Worcestershire’s St Richard’s Hospice has received a grant of £1,935 from The Provincial Grand Lodge of Worcestershire Freemason through the Masonic Charitable Foundation. (MCF)
The grant will be used to help the hospice care for patients with a serious progressive illness and supporting their loved ones.
This is just one of 203 grants to hospices around the country from Freemasons. In total £750,000 will be donated to hospices all over England and Wales this year.
This includes £300,000 which will be distributed to each hospice that receives less than 60 per cent funding from the NHS. A further £450,000 will be provided to individual hospices across England and Wales via Hospice UK, the national charity for hospice care. The Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) is partnering with Hospice UK to widening access and address barriers to local hospice services to ensure they are accessible to everyone.
Contributions from Freemasons to hospices have exceeded £14 million in England and Wales since 1984.
Tricia Cavell, St Richard’s Fundraising Director said, “This generous grant is hugely appreciated, particularly at this challenging time, as is the on-going support of Freemasons in the county. During the pandemic our teams are at the frontline, providing an incredible service to the community, with many working virtually with patients and families online and by telephone to keep everyone as safe as possible.”
Robert C. Vaughan Provincial Grand Master Worcestershire Freemasons said, “I’m very pleased we’ve been able to assist St Richard’s Hospice. They do an outstanding job helping people with terminal or serious progressive conditions, as well as supporting their families through very difficult times. “
St Richard’s Hospice cares for adults with a serious progressive illness, improving their quality of life from diagnosis, during treatment and to their last days. It also supports their loved ones.
Each year the hospice team supports more than 3,300 patients, family members and bereaved people in Worcestershire.