Herefordshire Freemasons, together with the Masonic Charitable Foundation, have donated £10,000 for the relief of people in Herefordshire who have suffered loss and damage as a result of the floods caused by Storm Dennis.
The money has been donated to the Herefordshire Community Foundation, a charity set up to support local groups and societies and to provide assistance when urgent support is needed, as at present. They launched a campaign in conjunction with the Hereford Times to raise money to help victims of the flooding. They are providing immediate grants of £200 to individuals with urgent needs, with the assistance of Allpay, and subsequently will consider applications for larger grants.
The Provincial Grand Master, RW Bro Michael Holland, together with the Provincial Charity Steward, Nick Swan, and Provincial Almoner, Malcolm Davies, visited the charity and then went to Greyfriars Avenue, a residential street which suffered severely in the floods. The flood warden and local resident, Colin Taylor, pointed out how extensive the flooding had been, and how devastating the effect had been on the homes of local residents.
The Chairman of the HCF, Frank Myers MBE, and other officers of the charity warmly thanked Herefordshire Freemasons for this support, which will have a big impact on the work they are able to do. He said that, as well as providing practical and financial support, the knowledge that the community was behind those in difficulty gave a significant boost to their morale.
Michael Holland emphasised that local Freemasons are very much part of the community and will support it whenever possible. He pointed out that the main principles of Freemasonry are respect, integrity, friendship and charity, and that providing this support was in keeping with these principles.
The donation has been reported in the Hereford Times, and you can read their story here. You can find out more about the work of the Herefordshire Community Foundation on their website here.