Local communities are set to benefit following a surprise £50,000 donation to Brecon Hospital from Brecon Freemasons.
The generous donation was made at the Brecon Freemasons’ Festive Board which took place recently at the Castle Hotel in Brecon to mark three hundred years of Freemasonry in the UK.
Professor Vivienne Harpwood, Chair of Powys Teaching Health Board, receiving the donation on behalf of the hospital, said: “I am so grateful and humbled by this generous donation from Brecon Freemasons. We knew in advance that the Freemasons wished to make a donation to Brecon War Memorial Hospital, but the size of the donation was very much under wraps until the cheque was presented to us. This will make an amazing difference, and we look forward to working with the Brecon Freemasons to use this donation for the benefit of local communities.”
Graham Richards, Charity Steward of the Brecknock Lodge, presented the cheque saying: “The highlight of our Tercentenary celebrations was the presentation of a cheque for £50,000 for the benefit of the Brecon War Memorial Hospital in appreciation and a recognition of the services and care given to Freemasons and their families and indeed to the whole community of Brecon & District. Indeed, this was an evening to remember and a momentous and fitting celebration of the formation of the United Grand Lodge three hundred years ago.”
The 300th anniversary of the Freemasons has been an opportunity for fundraising and charitable works across the UK. The Worshipful Master of the Brecknock Lodge, John Ingham, said: “2017 is a wonderful opportunity to reach out to our communities with pride and show what we as Freemasons do for the good of society. The first lodge in the UK was established in 1717, and here in Brecon our first recorded meeting was in 1764 with the Brecknock Lodge meeting in its current form since 1855. What better way to mark this momentous occasion than by upholding one of the main tenets of our Organisation, the support of Charity. Over £70,000 was donated to good causes and I would like to thank all Lodge members for their support.”
He added: “For any gentleman interested to become a Freemason a man has to apply to join a Lodge and convince the members that he is of good repute, a believer in the God of his religion and prepared to be generous in charitable giving. We welcome men of any race, colour or creed. Our aim is to make good men better by being reminded of their duty to society, law abiding and conscious of the needs of those less fortunate, both masons and non-masons alike.”
Over £70,000 of donations were made by the Brecon Freemasons on the night including £5,000 to Wales Air Ambulance, £200 to Calan Domestic Violence Services and £15,000 shared between the following 15 local and international charities:
- The Salvation Army Homeless Christmas Appeal
- Feed the Homeless Cardiff
- Feed the Homeless Swansea
- St Johns Ambulance Brecon
- Macmillan (Mid Wales)
- Usk House Brecon
- Brecon Mountain Rescue
- Brecon Scouts
- Brecon Guides
- The Mark 150th Anniversary 2020 Appeal
- The 2021 Craft Festival Appeal
- TLC Teddies for Loving Care Appeal
- Albert Edward Prince of Wales Court Dementia Support
- Noahs Ark Appeal. Lotus Orphanage Appeal in Sri Lanka