Charity
Charitable work is at the heart of Freemasonry
Individual Masonic Lodges tend to give to deserving causes in their local area or with which they have a particular affinity. The Provincial Grand Charity of Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire donates to good causes, both nationally and locally.
This year alone Hinchingbrooke Lodge has supported:
Caresco, Sawtry.
CARESCO is a unique charity based in the village of Sawtry, near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, which exists to serve the local community in Sawtry and its satellite villages.
Under the CARESCO umbrella are a number of services offered to our local community, including our Green End Day Club, our Cave, our Friday drop-in cafe, our carers support group, a music-based social group, a Christmas Day party and our charity shop which helps to fund our activities.
In partnership with other organisations we also host the local foodbank (working with the local churches) and the village car scheme (working with Cambridge & Peterborough Combined Authority).
CARESCO also edits and publishes the popular Sawtry Eye magazine.
Three Pillars
‘The 3 Pillars – Feeding the homeless Trust’ was conceived by Mick Pescod and Ged Dempsey Freemasons from the Province of Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire.
This Charity is run by Freemasons and is a Masonic Charity but friends and anyone who would care to assist are very welcome to join us.
East Anglian Air Ambulance
East Anglian Air Ambulance is a charity providing 24/7 life-saving care in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. From road traffic collisions to cardiac arrests to medical emergencies, the specialist doctors, paramedics and pilots bring the advanced skills, equipment and medicine directly to a patients side.
Teddies for loving care
A hospital visit can be a frightening experience for a young child, especially in an emergency situation. Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) is a way of providing much-needed comfort to children in A&E departments, helping to reduce the shock and distress of their experience. Every child that receives a teddy gets to take it home.
TLC is locally managed by Freemasons who also volunteer their time to run the scheme. Since its inception in 2001, 3.5 million teddies have been distributed to hospitals throughout England and Wales
Mellon Educate
Mellon Educate is a charity which builds schools and proves education for some of the poorest children on our planet. Each November 100’s of volunteers, who each raise £4,500, travel to South Africa on the Charity’s annual building blitz. During this week they will build classrooms, kitchens, playgrounds and covered lunch areas. One of our own Masons Sean Dennis completed his tenth Building blitz with the charity this year.
Masonic Charitable Foundation
Funded entirely through the generosity of Freemasons and their families, the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MFC) is one of the largest grant-making charities in the country.
Each year the MCF supports thousands of Freemasons, members of their families and local people in local communities to live better lives by encouraging opportunity, promoting independence and improving well-being. In 2023/2024 in Cambridgeshire alone, 11 charities were supported with £81,972. £49,202 given to individuals and families, £26,536 given to support with daily living costs, £590 to support the education of children and young people, £21,894 given to support healthcare and wellbeing.