General Meeting of the Freemasons Grand Charity held in Freemasons Hall, London 21st June 2006.

Members approved the following grants:

£30,000 to the National Autistic Society to provide funding for the Help! support programme for parents of children with an autistic spectrum disorder;

£25,000 to the Calvert Trust to provide bursary funds for activity holidays for disadvantaged disabled people at the Calvert Trust centres;

£25,000 to the National Blind Children's Society to fund items of IT equipment for disadvantaged blind children for use at home or at school;

£25,000 to the Royal School for the Deaf to equip a new vocational workshop for young deaf people with complex needs;

£85,000 to the Samaritans in equal instalments over two years to fund professional training programmes for the volunteer directors and caller care deputies in local branches of the Samaritans;

£60,000 to Contact the Elderly in equal instalments over three years to fund a central administrator for local social groups for isolated elderly people;

£45,000 to WellChild to fund the cost of a WellChild nurse to help care for chronically sick children at home;

£30,000 to the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths in equal instalments over two years to fund a helpline providing advice on issues relating to sudden infant cot death;

£25,000 to Maggie's Cancer Centres to fund a cancer information specialist in Oxford;

£20,000 to the MDF Bipolar Organisation in equal instalments over two years to fund a service to help people with bipolar disorder (manic depression) to find or retain employment:

£15,000 to Action on Elder Abuse to fund a training course for home workers to help them recognise and deal with the mistreatment of older people;

£150,000 to Skill Force in equal instalments over three years to fund expansion into the Manchester area of Skill Force's educational support programme;

£50,000 to Clubs for Young People to fund a sports development manager to provide national sports programmes for local youth clubs;

£150,000 to the Brain Research Trust in equal instalments over three years to fund research into brain tumours;

£40,000 to the British Brain and Spine Foundation to develop a training resource to improve the early recognition and diagnosis of neurological conditions.

COUNCIL OF GRAND CHARITY

The Province was extremely proud to learn that our very own John Woolway had been appointed to the Council of Grand Charity.

John, as a previous Chairman of our Provincial Grand Charity is well known for his past and ongoing charitable work across this Province and is recoginised by all as a man of sound judgement (despite his support of Middlesbrough FC!). Grand Charity quite obviously knew their man and perhaps the following CV will allow you to know him a little better also.

JOHN WOOLWAY 

Date and place of birth: 26 September 1944 at Stokesley, North Yorkshire 

Education: The Grammar School, Yarm.

Career:

35 years (1961-1996) in HR and logistics management with the Royal Naval Supply & Transport Service in North East England, Scotland and London.

The last seven years have been spent organising the maintenance of production equipment for a multi-national food company.

Family:

Wife Dorothy.

Daughter (Rev Dr) Joanne, age 34; Canon - designate of Sheffield Cathedral. Two grandchildren Samuel and Imogen.

Son David, age 30; professional photographer based in Oxford.

Hobbies:

Supporting Middlesbrough FC through thick and thin since 1955.

Gardening: exhibitor at national level with roses and gladioli.

Photography.

Wine-tasting.

Freemasonry:

Initiated 1972 in Cleveland Lodge at Stokesley; Worshipful Master in 1989-90 and presently Charity Steward. Appointed Provincial Grand Standard Bearer in 1997 and Past Grand Standard Bearer in 2005

Exalted 1975 in Dundas RA Chapter at Stokesley; MEZ in 1996 and presently Almoner. Appointed Provincial Grand Registrar in 2000. A founder member of the Provincial Grand Stewards Chapter and MEZ in 2003.

Elected 1994 to the Standing Committee of Provincial Grand Charity. Chairman of Provincial Grand Charity 2002-04.

NEW CHARITY PROVIDES COMPUTER SYSTEMS TO ALL CHILDREN’S HOSPICES IN ENGLAND AND WALES

Lifelites is a new charity established on 1st January 2006. It helps to improve the lives of young people with life-limiting illnesses by providing specially designed computer equipment to every children's hospice in England and Wales.

The equipment given by Lifelites enables seriously ill children to continue their education, pursue their interests and activities and keep in close touch with family and friends.

Lifelites came into being in 1998 when the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys (“RMTGB”) set up a pilot computer scheme in one hospice. That scheme was a success and as a result Lifelites became the RMTGB’s Millennium Project with the aim of installing computer equipment in every children’s hospice. The Project has gone from strength to strength and recently celebrated its fifth birthday by announcing support for the Shooting Star House Children’s Hospice - the 34th hospice within its network. On 1st January 2006 the Lifelites Project became a charity in its own right.

Children's hospices support young people who are expected to die before or shortly after reaching adulthood. By providing support at home or in a purpose built environment, highly trained staff assist the children and their families with the medical and emotional challenges that having a serious illness or condition brings - and they help them to make the most of life.

Key to the success of Lifelites will be its ability to seek funding from corporate sponsors as well as from the Masonic community at large. Existing Masonic funding will provide a permanent endowment securing the future of the charity and the RMTGB will continue to provide administrative support.  The Trustees of Lifelites are appointed by the RMTGB and will be drawn from both the Masonic and non-Masonic communities.

Lifelites works closely with the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists (WCIT). Each Lifelites scheme is based upon the EZ<>IT concept developed by the WCIT, and provides a reliable networked system suitable for children of all ages. Lifelites also provides full network administration and maintenance support through professional third party providers.

Every scheme includes multi-media communications and computer-aided educational and recreational facilities, installed in a safe and secure environment. A typical installation will include a computer suite with internet access, specially designed peripherals such as keyboards and mice, portable PCs on trolleys, a large-screen plasma television and a VCR/DVD Player. In addition every hospice has the assistance a local Masonic support team; volunteers who give their time and expertise to ensure that the nursing staff and families get the most out of the equipment provided.

Over the years, Lifelites has become a victim of its own success. In 1999 it was predicted that there would be 30 hospices within the scheme by 2008. The reality is that by the end of 2005 there were already 34, and by 2008 there are likely to be 40. These numbers far exceed original projections. In 1999 the RMTGB provided £7.5million to fund the project – because of the success of the project only about half now remains.

Lifelites is faced with the prospect of an ever-expanding network, all of which will require maintenance, upgrading and support. Whilst the expense is considerable, everyone involved, those at Lifelites, at the WCIT and in the hospices, believes that the end results are more than worthwhile.

Donations to the charity can be made online at the Lifelites website at www.lifelites.org or by cheque to Lifelites, RMTGB, 31 Great Queen Street, LondonWC2B 5AG.

Further details about Lifelites are available from John Halahan, Lifelites Director, on telephone 020 7405 2644, mobile 07760 1984 82, email Lifelites@RMTGB.org, website www.lifelites.org