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£25,000 donated to the British Red Cross
Pakistan Floods Appeal

Information Release: 3rd August 2010

The Freemasons' Grand Charity has been one of the first organisations to issue an immediate £25,000 to the British Red Cross Pakistan Flood Appeal - one of the largest initial pledges the Red Cross received within the first 24 hours of opening the Appeal. The President of The Freemasons' Grand Charity, Grahame Elliott, approved the emergency grant of £25,000 to the Red Cross following extreme flooding in Northern Pakistan.

Tens of thousands of people are stranded and cut off by flood waters and an estimated 1,500 people have been killed, although this number is set to rise. Aid Agencies working in the area report that entire villages have been washed away, leaving thousands of people homeless. At least 3 million people have been affected in the worst floods to hit the region for 80 years. The decision was taken to fund the Red Cross due to their current presence in Pakistan and infrastructure capabilities, allowing them to provide immediate aid and assistance.

These funds will help to provide:
" Hygiene kits and sanitation facilities to stem the spread of preventable diseases.
" Safe drinking water to flood-affected families.

This emergency grant follows grants totalling over £1 million released last month as part of the Freemasons' Grand Charity Major Grants programme.

This story is also running on the Press Association's Community Newswire: http://www.communitynewswire.press.net/article.jsp?id=6974118

Notes: For further information regarding The Freemasons' Grand Charity please visit our website at www.grandcharity.org or contact Siobhan McCarthy at smccarthy@the-grand-charity.org or by telephone on 020 7395 9385.

For further information about the Red Cross in Pakistan please visit http://www.redcross.org.uk/news.asp?id=104592

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£20,000 Donated in response
to Chile Earthquake

Information Release 5th March 2010

The President of The Freemasons Grand Charity, Grahame Elliott, has approved an emergency grant of £20,000 to the Red Cross following a large earthquake in Chile. The earthquake struck at 03.35 hours local time on 27 February 2010, measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale. It is reported to be the worst earthquake to hit the country in 25 years, and has been followed by aftershocks of up to 6.9 magnitude. It has been confirmed that 802 people have died and over 2 million are believed to have been affected.

The earthquake hit 90 kilometres north-east of the city of Concepción in central Chile, and has reportedly caused considerable damage to infrastructure in the Bíobío and Maule regions. Many roads and buildings have been damaged, particularly in coastal zones, while some areas continue to suffer from power outages, though Santiago remains largely unaffected.

The Freemasons Grand Charity has awarded the British Red Cross £20,000 to assist with their relief efforts. The Chilean Red Cross is working on the ground in partnership with the country´s National Emergency Office (ONEMI), carrying out search and rescue operations, giving medical assistance where necessary as well as providing basic amenities like water, sanitation and shelter.

Further information:

For questions concerning The Freemasons Grand Charitys support for relief efforts in Chile please contact :
Siobhan McCarthy on 020 7395 9385.

Visit The Freemasons Grand Charity website at www.grandcharity.org

For further information about the Red Cross in Chile please visit www.redcross.org.uk

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Haiti Earthquake - Grants
The Grand Charity

£30,000 issued for Haiti Earthquake Relief

Following the devastating earthquake which took place in Haiti on Tuesday 12th January 2010, the President of The Freemasons Grand Charity has approved two emergency grants totalling £30,000. The 7.3-magnitude quake, Haiti´s worst in two centuries, struck at 1653 local time (2153 GMT) on Tuesday. The epicentre was within 10 miles of the centre of the densely populated capital, where around one million people live,more than 50,000 people are feared dead.

The Red Cross have pre-positioned relief supplies for 3,000 families in Haiti. These emergency supplies consist of kitchen kits, shelter kits and tarpaulins, personal hygiene kits, blankets and containers for storing drinking water. Red Cross volunteers in Haiti are currently assisting the injured and supporting hospitals who do not have enough capacity to deal with this emergency. The most urgent needs at this time are search and rescue, field hospitals, emergency health, water purification, emergency shelter, logistics and telecommunications.

A group of experts in disaster response, health in emergency and logistics have been sent to support the Haitian Red Cross in the relief efforts and to begin to coordinate international assistance from members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement as well as other organisations. In addition, a Red Cross team will lead a damage assessment together with the Humanitarian Aid Office of the European Union.

Plan have also been granted £10,000 in support of their efforts in dealing with the immediate aftermath of the disaster. Plan´s priorities are assisting children and their families and getting people into safe accommodation wherever possible, as well as working with survivors to help ease their psychological trauma.

For further information about the grant please contact Siobhan McCarthy via email at smccarthv@the-grand-charity.org or telephone 020 7395 9385.

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£25,000 for torrential rain & flash
flood victims in Southern India

Information Release 26th October 2009

The President of The Freemasons Grand Charity has approved an emergency grant of £25,000 to Save the Children, following the Kirshna River bursting its banks flooding 5 districts in India. The grant will help 20 of the worst affected villages in Southern India by providing them with essential and life-saving relief, as many families were unable to salvage even basic hygiene materials, cooking utensils or dry clothes.

To date, nearly two million people have been affected by the severe flooding which has caused destruction to homes, agricultural land and livelihoods. Tragically, the disaster has claimed over 300 lives and more than 70,000 homes have been severely damaged, resulting in half a million people being displaced to relief camps in Andhra Pradesh and a further 650,000 people are in temporary shelter in Karnataka.

The money given to Save the Children will supply 30,000 people with use of water pumps, household kits, educational kits and child friendly spaces where children can go to receive a meal each day and access clean water. There is particular concern that the 800,000 and more children affected are vulnerable to malnutrition and waterborne illnesses which could easily increase the death toll.

Visit The Freemasons Grand Charity website at www.grandcharity.org

For further information contact Katrina Baker on 020 7395 9314 or Natasha Treweek on 020 7395 9394

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Non-Masonic charities
awarded nearly £400,000

Information Release 14th October 2009

At the General Meeting of The Freemasons Grand Charity on 10 October, grants totalling nearly £400,000 were awarded to a number of non-Masonic charities.

For full details visit:
http://www.grandcharity.org/news.php/41/pound400000_awarded_to_non_masonic_charities

For further information contact Michael Montagu on 020 7395 3296 or by email
mmontagu@The-grand-charity.org

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£50,000 for Red Cross Asia
Pacific Disasters Appeal

Information Release 12 October 2009

The President of The Freemasons Grand Charity, Grahame Elliott, has approved an emergency grant of £50,000 to the Red Cross, to support their relief work following the disasters across the Asia Pacific region, which have affected an estimated 3 million people.

Typhoon Ketsana hit the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, with the Philippines and Laos being particularly badly affected. 80% of Manila, capital of the Philippines and home to 15 million people, was flooded. At least 277 people were killed, but many more are missing, feared dead.

On 29 September, an earthquake measuring 8.3 on the Richter Scale hit the Samoan and Niuas Islands. It caused a tsunami which killed at least 1,000 people and affected up to 15,000. Shortly after, another earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter Scale hit the Indonesian island of Sumatra, followed by yet another. At least 500 people were killed, but it is feared that the death toll will rise substantially, with thousands still buried in the rubble.

The Freemasons Grand Charity grant will help to fund the distribution of emergency relief items, provide clean water, sanitation, healthcare and shelter as well as help rebuild people´s livelihoods.

For full details visit:
http://www.grandcharity.org/pages/asia_pacific_disasters.html

For further information contact Michael Montagu on 020 7395 3296 or by email
mmontagu@The-grand-charity.org

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National charities share in
£2 Million Pounds

£2 million for national charities

A number of national charities, across England and Wales, will benefit from generous grants totalling nearly £2 million approved at the Annual General Meeting of The Freemasons Grand Charity. The grants include a sum of £500,000 for adult and children´s hospice services and £192,000 for air ambulance charities.

For full details, including a list of the beneficiary charities please visit http://www.grandcharity.org/news.php?id=33 or read the following information release - Jun 09 info release major grants .pdf.

For further information contact Natasha Treweek on 020 7395 9394

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Ten charities share in £550,000
for their work

Information Release 5 June 2009.

A group of ten charities had reason to celebrate this week when they attended a special event where they were presented with grants from The Freemasons Grand Charity totalling £550,000. The grants were given in commemoration of the fortieth anniversary of the installation of His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent, KG, as Grand Master of United Grand Lodge of England and Grand President of the central Masonic Charities.

In front of an audience of hundreds of Masons and their guests, The Duke personally presented the cheques to representatives of the charities. The organisations supported are charities for which His Royal Highness has a particular concern and meet The Freemasons Grand Charity”s objective of supporting people in need.

More information about the beneficiary charities is available by downloading the booklet on The Freemasons Grand Charity website from the following address:-

http://www.grandcharity.org/data/files/dowloads/Duke_of_Kent_Event_programme_June_09.pdf

Grants presented at meeting:

• Save Canterbury Cathedral £100,000
• Combat Stress £50,000
• The Colonel´s Fund Grenadier Guards £50,000
• King Edward VII´s Hospital Sister Agnes £50,000
• Leukaemia Research £50,000
• Royal Air Force Charitable Trust £50,000
• Restore — Burn and Wound Research £50,000
• Royal Hospital Chelsea Appeal £50,000
• The Colonel´s Fund Scots Guards £50,000
• The Stroke Association £50,000

Notes to Editors:

Visit The Freemasons Grand Charity website at www.grandcharity.org
For further information contact Natasha Treweek on 020 7395 9394

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