Freemasons in Cornwall award funds to Cornish charities

The annual Charity Giving Day event, which was started in 2014, took place in King Arthur’s Great Hall at Tintagel and saw 39 charities share in a £120,000’s of donations from Cornish Freemasons.

The charities and guests in the packed hall were welcomed by David Maskell, who is in charge of Freemasonry in Cornwall. David was accompanied by his Deputy David Leaity and two of his assistants, Graham Bennett, and John Sleep.

David Pasoce (far left), Tim Bunting (4th from Left), David Maskell (far right) and the other donors to the Cornwall Air Ambulance. (Image: Supplied)

Each recipient was introduced by the Freemasons Charity Steward, Alan Powell, who gave a brief description of the positive contribution each organisation makes in the community before they received their cheques from either David Maskell, on behalf of the Cornwall Masonic Charitable Foundation (CMCF), or members from individual Lodges.

Ellie Nicholas, the deputy chief executive officer of the charity Wild, based in Redruth said: "We would like to thank the Freemasons of Cornwall once again for their generosity.

"Receiving the Masonic Charitable Foundation funding for a second year has been vitally important for us in filling the gaps that we have found since the cost-of-living crisis started, which has meant that our usual funding streams have not been as successful.

"This further funding is in addition to the three years staged Grant we received last year and has come as a real surprise. This will enable us to continue working with young children and their young parents, who are often teenagers, who will directly benefit from the money."

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Another recipient was Dr Louise Brown, Lead Clinical Psychologist at the Cove Macmillan Support Centre in Treliske, said: "It’s a real honour to receive the cheque and it’s very uplifting to be here to hear about how much has been raised already this year.

"The cheque we received for the Cove, Macmillan support centre, helps us continue our work and to grow in terms of providing support for people affected by cancer in Cornwall in a holistic way with the challenges they might face."

David Maskell was joined by David Pascoe, who is in charge of the Royal Arch Chapter Freemasons, as well as representatives from Molesworth Lodge, Loyal Victoria Lodge, St Anne’s Lodge, Sir Humphry Davy Lodge, and Pendennis Lodge to give donations to the Cornwall Air Ambulance.

Ellie Nicholas (Left) David Maskell (Right) (Image: Supplied)

The chief executive officer of the Cornwall Air Ambulance, Tim Bunting, on receiving the monies said: "It’s hugely important to us that Freemasons are a real community, a real collective of well meaning, well driven individuals that come together to do extraordinary things, so we are so grateful and so delighted for the support from the freemasons, it makes a massive difference and saves lives."

After the event David Maskell added: "As Freemasons in Cornwall, we are not only proud to be Freemasons, but we are also proud to be members of our local communities.

"A day like today celebrates the union of these two parts where we can bring together charities from across the county so that they can receive vital support to help them to continue to deliver the services each has in their individual fields.

"This year it is even more relevant as many have struggled to generate funding due to people’s incomes are being continually squeezed.”

A full list of charities who were awarded funds can be found below: 

The Charities (and Donors) who received donations were: The Cove Macmillan Centre (CMCF), Renal Unit, Treliske Hospital (Truro School Lodge, Perranporth), The Merlin Project (CMCF), Fowey RNLI (CMCF), Penlee RNLI (CMCF), Bude RNLI (CMCF), Port Isacc RNLI (CMCF), Penzance Sea Cadets (Lodge Lyonesse – Penzance), Lord Lieutenant’s Fund for Young and Talented Cornwall (CMCF), St Petroc’s Society (Molesworth Lodge – Wadebridge), Fleet (Molesworth Lodge – Wadebridge), National Coast Watch stations at Penzance, Portscatho (CMCF, St Levan Lodge - Penzance, Carlyon Lodge – St Austell), Tanya’s Courage Trust (Restormel Lodge – St Michael Penkivel), Shelter Box (Molesworth Lodge – Wadebridge) Bodmin Way Community Larder (One & All Lodge – Bodmin), Georgia’s Voice (CMCF), Wild (CMCF), League of Friends Helston Community Hospital (True & Faithful Lodge – Helston), The True Butterflies Foundation (Penwith Lodge – Hayle), The Masonic Fishing Charity (Carlyon Lodge – St Austell), SSAFA, The Armed Forces Charity (CMCF), The Oasis Centre Cornwall (CMCF), Penhalligon’s Friends (Truro School Lodge – Perranporth), Treliske Hospital Charities (CMCF), Parkinson’s, Cornwall (St Anne’s Lodge – Looe), Cornwall Blood Bike Service (CMCF, Loyal Victoria Lodge – Callington, Eagle Lodge – Perranporth), East Cornwall Search and Rescue (Carlyon Lodge – St Austell), The Chestnut Appeal (CMCF, Molesworth Lodge – Wadebridge), Marie Curie Cancer Care (CMCF), Roseland Youth Sailing Trust (Restormel Lodge – St Michael Penkivel), Just Breathe Cornwall (CMCF), Alzheimer’s Research UK (Truro School Lodge – Perranporth), Macmillan Cancer Support (CMCF), Helston Food Bank The Mustard Seed (True & Faithful Lodge – Helston), Cornwall Hospice Care (CMCF, Molesworth Lodge – Wadebridge, Peace & Harmony Lodge – St Austell), Children’s Hospice Southwest (CMCF, Sir Humphry Davy Lodge – Penzance), Lifelites for Children in Hospices (CMCF), Cornwall Air Ambulance (CMCF, Royal Arch Chapter Masons, Molesworth Lodge - Wadebridge, Loyal Victoria Lodge - Callington, St Anne’s Lodge - Looe, Sir Humphry Davy Lodge - Penzance, and Pendennis Lodge – Tywardreath), Willows Pre-School Playgroup (Lodge Lyonesse – Penzance), Prostrate Cancer UK (Pendennis Lodge – Tywardreath), The Food Bank at the Methodist Church, Helston (Penhellaz Lodge – Helston).