Masons’ cash boost for Haven Hospice
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HALTON Haven in Runcorn has received a £1,580 donation from Cheshire Freemasons as the group dished out £15,000 to end-of-life facilities across the county.
A spokesman for the hospice, on Barnfield Avenue, said the grant was given via the national Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF).
He said it was the latest donation among 245 donations given to hospices by Freemasons around the country worth a total of £12m since 1984.
Nine of these were in Cheshire, and the spokesman said this year alone the order will donate £600,000 to hospices in England and Wales this year.
This includes £450,000 to be shared between units that receive less than 65% funding from the NHS.
A further £150,000 will be provided to the national Hospice UK charity in a pilot partnership aimed at developing and extending bereavement support services.
Chris Andrews, of Halton Haven, said: “We are so grateful to all at the Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cheshire for this wonderfully kind donation.
“It is only thanks to the people and groups in our local community that we are able to continue caring for the people of Halton and surrounding areas who need us.
“Without people like the Freemasons and their generosity, the hospice wouldn’t be here.
“We consider ourselves very lucky to count the Freemasons as avid supporters of the hospice, from the provinces to the groups to the local Lodges.”
Stephen Blank, of Altrincham, leader of Cheshire Freemasons, said: “I’m very pleased we’ve been able to assist Halton Haven Hospice.
“They do an outstanding job helping people with terminal or life limiting conditions, as well as supporting their families through very difficult times.
“These grants from our central charity, the MCF, are in addition to grants that will be made to some of these and other hospices across Cheshire by the independent Cheshire Freemasons’ Charity, as well as individual lodges and Freemasons.”