Benevolence and Charity are fundamental principles of Freemasonry.
Freemasons are one of the largest charitable givers in including making major contributions to international disaster relief funds.
Since 2004, the members of Wyggeston Lodge have donated a total of £35,700 to the following charities:
NON-MASONIC CHARITIES
Local
- Birkett House School – Provides education for children and young people with special educational needs.
- Breast Care Centre, Glenfield Hospital
- Cardiovascular Research Centre, Glenfield Hospital
- Childrens’ Cancer Outpatients, Leicester Hospitals
- Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance – Provides life saving treatment and medication on site and en-route to hospital.
- Harley Staples Cancer Trust – Helping put a smile on the face of any child or young person with cancer
- Hope Against Cancer – Provides funding for cancer research projects in Leicestershire and Rutland in order to enable local people to benefit from innovative treatments.
- Leicester Children’s Holiday Centre – Provides free holidays to disadvantaged children in Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire.
- Leicestershire and Rutland Organisation for the Relief of Suffering (LOROS) – Specialises in hospice care for persons over 16 years of age, also offering family support.
- Menphys – Caring for local children and young people with disabilities.
- Our Space Appeal – An exciting project to create a world-class Children and Young People’s Cancer Unit in Leicester
- PROSTaid – A local charity helping to fight Prostate Cancer.
- Rainbows Hospice for Children – Dedicated to meeting the needs of the children and young people from the East Midlands who are affected by life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.
- Warning Zone – Helps prepare youngsters for increased independence and their transition into early adolescence
- Vista – Provides vital services and support to children and adults with sight loss including people with sight loss and learning disabilities, sight loss and dementia and people with dual sensory in Leicestershire and Rutland.
National
- BBC Children in Need – Provides grants to projects in the UK which focus on children and young people who are disadvantaged.
- Cancer Research UK – The world’s leading charity dedicated to saving lives through research.
- Royal British Legion – Provides welfare, comradeship, representation and Remembrance for the Armed Forces community
- Royal National Lifeboat Institution – Dedicated to saving lives at sea around the coasts of Britain and Ireland
- Smiletrain – Provides a child born with a cleft the same opportunities in life as a child born without.
- St. Dunstans – Provides lifelong support for blind and visually impaired ex-Service men and women.
- When You Wish Upon A Star – Makes magical memories for a Wish child and their family to remember for a lifetime.
MASONIC CHARITIES
Leicestershire and Rutland Masonic Charity Association
- Supports central Masonic charities or any other organisations, institution or fund which is established for purposes which are exclusively charitable.
- Supports the relief and assistance of the aged sick, distressed or infirm Freemasons of Leicestershire & Rutland and their families.
- Donates to the four central Masonic charities which are:
Freemasons’ Grand Charity A grant-making charity providing financial assistance to Freemasons and their families who are experiencing financial hardship. Grants are also made in support of the important work of national charities of all sizes, in medical research; support for vulnerable people; youth opportunities; hospice services; air ambulance services and disaster relief worldwide.
Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys The main work of the Trust is to assist Masonic families who have experienced a change in their circumstances that has led to financial hardship. This could, for example, be following the ill health or death of a parent. The main way the Trust helps is by providing ongoing financial support to relieve poverty and advance education.
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution The RMBI has been has been caring for older Freemasons and their dependants for over 160 years. It operates 17 care homes across England and Wales, offering a range of high quality care. Many of its homes are registered for both residential and nursing care, and a number offer specialist dementia care.
Provides grants to eligible beneficiaries who have an identified health or care need and, faced with a long wait for treatment, care or support, are unable to afford their own private care.