£600,000 in grants to Hospices in England & Wales

Hospices across England and Wales are set for a funding boost as The Freemasons’ Grand Charity distributes £600,000 towards the operating costs of the widely respected services. Although children’s and adults Hospices have always been supported through the annual grant giving scheme, this year for the very first time a sum was set aside specifically to benefit the growing number of services dedicated to children.

The money from The Freemasons’ Grand Charity will be shared between 220 hospices, with over half of the children’s services receiving more than £3,000 and each adult service receiving an average of over £2,600. A full list of the individual grants may be viewed at
http://www.grandcharity.org/data/files/hospices/Hospice_grants_list_2007.pdf

The newly announced grants will take The Freemasons’ Grand Charity’s support for the sector to over £7 million since 1984. The Freemasons' Grand Charity is the principal Masonic Charity involved in donations to non-Masonic causes as well as providing assistance to needy Freemasons and their dependents.

This Province is currently heavily engaged in raising funds for the 2010 Festival in support of the Freemasons' Grand Charity. This donation is an example of the fine work done by that organisation and an illustration of why it is important that we all give our full support to the Festival.

£20,000 donation for Bangladesh Relief

Following the devastation of parts of Bangladesh by Tropical Storm Sidr, The Freemasons' Grand Charity is supporting the relief work of the Red Cross with an emergency grant of £20,000. Around 1 million people are believed to have been affected by the storm which hit the Southern Coast of Bangladesh on 15 November, destroying homes, crops and infrastructure and triggering a tidal surge that swamped three coastal villages.

The official death toll stands at over 3,100 people, but this is expected to rise as rescuers continue to recover bodies from amongst the debris. Some remote areas are still inaccessible and many survivors are without fresh water and food.

The emergency grant approved by the President of the Grand Charity will help to fund the work of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, providing for the needs of some of the most vulnerable people affected by the storm, including the provision of blankets, food, shelter, medical supplies and basic healthcare.

The Freemasons' Grand Charity is the principal Masonic Charity involved in donations to non-Masonic causes as well as providing assistance to needy Freemasons and their dependents.

Caerphilly & Bargoed Masons distribute £6,500

Last evening, Freemasons of the Caerphilly and Bargoed Lodges presented almost £6,500 to local charities at the Masonic Hall in Princes Avenue, Caerphilly. The donations were made in the presence of W.Bro. Geoffrey W. Thomas, PSGD, Assistant Provincial Grand Master.

The event is the culmination of the 2006-2007 fund-raising by Freemasons in the Caerphilly and Bargoed areas to raise funds which are distributed to Masonic and local non-Masonic charities.

Amongst the Charities supported in 2007 from individual lodge efforts (Ladies Nights etc) and the Annual Summer Ball are:

All Saints Boxing Club, Llanbradach

Caerphilly Miners’ Hospital

Caerphilly First Responders

Cancer Care Cymru

CHAD - Care, Help and Aid for the Disabled

C.L.U.R.V. Cancer Support

Disabled Childrens’ Christmas Party

Home Tower Marie Currie

The Joshua Foundation

Macmillan Cancer Support

Muscular Dystrophy

Myasthenia Gravis (Rag Doll Syndrome)

NSPCC

Royal Gwent Hospital

Salvation Army, Senghenydd

Trinity Fields School

Velindre Hospital

Press representatives were invited to be present to speak to local Freemasons and the charities that they are supporting this year. There was also an opportunity to view the Temple.

There are 7 Freemasons’ lodges meeting in the Masonic Hall in Caerphilly and two in the Masonic Centre in Bargoed

This is a continuation of the Freemasonry in the Community (FitC) initiative; which was a programme of events intended to illustrate the true nature of Freemasonry, and to restore it (in the perception of the general public) to its rightful position as a part of the community rather than apart from the community.

The concept was devised by the Marquess of Northampton who is the Pro Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England. The national programme was concentrated on the week 26th June to 3rd July 2002. In the Province of South Wales - Eastern Division, FitC events began in the Autumn of 2001 and are still continuing in many areas not - least Caerphilly and Bargoed!

Since 2002, a number of local charities and organisations have been supported by around £30,000 from Caerphilly and Bargoed Freemasons.

A warm welcome at The Cardiff Sikh Gurdwara

A sunny Saturday Morning saw a party of around a hundred Masons, their wives and families attending a Special Service at Cardiff's Sikh Gurdwara in the city's Roath district.

This was the first organised visit to a Sikh service by Masons in this Province. The party was led by Provincial Grand Master Hywel Davies accompanied by Mrs Davies.

Every effort had been made by the organisers at Gurdwara to ensure that the visitors were kept informed of the meanings of the Prayers and Hymns from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. A laptop and projector were kept very busy and the information displayed was welcome indeed as far as the first timers were concerned.

One recurring passage; "No one is my enemy. No one is a stranger. I will get along with everyone", an expression of universal goodwill, surely struck a chord with every Mason.

The President of the Gurdwara warmly welcomed all to the service, pointing out that visitors are always welcome at Sikh services and that while in the Gurdwara all are Sikhs! Balwant Singh Bhogal then added to the welcome and drew attention of some of the ways that the Sikh faith and Freemasonry were particularly compatible.

Provincial Grand Chaplain Rev Alistair Swinford then quoted from Chapter 13 of St Paul's Letters to the Corinthians as the basis for a sermon on the subject of Love.

Provincial Grand Master Hywel Davies thanked the Gurdwara for agreeing to the visit and all those who had organised it and provided such a warm welcome. He was presented with a copy of the Adi Granth (or Sri Guru Granth Sahib) the Sikh Holy Book which is considered to be the living ruler of Sikhism.

The service concluded with Smapti of Diwan and was then followed by Langar, a vegetarian meal provided for all at the end of every meeting.

More information on the Sikh faith and way of life may be found here.

£50,000 to British Red Cross Asian Floods Appeal

In the wake of the worst flooding to hit Asia in many years, The President of the Freemasons' Grand Charity, Grahame Elliot, has approved an emergency grant of £50,000 to the British Red Cross Asia Floods Appeal.

In recent weeks, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan have all been hit by major floods caused by the monsoon rains. Landslides and flash floods have killed several hundred people and hundreds of thousands more have been left homeless. Many of the people affected are amongst the world’s poorest and they now have little or no access to food, clean water and healthcare and are at risk from the outbreak of water-borne disease.

The grant to the Red Cross is a significant contribution towards the initial £250,000 appeal target and will help to provide emergency relief in the affected countries, including the delivery of food, water and basic healthcare.

Visit The Freemasons’ Grand Charity website at www.grandcharity.org

£100,000 in grants for Flood Relief efforts in Britain

As torrential rain and flooding continues to affect large areas of Britain, the President of the Freemasons' Grand Charity has responded to The British Red Cross UK Floods Appeal with an emergency grant of £65,000. A sum of £35,000 has already been made available to boost Provincial Grand Lodge donations to various charitable funds. Separately, Masonic applicants will be considered for urgent financial assistance by the Masonic Relief Grants Committee.

Approximately 1 million people have been affected by the worst flooding to hit the UK in over 40 years and many have been left without access to drinking water or power. As well as supporting the work of the emergency services in the immediate aftermath of the downpours, the British Red Cross will be providing assistance as the floods begin to recede. The £65,000 grant will help support communities and individuals as people are finally able to begin returning to homes ruined by flood-waters.

In view of the severity of the situation, a sum of £35,000 has been set aside in addition to the grant to the British Red Cross to match Provincial donations to charitable organisations involved in the flood response. Nearly half the money has already been earmarked and The Freemasons’ Grand Charity aims to distribute the remaining funds over the forthcoming weeks.

In parallel with support for wider relief efforts, The Freemasons’ Grand Charity will be assisting individual Masons affected by events, and their dependants, through Masonic Relief Grants which are given to relieve hardship.

Speaking about the response, Grahame Elliott, President of the Grand Charity said “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this terrible weather which has destroyed homes and left many people in dire need of assistance. The Freemasons’ Grand Charity was established to support people in need and we hope these grants will help people cope with the impact of the floods and begin to get back on their feet.”

Visit The Freemasons’ Grand Charity website at www.grandcharity.org

Hugh Johns

First published 27 June 2007 - Last Updated 9 July 2007

With immense sadness we bring you the news that Hugh Johns, our External Communications Officer, died on 27 June 2007. He was 84 years old.

Hugh Richard Lewis Johns was born on 6th September 1922 in the South East of England. He grew up in Farnham, Surrey. Educated in the local Grammar School, like most of his generation Hugh saw active service in the Second World War. He was a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm and helped protect the Allied supply convoys to Russia around the Norwegian coast.

After the war, Hugh's famous 'Velvet Voice' led him first into Repertory Theatre where he met his wife-to-be Joan who was Stage Manager on an Ivor Novello show in London's West End. Tuberculosis put paid to his acting career, but, undaunted he turned to Journalism where his first job was with the News Chronicle (which was merged into the Daily Mail in 1960) as a Reporter and he was promptly dispatched to South Wales.

TWW (the ITV Channel for Wales and the West Country) was just starting up, saw the potential in Hugh and he was soon presenting weekly football reports.

Hugh was soon snapped up by the ITV network, commentating and presenting for ATV and Granada. He commentated on three World Cup Finals for ITV in 1966, 1970 and 1974. He continued as a regular commentator and sports journalist until well into his seventies.

In 2002 at a celebratory dinner in his honour, Hugh was presented with a trophy by the late and great Brian Clough on behalf of the Football Association for his services to the game.

W.Bro. Hugh was Initiated into Penarth's Services Lodge No 7139 in September 1969 and was Worshipful Master there in 1976. He was a Joining Member of Hendre Lodge No 3250 in 1979; Proscenium Lodge No 9059 in 1988; and St Mildred's Lodge No 5078 in 2006. At Proscenium Lodge W.Bro. Hugh filled the busy positions of Preceptor and Director of Ceremonies for many years up to 2005.

In Provincial Grand Lodge, W.Bro. Hugh was appointed a Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden in 2002 and for the last seven years of his life had been the Province's External Communications Officer.

Joan sadly died in November 2003 and for the past few years, Hugh had a medical condition that he knew could cause his sudden demise at any time. He bore that knowledge with a degree of nonchalance and continued as many of his activities as he possibly could. Only two days before his death, Hugh was enjoying himself at the Annual Meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge in Barry.

Hugh will be sadly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him, as well as the millions who knew him only through his television work.

The funeral took place on Monday 9th July 2007. It commenced at noon at Christ Church, Heol Isaf, Radyr, Cardiff. The cortege from Hugh's home to the church - about a quarter of a mile away - was led by "Mr P's" New Orleans style Jazz Band.

The Rector, Rev. Jenny Wigley officiated at both services, and set a tone of celebration of Hugh's long and eventful life, commenting that he had overcome adversity several times, but emerged stronger on each occasion.

W.Bro. Rex W. Plowman, gave a reading. Hugh's grandson Mr Matt Johns gave a very humourous and touching account of his life with his grandfather. He wryly observed that whilst dropping Hugh's name into conversation impressed many boys of his age; it did nothing to oil the wheels in his dealings with girls! W.Bro. Wyn Calvin then spoke movingly of Hugh's approach to life and people.

Finally, Hugh's colleague and very good friend Mr Gary Newbon spoke of their times and experiences together - stretching back more than 35 years. Also in the congregation were Mr Jim Rosenthal, the ITV Sports presenter and Mr Barry Davies who auditioned for ITV at the same time as Hugh (both were successful) and later transferred to the BBC, for whom, just the day before, he had been commentating on events at Wimbledon.

The hymns at the Church were "How Great Thou Art" and "Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer". After the commendation, the congregation left the Church to the sounds of Mr P's Jazz Band, and travelled the 4 miles or so to the Wenallt Chapel of the Cardiff Crematorium at Thornhill; escorted by the two motorcycle officers of South Wales Police who were present throughout the proceedings.

The Rev. Wigley invited W.Bro. Wyn Calvin to reprise his eulogy for the benefit of those not present at the Church and then proceeded to the committal. The hymn at the Crematorium was "Love Divine".

The day was a bitter-sweet one; happiness stemmed from the memories that had been evoked but it was blended with the sad knowledge that no more would we have the pleasure of the company of this father; grandfather; friend; neighbour; Brother and Hero.

REQUIESCAT IN PACE

An earlier article on Hugh can be found HERE

A new Wikipedia entry for Hugh can be found HERE

The Times' Obituary can be found HERE

The Daily Telegraph's Obituary can be found HERE

The Independent's Obituary can be found HERE

The South Wales Echo's account of the funeral can be read HERE

Another blow against anti-Masonic bigotry

The European Court of Human Rights today published a judgement which found against a body discriminating against Freemasons in Italy. The judgement will have effect in all the States making up the ECHR - including the United Kingdom.

The Court held by six votes to one that there had been a violation of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) of the European Convention on Human Rights taken in conjunction with Article 11 (freedom of assembly and association).

As far as damages were concerned, under Article 41 (just satisfaction) of the Convention, the Court held, unanimously, that the finding of a violation constituted in itself sufficient just satisfaction for the non-pecuniary damage and awarded the applicant association 5,000 euros for costs and expenses.

The full judgement is available only in French, but a quite comprehensive English Language Press Release may be found by clicking the following link.

http://tinyurl.com/3d2qhl

Freemasons boost Noah's Ark Appeal by more than £100,000

The Noah's Ark Appeal is a charity dedicated to the establishment and future wellbeing of Wales' first Children's hospital. The appeal has been spectacularly successful and after just five years, the first phase was officially opened on St David's day (1st March) in 2005.

At the second anniversary event in 2007, it was revealed that Masonic sources had contributed in excess of £100,000 to the appeal. The event was held in the learning Room which has recently been equipped with a glittering array of IT equipment courtesy of the Lifelites charity which is closely associated with the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys.

Provincial Grand Master R. W. Bro. Hywel Davies and V. W. Bro. Peter Frost, the Deputy Provincial Grand Master were in attendance at the celebratory event at the University Hospital of Wales complex in Heath Park Cardiff.