From its earliest days, Freemasonry has been connected with charity.
It is one of the guiding principles taught to Freemasons and we support both local and national charities.
Fred Bear helps us as a lodge with our charitable endeavours, he has his own page in the menu bar.
Of course we also collect Alms at all our meetings and contribute to Masonic and Lodge supported charities.
Each year, the Master of the Lodge selects a particular charity to support alongside the Metropolitan Grand Charity and the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF). Check the menu for details.
The Masonic Charitable Foundation is a major new charity, now encompassing the work formerly undertaken by the Freemasons’ Grand Charity, the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys, the Masonic Samaritan Fund and the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
We do not guarantee that Web sites accessed via links on this page are either Masonic in nature or have been approved or endorsed by the United Grand Lodge of England. We specifically do not warrant that an other Web sites accessible from their pages are recognised by, or have the approval of, the United Grand Lodge of England.
Freemasons are reputed to be the largest charitable givers in the country after the National Lottery, contributing more than £128 million to deserving causes since 1981. Through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, the United Grand Lodge of England is regularly one of the first responders to international appeals such as the East Africa Food Crisis, the Indonesian Earthquake Appeal and the recent devastating bush fires in Australia, to name but a few.
Friendship from Service Lodge prides itself on having supported many charities over the years ranging from small local charities to large national organisations.
At our annual Ladies Festival, we organise raffles and other fund-raising events to raise money for a charity chosen each year by the Worshipful Master of the year and his Lady.
Below is a sample list of charities chosen by each successive Worshipful Master over the past ten years and the amount raised at our Ladies Festival:
2010
Help for Heroes
£1,120
2011
The Royal Marsden Hospital
£650
Alzheimer’s UK
£650
The Metropolitan Masonic Charity
£25
2012
Alzheimer’s UK
£600
MacMillan Nurses
£600
The Metropolitan Masonic Charity
£75
2013
Nelson’s Journey
£950
(A charity supporting bereaved children and young adults)
2014
Guide dogs for the Blind
£950
2015
Blind Veterans UK
£904
2016
BLESMA
£1,500
(The Limbless Veterans formerly known as The British Limbless Ex-Serviceman’s Association)
2017
Martlet’s Hospice
£1,065
(A local hospice providing palliative care for the terminally ill)
2018
Prostate Cancer UK
£1,500
2019
SSAFA
£1,335
(The Armed Forces charity formerly known as Soldiers, Sailors Airmen and Families Association)
We also make a regular annual donation of £250 to Lifelites, a charity for children with life limiting illnesses.
In addition to non-Masonic charities, we have also made substantial contributions to the Metropolitan Masonic Charity, of which the Lodge holds Grand Patron status and has received the Metropolitan Grand Master’s special Award for outstanding achievement for having donated in excess of £10,000.
The Metropolitan Masonic Charity is a London based masonic charity whose aim is to support the London community and help make London a safer place to live and work.
The MMC has provided funding for:
The list will go on thanks to the generosity of the members of Friendship from Service Lodge and other London Freemasons