Prostate Cancer Awareness Appeal produces £204,000

Provincial Grand Master, Richard John Anderson’s, announcement to the AGM of the Provincial Grand Charity in his capacity as President of the charity.

When I announced at the Annual Meeting last year that I was launching an appeal for Prostate Cancer Research I like most of you – then – knew very little about the subject except what Professor Maitland had said in his talk to us. I also was very keen to have no target because I felt that the words Prostate and Cancer were to many men very private and personal issues but that perhaps over the year one or two or even a few of our members might decide to heed the advice that to do nothing was not an option.

I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams just what a wave, a tidal wave, of interest in this medical condition would be generated. A veritable tsunami has overwhelmed the Province as the key word “awareness” has circulated from North to South and East to West. Our Provincial Charity, with help from Professor Maitland, prepared a power point presentation and teams of presenters were set up under the leadership of Tony Burke and have attended Lodges and Chapters through out the Province and beyond.

There are no holds barred and as a result, I know because I have attended one, an avalanche of questions arise. I believe from comments made to me and letters from so many brethren that hundreds and perhaps even thousand of our members have heeded the advice that to do nothing was not an option and have sought medical advice and in many cases treatment. The awareness presentations will continue for the rest if this year

To show just how widespread is Prostate Cancer you already know that I had it and have got rid of it. Did you know that my Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies had it and has got rid of it? Did you know that my predecessor John Raylor had it and has just completed his course of Radiotherapy yesterday? There are many more here today who had it and have dealt with it or are dealing with it.

So to the appeal - this to some extent has been overtaken by the awareness initiative.
While I know that freemasons are often generous it has been amazing to learn of the many sources of contributions that have been received.

Professor I have already said that we had £55,000 at 31 December  and we were aware of your wish list amounting to £72,000 so I am delighted to tell you that on 30 April the Treasurer advised me that we had passed that and had £97,000.

In the last 15 days a bit more – well a lot more has come in or is pledged and it is with great delight and pride that I am able to present on behalf of the Freemasons of Yorkshire North and East Ridings a cheque for £124,000

Just before you express your thanks Professor I am pleased to report that the Masonic Samaritan Fund, one of the Central Masonic Charities heard about our project and for the first time ever decided to support for medical research was possible. We submitted a petition with a lot of help form Derek Broderick and were excited to learn that the petition had been approved in the full amount. I will therefore invite the President of the Masonic Samaritan Fund to join us and reveal the amount they are able to add to our appeal.
VWBro Hugh Stubbs said that he was delighted that the Fund had been able to support the appeal that the whole amount of the funding needed under the petition had been approved and he was delighted to hand over a cheque for £80,000 to provide
a total sum of £204,000

Professor Maitland then expressed his thanks on behalf of his research team commenting that in the current financial situation funding for medical research was not a very high priority and difficult to obtain. He was therefore even more amazed at the generosity shown by the massive sum donated to his research project

Master of St Germain “ Doubles Up”

In what has now become an annual event, the ‘Lodge of St. Germain’ charity walk was completed by over fifteen intrepid brethren and their friends in March.
The event was centred on Robin Hood’s Bay and had a bit of a “twist”.
Ten miles was accomplished by the party but the Master, David Bryan determined to outdo his companions by running over two circuits to their one and in the opposite direction!
David achieved this feat with great ease, or so he would like us to believe!
£700 was raised for the lodge’s local charity.

The pictures above shows the refreshment stop at Ravenscar where the support party supplied home made soup and sausage ‘sarnies’.

A Huge Surprise

When our Provincial Grand Master, Richard Anderson, was asked what contribution to the Prostate Cancer Research appeal would guarantee a personal visit, he suggested a figure of £5,000. This resulted in Beresford-Peirce Lodge in Bedale inviting the Provincial Grand Master to their meeting on Thursday 15th April to collect such a donation.

Always one to ”pull rabbits out of the hat”  himself , the situation was reversed on the Provincial grand Master by , Ian Leathey , Master of Beresford-Peirce Lodge who presented a cheque for £7,500 a full 50% ahead of the amount expected.

In thanking the Brethren of the Lodge the Provincial Grand Master reported that the response to the appeal had been beyond his most optimistic expectations and he was sure all who attended the Provincial Meeting on 15 May at York University would be very proud indeed when the proceeds of the appeal were presented to Professor Maitland head of the Research Unit into Prostate Cancer at York

During his visit our Provincial Grand Master was very pleased to be able to invest Bro Pete Blueman, the Lodge Almoner, with his first appointment as Past Provincial Junior Grand Deacon
in view of Bro Blueman’s serious medical condition which would prevent him attending the Provincial meeting next month

Picture shows: Bro Pete Blueman Lodge Almoner, Bro Ian Leathley Worsahipful Master,
The Provincial Grand Master and Bro Robert Dunning Charity Steward

Freemasons of York Charity Presentation Evening

On 14 November 2009 eight of York’s Masonic Lodges hosted their first combined charity presentation evening with no less than eleven local York charities being invited.

The honoured guests of the evening were The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of York, Councillor John Galvin, the Lady Mayoress, Mrs Valmai Galvin, the Assistant Provincial Grand Master, Bill Fisher and his wife  Di

The function was held at the Masonic Hall in St. Saviourgate, York.

The proceedings commenced with a warm welcome from the York Freemasons to all their guests. An initial address by the Asst. PGM was warmly received after which dinner was served to over seventy people.

After dinner, The Lord Mayor was invited to say a few words. He said that he was very appreciative of the excellent work that the Charities of York were doing to help people in the local community. He also expressed his delight to see the Freemasons of York donating money to so many good local non-Masonic causes.

A presentation ceremony then took place with each Lodge presenting their donations to their respective charities. The Lord Mayor was invited to present the donations to Brunswick Organic Nurseries and York Against Cancer on behalf of the lodges concerned, these charities being the Lord Mayor’s nominated charities for his year in office.

Bill Fisher then presented a cheque to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance organisation on behalf of the Grand Charity. This was part of a larger donation of £180,000.00 which the Grand Charity in London had made to all the Air Ambulances throughout the country.

After the presentations had finished an announcement was made as to the total amount of money that the eight lodges had presented over the past year to over thirty local charities in and around York. This total amounted to £35,134.00.

The evening concluded in the Lodge Room where all those present stood for an official photograph with the honoured guest of the evening, before which the Lord Mayor read an item from the programme for the evening which was as follows:

“Freemasons are taught to practice charity and to care, not only for their own but also for the community as a whole, both by charitable giving, and by voluntary efforts and works as individuals.”