Lodge supports children's hospice

Members of Brook Barn Lodge, which is based at the Charmendean Centre, visited the children’s hospice last Tuesday to present a cheque to community fundraiser Caroline Roberts-Quigley.

Charlie Ward, lodge master, said: “We have been raising funds on behalf of Chestnut Tree House over the past few months.

“Grassroots masonry will generally be centred on individual freemasons lodges raising funds for a number of local charities in the area.

“As the master for last and this year, I chose Chestnut Tree House as a local charity that I know would put the monies raised to good effect.”

Mr Ward said ladies’ night dinners and weekend festivals, alongside the usual official lodge meetings, played a large part in fundraising for the chosen charity.

To attract more money for the cause, the lodge also holds other events such as bowling nights and ladies’ white table evenings.

The lodge also has a Benevolent Fund through which other charities benefit from its fundraising.

Mr Ward added: “This revenue is predominantly obtained via raffles and tombolas, individual donations, auctioning specific items donated to lodges and anything else that might spring to mind.

“One thing most important is the ability for individual lodges to gain match funding from our provincial offices based in Brighton. This can effectively double the amount raised by the individual Sussex lodges.”