes and communities.
The Freemasons’ philanthropic activities cover a broad spectrum, including:
Healthcare: They support hospitals and medical research, and aid individuals with disabilities. Masonic lodges often establish hospitals and clinics providing free or affordable care.
Education: They offer scholarships and grants, supporting learners at various educational levels to overcome financial hurdles.
Disaster Relief: Freemasons typically respond quickly to natural disasters, contributing to relief funds and organizing volunteer support for impacted communities.
Community Services: Masonic lodges actively participate in community projects like food drives, blood donations, and aiding the homeless, aiming to enhance community life.
Veteran Support: Acknowledging military sacrifices, Freemasons provide assistance to veterans and their families, including financial, housing, and medical aid.
These initiatives reflect the Freemasons’ dedication to societal betterment, offering both immediate aid and promoting sustained community growth.
The Worshipful Masters Chosen charity
Annually, the Worshipful Master chooses a charity to support that holds special significance for him.
The Grumpy Cook is a community-focused café that aims to tackle food poverty and combat loneliness, especially among older people.
Founded by Barry Ashley, the café offers affordable meals and a welcoming space for social interaction. It operates as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, reinvesting any profits back into its mission.
The café provides free meals to children in need, hosts social sessions for over-65s, and offers a safe space for teens to do homework and access cheap food.
Additionally, it runs cookery lessons and trains hospitality staff.
What it’s all about…
Each Province is asked once in every 11 years to collect funds for the Masonic Charitable foundation.
The Festival System in English Freemasonry has been developed to rotate specific fund raising evenly around the Provinces. There are 44 Provinces in the system. Formerly each Province supported all of the previous four Masonic charities.
A Festival Appeal is designed to last for 5 years or so, and we have the advantage of knowing in advance when our Festival will end and which charity we will be supporting, which enables us to plan in advance. It is then up to the Provincial Grand Master to decide when we start and that has been decided as 2028, giving us a 5 year festival.
We are honored to raise funds on behalf of the Masonic Charitable Foundation. To ensure a successful Festival, our Lodges’ charitable endeavors are primarily focused on this event. All the while supporting our other charitable activities—which we, as Masons, excel at.
