Freemasons donating more than 20,000 Easter eggs to children across the UK

Freemasons are donating 20,000 Easter eggs to thousands of children, care homes, hospitals and food banks across England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

Freemasons have been rolling up their sleeves and distributing Easter eggs across the country once again this year. The donations are helping children and families in most UK cities. In addition to donations, Freemasons are also delivering the Easter eggs and have travelled to various charities in their cars and on motorbikes. Some members have even dressed up as bunny rabbits to bring a smile to the faces of children.

In Warwickshire, Freemasons have donated nearly 3,000 Easter eggs to hospices, food banks, special schools and refuges, and the number is still growing. In Cheshire, members have worked hard to collect more than 5,000 Easter eggs to donate to various organisations, as well as generating 400 hours in volunteering time to distribute the eggs.

In London meanwhile, Freemasons have donated 400 Easter eggs to women’s refuges. In Essex, more than 1,000 Easter eggs have been delivered to local care homes, hospitals, special needs youth charities, a women's refuge and food banks. At the Changing Pathways Women’s Refuge, the donation covered an Easter egg for every child in the various refuge centres; with enough left over for the children to enjoy an Easter egg hunt. At the local hospitals, there are eggs waiting for every child admitted during the Easter weekend.

Surrey Freemasons are donating more than 500 Easter eggs to a women’s centre in Sutton, Sutton Young Carers, Leatherhead Community Fridge, and A&E units at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals. In addition, the Surrey branch of the Widows Sons motorcycle group is delivering 200 Easter eggs to children at hospitals and hospices this weekend.

Ian Chandler, head of the Surrey Freemasons, said: “We are so glad to be able to bring some happy moments for vulnerable children this Easter. These donations will provide thousands of families across the UK with some great memories. Freemasons have achieved all of this in just a few weeks, and have also given their time to collect and deliver the Easter eggs to the women’s refuges, care homes, hospitals and hospices.

“Freemasons stand behind our core values of friendship, integrity, charity and respect – and we are proud to spread some cheer this Easter weekend to so many local communities.”

Elsewhere in Northumberland, the Widows Sons have delivered around 750 eggs to Percy Hedley, Hexham Priory School, Ashington, and various food banks. Northumberland Freemasons have also donated around 1,800 eggs to Linton Primary School, Morpeth Scouts, Bachman’s, Full Circle Food Project, Operation Elf in Blyth, Abbeyfield House, Calmer Therapy and Scarbrough Court.

The Widows Sons in west Kent have donated 150 Easter eggs to the Bromley Children & Families Forum. While in Bedfordshire, members of Beda Widows Sons are delivering a total of 100 Easter eggs to Luton and Bedford hospitals.

In Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire, more than 5,000 Easter eggs are going to over 100 charities. The local Freemasons have been collecting eggs for weeks and will distribute them during Easter to a number of worthy causes.

Elsewhere, in Durham, Freemasons have already distributed 4,000 Easter eggs via the Teddies for Loving Care initiative. The donation has helped many institutions, including Hartlepool RNLI, Byron Place Shopping Centre, Intelect, Beacon Traffic Management, Tesco, Cleveland and Durham Police PawsUp, Miles for Men and Northumbria Bloodbikes.

Dorset Freemasons are also supporting the drive, with 500 Easter eggs being distributed. The donations were split between Poole Food Bank, Swanage Food Bank, Portland Food Bank, Blandford Food Bank and Gillingham Food Bank.

In Buckinghamshire, local Freemasons have gifted 100 Easter eggs to Home-Start Slough, for distribution to underprivileged children in the Slough area. Alison Bowers, office coordinator for Home-Start Slough, said: “A massive thank you to the Freemasons of Slough for this wonderful donation. The eggs will make a huge difference to local children who would not otherwise receive an Easter egg.”

Worcestershire Freemasons and Warwickshire Freemasons have together donated 300 Easter eggs to local children’s hospice Acorns, while two weeks ago Worcestershire also donated 250 eggs to various food banks in the area.

In Shropshire, 260 children living in temporary accommodation or refuges have also been treated to Easter gifts from local Freemasons. The gifts are being distributed with the help of local authorities’ social services and housing departments. While in Cornwall, for the second year members have donated 250 Easter Eggs for the children and staff over five different children wards at Treliske Hospital.