Norfolk Freemasons have stepped in with a £9,050 donation to boost Civic Charity funds, to help address the increased demand for family support caused by the pandemic.

The grant has been given to Home-Start Norfolk a local independent charity supporting the health and wellbeing of families with young children in Norwich and across Norfolk. The charity, set up in 2004, provides vital support to families who are facing tough times by matching trained volunteers to work alongside parents, addressing a range of challenges that can impact them giving their children the best start in life.

Home-Start Norfolk was chosen by the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Councillor Kevin Maguire, and the Sheriff of Norwich, Caroline Jarrold, as Civic Charity for the year 2021-22, as they recognised the value of Home-Start Norfolk’s work in having the greatest impact on children’s early years when a supportive and nurturing environment is so crucial to children’s health and wellbeing.

“We are extremely grateful to the Norfolk Freemasons for their generous donation to Civic Charity funds. It has been a real honour to work with the Lord Mayor and Sheriff of Norwich during their civic year and they have helped raise awareness of our work. We have seen a huge increase in demand for family support recently with so many parents struggling to cope with the wide-ranging impact of the pandemic.” explained Helen Brown, Home-Start Norfolk’s Development Manager. “We were so delighted to be introduced to Stephen from Norfolk Freemasons, who offered to help with our appeal.”

Head of Norfolk Freemasons, Stephen Allen said:
“Norfolk Freemasons were delighted to be able to assist Home-Start Norfolk, via the Lord Mayor and Sheriff of Norwich’s Civic Charity, with the funding to ensure they could continue their vital role in our community”.

Home-Start Norfolk’s Family Support Model
Families seeking Home-Start Norfolk’s support ask for help with a range of challenges – including poor mental health and wellbeing, physical health problems, a disability or additional needs, family breakdown, bereavement, or financial difficulties.

Families are matched with a trained volunteer to provide up to 6 months of weekly home-visiting support interventions, addressing challenging issues and tackling barriers that are preventing parents and their young children from thriving. Support is tailored to each family’s specific needs which may include – a listening ear to help with post-natal depression, accompanying to medical appointments, help with managing household bills and budgets, healthy eating advice, preparing children for nursery or school, signposting to other complementary services. Many families are affected by several complex issues, becoming completely overwhelmed.

Further information, cases studies and referral information are available at Home-Start Norfolk’s website. https://www.homestartnorfolk.org

On behalf of Freemasonry, The Masonic Charitable Foundation transformed our ways of working to meet the needs of individuals and communities affected by COVID-19.

Click the link below for more information:

Our Impact 2020 / 21

It has been a base for daring rescues and lifesaving feats since 1972 – but Sea Palling Lifeboat Station has never had one of the most basic facilities – its own toilet.

For the past 49 years volunteers at the station have had to use the nearby public toilets. The station also lacked a kitchen and rest area, and had only a makeshift shower.

But that has now changed thanks to the generosity of the Norfolk Freemasons, who have funded a ‘Groundhog Mobile Welfare Unit’ for the station.

Jennifer Roberts, secretary at the independently-run station, said: “Traditionally, the majority of the crew were male and everyone coped.

“But it’s more of a problem now and also anyone rescued would need to use the public toilets.

“We do have a make-do shower used by the crew to shower the seawater off their dry suits when they return from sea, but now with the additional space, a purpose built shower can be installed away from the kitchen.

“We are so grateful to Norfolk Freemasons for providing us with the new unit, which has already made a positive impact on how we can operate.”

The unit contains a chemical flush toilet, crew room for storage of equipment and clothing and a Covid-friendly kitchen area, which crew members and other emergency services can use after a rescue at sea.

Presenting a plaque to mark the donation to coxswain Andreas Schroer, Stephen Allen, head of Norfolk Freemasons, said: “Several of our Norfolk lodges support Sea Palling lifeboat with donations to assist with running costs and maintenance to the lifeboats.

“Seeing the particular additional needs of the station, I am delighted to be able to give this significant grant from the Province on behalf of all our members, which will improve the comfort and operational facilities for the crew and those in need of their lifesaving skills.”

Covid has caused challenges for the station including having the crew operate in bubbles, limiting public interaction, and disinfecting the lifeboats and other equipment.

In addition, fundraising and donations virtually dried up during the pandemic, which the independent lifeboat relies upon to operate all year round.

5th July 2021 marks seventy three years since the formation of our pioneering National Health Service. In celebration, today is the first NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day, with the whole country taking part in a range of events, including many Freemasons.

This video shows some of the ways Norfolk Freemasons support the NHS and frontline workers who help others on a daily basis. It includes a personal message from the Head of Norfolk Freemasons, who gives an insight into the additional funding for research, equipment and assistance we gave during the fight against Covid-19.

We have all been supported by our NHS, not just during this pandemic, but during our entire lives and today we can say thank you to those who go above and beyond every day.
#UGLENHSDay
#NHSFrontlineDay

The inaugural celebration of NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day takes place today, 5 July 2021, with Freemasons in Norfolk and across England helping lead the event.

The United Grand Lodge of England, the governing body for Freemasons, is inviting its 200,000 members to fly specially designed flags at 10am on 5 July, to celebrate this unique day dedicated to the NHS, social care and all those that work on the front line, who have saved so many lives during the pandemic. The celebration will also remember those workers we sadly lost.

As part of the event Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn, allowed Norfolk Freemasons a socially-distanced visit to the hospital’s Roxburgh Children’s Centre to show their support for NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers Day. They also got to meet young George Cullum, who was there with his Mum, Rebecca for his ongoing treatment at this busy day unit and to donate more of the popular Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) to the hospital. The national scheme managed by Freemasons for more than 20 years has donated almost 3.5 million teddies to hospitals, minor injuries clinics and other NHS services to comfort young children during times of distress.

Paediatric Pre-Assessment Nurse and Outpatient Sister, Nicola Staff who knows the scheme well as she’d had experience of the beneficial presence of TLC teddies from her previous role in Nottingham said “We are so grateful for all the help from Norfolk Freemasons with the bears, we all adore being able to hand them to the children and they never fail to raise a smile. They have comforted many children undergoing or about to undergo an uncomfortable procedure, such as blood tests, injections or chemotherapy”.

Bruno Peek, pageant master to the Queen and creator of NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day, said: “We are delighted that Freemasons, whose members come from all walks of life, are playing such a high-profile and active role to start this special day of celebration and commemoration of those within the NHS, social care and on the front line, who undertake so much for us all, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 52 weeks a year, without any thought of their own safety.”

In addition, Head of Norfolk Freemasons, Stephen Allen said: “As we slowly recover from the worst pandemic in living memory the NHS has never been so tested in its history. Its staff have been stretched beyond comprehension during the last year and deserve our gratitude, our applause and all the support we can give”.
#UGLENHSDay

Faced with the greatest global pandemic in living memory, Freemasons came together in 2020 and donated a total of £1m as well as their time to help those in need.

The donations were used to help communities in various critical areas, including foodbanks, support for unpaid carers, personal protective equipment (PPE), supplies for hospitals and hospices, support for women’s refuges, and funds for NHS workers, ambulances and equipment.

Freemasons also worked 18 million hours as volunteers in a range of different areas, where there was a need, including driving vulnerable people to hospital, preparing meals, taking care of people at risk, organising care packages, producing scrubs, PPE and hand sanitiser.

In Norwich Freemason Colin Breckons won national recognition for making thousands of free face shields for NHS and Home Care staff using his home 3D printers.  The dad-of-six received support on line and in the community, receiving his first donation from his own lodge towards buying materials.

Elsewhere in the county volunteers in Great Yarmouth, Kings Lynn and Sheringham have been assisting councils and local charities pack and distribute food to elderly, disabled and low income families.

Nationally efforts have been focused on hospitals and care homes where 1,000 donated tablets provided vital contact between coronavirus patients and their loved ones.  Meanwhile, donations of £165,000 gave more than 2,000 women fleeing domestic abuse during the lockdown parcels containing essential items.

Dr David Staples, chief executive of the United Grand Lodge of England is currently encouraging members to roll up their sleeves and volunteer to vaccinate the population. “More than 18.5 million hours of volunteer work were undertaken by Freemasons. Now it is crucial that we help in every way we can to protect the population. If the NHS needs volunteers, then we are happy to emphasise the importance of this to our members,” said Dr Staples.

Head of Norfolk Freemasons, Stephen Allen praised the efforts of his 3,000 members in helping reduce Covid-19 levels to among the lowest in the country. “Our response to the Pandemic shows what Freemasonry is all about; supporting those in need, giving back to our communities and volunteering where it can make a real difference,” said Mr Allen.

With charities experiencing a shortfall in funding due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Norfolk Freemasons have made a grant to relieve the financial pressure of unpaid carers. Norfolk Family Carers have received £10,000 to help rescope respite groups and maintain opportunities to have fun while building peer support with other young carers in the same situation.

The charity has seen a rise in referrals and young people seeking support placing a further burden on funds, which the grant from Norfolk Freemasons will help to relieve. Head of Norfolk Freemasons Stephen Allen said, “The work of local charities providing practical help and offering emotional support to these selfless young people and their families is something we are proud to support”.

Sea Palling is an independent lifeboat station and they are grateful for the help provided by Norfolk Freemasons.

For nearly 50 years, we have operated the Lifeboat Station without a toilet being present on the premises. As a lifeboat crew – we are maintaining ourselves in our own ‘bubble’ to ensure that we protect both ourselves from the virus so that we can stay operational 24/7, but also our families (some of whom have underlying health issues). This means that we are keeping ourselves confined to the station, not visiting the public toilets to avoid all unnecessary public interaction, and we have implemented strict operational guidelines for our conduct whilst on the premises. As you can imagine – this causes problems!

Last year, local Freemasons heard of our plight, and the Provincial Grand Lodge of Norfolk has made this a reality for us. We now have a toilet for crew, a kitchen area and storage for shore crew kit. There are many thank yous to give out here: Lodge of Unanimity 102, Provincial Grand Lodge of Norfolk.

Hundreds of lonely and isolated older people will be receiving regular visitors, thanks to a grant of £7,600 to the West Norfolk Befrienders charity from Norfolk Freemasons.

Loneliness among older people is an increasing problem. There are some older people who have not had a meaningful conversation with another human being for more than a month. Studies have shown that loneliness can have a profound impact on physical and mental health.

Any older person can be affected by loneliness. Often family and friends have died or moved away, with many having children that have emigrated. Widowers are often particularly affected as their wives were in charge of their joint social lives. The grant will be used to assess and match the clients and recruit, train and support volunteers.

West Norfolk Befrienders provides trained volunteers to visit people who are unable to leave their homes, as well as various community social events, such as lunches and coffee mornings. The charity also provides one to one visits in care homes.

Pippa May, Chief Executive of West Norfolk Befriending, said:

“We’re very grateful for the generous grant from Norfolk Freemasons, which will help us to stay in contact with hundreds of local older people who would otherwise not have meaningful contact with another human being from one week to the next.”

Head of Norfolk Freemasons, Stephen Allen said:

“I’m very pleased we’ve been able to help West Norfolk Befrienders with their hugely important work. It’s so important elderly lonely and often housebound people in our community are not left without regular social contact”.

The Province has made a significant donation to help the homeless in West Norfolk.

The Winter Night Shelter opened in November after planning permission was granted to convert an old Vicarage next to St John’s Church, on Blackfriars Road earlier this year.

The building now provides a haven for those sleeping rough – including those who became homeless when the emergency-funded hotel rooms closed a the end of June, or were evicted during the summer lockdown.

Stephen Allen, Norfolk’s Head of Freemasonry said: “The homeless crisis has been exacerbated by the Covid pandemic, with many people losing their jobs and finding themselves either living on the streets or in unsuitable conditions. Supporting local charities helping those needing safe shelter and meals is one of our key priorities at this time of year.”

Read the full article: https://www.lynnnews.co.uk/news/10-000-grant-will-shelter-west-norfolks-homeless-over-christmas-9146131/