Families for Children receive £1,000 from local Freemasons 

Every Spring and Autumn Freemasons from all parts of Devon meet to give support totalling in excess of £50,000 to local charities & organisations throughout the county who are in need of assistance, we were one of the groups nominated by their local lodge at Ashburton.

The money is raised by the “WAKE Fund” a trust conceived by the Right Worshipful Brother William Alexander Kneel, the Provincial Grand Master from 1970 to 1984, the late owner of Kneels laundry & dry cleaners (now Johnsons). This fund now stands at £2 million and the interest earned is given annually to local non masonic organisations in need of help. Since the first disbursement in 2001 over £775,000 has been given to over 800 worthy causes selected by members of the 131 Masonic lodges based in the county.

This year on Friday 31stMay, Right Worshipful Brother Ian Kingsbury JP. Provincial Grand Master for Devonshire presented cheques to 23 deserving causes. Meeting at the Mount Edgcumbe Masonic Hall, Citadel Road East, Plymouth, the charity representatives accompanied by a Mason from their nominating lodge were able to enjoy a buffet supper, explore the Lodge, and ask questions about freemasonry whilst receiving their cheques totalling the magnificent sum of £25,000. Making the contributions Ian Kingsbury said “I am delighted that the Freemasons of Devon are able to contribute to these important local causes many of which are so competently run by volunteers and hopefully these donations will make a real difference. 

The members from “Families for Children” who attended thanked Ian Kingsbury and were delighted to be recognised for the Adoption Support work that Families for Children undertakes, that changes the lives of so many disadvantaged children. “Every child we place has suffered various forms of developmental trauma, abuse and neglect and require our early intervention and support to help them recover”. Said Tracy Ebbrell Fundraising Manager for Families for Children