Helping Others

Freemasons, families, everyone

Charity has always been a core principle of Freemasonry.  Individuals can make an important contribution at local, national and global level by giving both their time and money.

Freemasonry is one of the largest charitable givers in the country, contributing more than £51m to deserving causes in 2022 alone. Nobody is expected to donate what they cannot afford and while individual donations may only be small, since there are so many of us it adds up to quite a lot. Freemasons do not only donate money – more than 18.5 million hours of volunteer work was undertaken by Freemasons in 2022.

Locally, we support a variety of good causes each year, which over time have included:

Each year we make community awards around the end of summer.  If you have a local good cause, please contact us and we will help you apply.

Nationally, we support the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is one of the largest grant-making charities in the country. This is funded entirely through the generosity of Freemasons and their families.

Most of the support provided by the Masonic Charitable Foundation takes the form of financial grants to individuals and families to assist with daily living costs. A range of health and care needs, including medical and dental treatments, counselling and mobility aids or home adaptations are supported, with funding also available for respite, residential, nursing and dementia care.  The Advice and Support team offers confidential and practical guidance about the support available from the Masonic Charitable Foundation and many other organisations.

In addition to the support provided to Freemasons and their families, the Masonic Charitable Foundation awards millions of pounds each year to local and national charities that help vulnerable people, advance medical research and provide opportunities for young people.

It also helps to fund vital services such as hospices and air ambulances and regularly contribute to worldwide appeals for disaster relief.  In total, our support helps to improve the lives of thousands of people every year in England, Wales and internationally.