Norfolk 2027 Festival Appeal
Provincial events for 2023

This June, for all those thrill seekers, there is to be a tandem Skydive at Beccles airport arranged via UK parachuting. Due to the nature of this event, there are as you may expect some preconditions that must be adhered to. Should you have any underlying heath issue, you must check with your doctor beforehand. All a participants must complete a self-declaration medical certificate, which will be emailed to you direct, along with an ‘introduction to sky diving’, from UK Parachuting, once we pass on your details. Maximum weight 16st. 7lb for men (105kg), 15st 7lb for women (98kg). Minimum age 16 years, under 18-year-olds will require parental consent, the good news for all our senior masons …there is no upper age limit!! Further details can be found at ukparachuting.co.uk

The cost per person is £210.00. This expense cannot be taken from sponsorship money. The cost may be paid by the individual, a kind Brother or Brothers, from Lodge funds not associated with charity, e.g. General purposes account, dedicated raffle etc, or even an employer contribution or other benefactor providing there is no benefit to them, such as publicity or advertising. Gift aid cannot be claimed on this expense. Please check with the Festival team if you are unsure.

Where and when? Beccles Airfield on Wednesday 21st. June 2023. The longest day! we have requested a wonderfully bright and warm day to give all those intending to jump the best possible experience. The start and finish times will be determined once final numbers are known. There’s ample parking and plenty of room for family members and friends to come along and support, bring a picnic and make a day of it!

How does it work? You will be given a tutorial; this will be around 20mins. You then get the chance to jump in tandem with an experienced Instructor, from around two miles high, travelling at 120mph and free falling 5,000 feet in 40 seconds. It’s a fantastic experience that will last for between six and seven minutes but will be a memory forever. Wear comfortable clothing, track suit and trainers are advised. Ladies can have a female tandem instructor if preferred, please advise in advance.

How do I record sponsorship? Sponsorship forms should already be with your Charity steward, if not please download and use the sample attached or contact the Festival team on 2027Festivalteam@norfolkfreemasons.org and we will be happy to supply them.

How much do I need to raise? Based on our previous event, we would expect each participant to a raise at least £500 in sponsorship …. but the sky’s the limit! Don’t forget ‘gift aid’ and boost every qualifying donation by 25%.

Please keep the Festival team advised of all participants by email to 2027Festivalteam@norfolkfreemasons.org with the following information; Lodge name and number being represented Lodge contacts name and details , Name of participant, Address, Age, Gender, Contact email address and telephone no. We will gather all the information and do the rest, should your details change please keep us advised so we can inform UK Parachuting.

Happy landings!!!

The 2027 Festival team.

For further information or enquiries on this or other Festival events contact the team on 2027Festivalteam@norfolkfreemasons.org

Dear all.

For those of you who are already members of the Provincial Grand Charity Stewards Facebook Group you will have seen my post today regarding the MCF Great North Run team.  There are three of us running and at the same time, attempting to raise funds for the MCF.  I am aware that you cannot share posts from within this group and so I have added below the words from that post and also attached a photo of the team.

I would be most grateful if you could, if possible, share this post on your Provincial social media channels, particularly if you are in Festival Provinces.  If that is the case, then please remember that any donations received from individuals, Lodges (and Chapters) and of any donations from the province, will count towards festival totals.

The MCF – your charity, our charity. A charity for freemasons for families for everyone. A charity funded entirely by Freemasons, that

builds better lives by encouraging opportunity, promoting independence and improving wellbeing. A charity that strives for excellence

by making a difference and being responsive to need.

So far this year (since 1st April 2022) the MCF has responded to the need of 73 local and national charities with grants totalling in

excess of £1.5million.

So far this year the MCF has made a difference to the lives of nearly 1,100 Freemasons or family members with grants in the value

of £3.5million.

But the MCF can only do this with through to support and donations from Freemasons. That is I am running in this year’s Great North Run

with two of my colleagues in order to raise funds for the charity so that it can continue to provide this support.

If you wish to sponsor us that would be great, (And don’t forget, any donations that come in from Provinces in Festival will have their

donations allocated to their appeals). If you are not able to make a donation then please take some time to look at our website to see

how amazing the MCF is – www.mcf.org.uk

Myself and my running mates would be most grateful for any support that you can give to this endeavour.

Led by Professor Colin Cooper, researchers at the University of East Anglia have found a link between bacteria and aggressive forms of prostate cancer, identifying five types of bacteria which were common in urine and tissue samples from men with aggressive prostate cancer. It is hoped that these findings could help pave the way for treatments that could target these particular bacteria, slowing or preventing the development of aggressive disease.
Deaths from prostate cancer outnumber deaths from breast cancer. It is the most common cancer in men today, taking the lives of more than 11,000 each year.
In 2018, Professor Cooper gave a talk about his research at Norfolk Provincial Grand Lodge. A year later, he came back to receive a major financial boost of £190,213 from lodges and the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which has provided funding for his Tiger Test research.
We are delighted the UEA is making these breakthroughs and our support, together with the other UEA funding partners, has all been part of massing the quality research team and laboratory necessary to secure these important findings. They have caught worldwide attention and we hope for many more important discoveries from the Cooper lab in the future.
Read more about the latest breakthrough here – link to UEA news page

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees as well as displaced people still inside Ukraine will be given help and support, thanks to half a million pounds raised by Norfolk Freemasons and other Provinces across England and Wales
The money is being directed to charities working on the ground in Ukraine, as well as organisations helping refugees in neighbouring countries including Poland, Moldova, Romania, and in the UK.
The £500,000 was raised in less than three weeks and the total is still growing as Freemasons continue to dig deep to help the refugees.
The war in Ukraine has created by far the largest refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War, and more people are fleeing Ukraine for countries to the west every day.
The chosen charities, each of which will receive £100,000, are:
The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) – which could help setup a ‘Blue Dot Hub’ to provide a safe space for up to 5,000 children and families on the move every day. Blue Dot Hubs offer critical services such as child-friendly spaces, mother and baby facilities and a crucial family reunification support.
Plan International UK – which could help set up 55 temporary learning spaces in Poland, Moldova and Romania, so children can learn and play in a safe space away from the war.
The Refugee Council – which could help to fund two full-time therapists to provide specialist therapy for hundreds of traumatised refugees.
British Red Cross – to fund work with hundreds of Ukrainian refugees in the UK to help them overcome loneliness and isolation and to offer other practical support to help ease them into life in Britain.
UK for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency – which could help provide essential repairs to severely damaged homes in Ukraine that have been damaged by shelling and conflict.

Norfolk Freemasons contributed to the grant through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is funded by Freemasons, their families and friends, from across England and Wales.

Stephen Allen, Head of Norfolk Freemasons Freemasons, said:

“Freemasons have an outstanding record helping those in need in this country and around the world, but this huge sum to support Ukrainian refugees was raised in record time. I’m very proud that Norfolk Freemasons have been able to play such an important part in this essential work.”

When members of Lodge of Friendship No 100 became aware of an urgent appeal by the Pathway Foundation in Great Yarmouth, their Charity Steward John Capon arranged a meeting at the Pathway Mission in Admiralty Road, Great Yarmouth with the project supervisor Jennifer King and The Reverend Canon Simon Ward. Also invited was the Head of Norfolk Freemasons Stephen Allen and his colleague Michael Muskett MBE.
The meeting quickly identified the two areas which the Pathway Foundation required urgent assistance for. First was a new dishwasher to replace the failing original, then the purchase of a suitable vehicle for the distribution of hot food and to give advice to the homeless and most needy in the local area. Stephen Allen agreed that the appeals should be supported by Freemasons from both Norfolk and Suffolk who meet at the Royal Assembly Rooms in Great Yarmouth, as the Pathway Foundation provides a vital service to the local area.
The replacement dishwasher being the priority, it was quickly sourced and funding immediately made available from the Rotary Lodge of Norfolk and Potters Holiday Resort at Hopton, both donating £1,000 each from their charity funds.
The biggest task was to raise £7,000 for the purchase of the vehicle. This was needed not only to collect food donated by local supermarkets, but to deliver hot food to the homeless and needy in the local area. The appeal request was made to lodges in early January, and following an excellent response from lodges, together with personal donations from members businesses, the fantastic total of £7,556 was soon raised. This enabled the purchase of a van, together with a three year warranty, insurance for twelve months and signwriting onto the vehicle.
Altogether a fantastic effort which enabled the van to be handed over a few weeks later on a beautiful sunny day. Stephen Allen, Lodge Charity Stewards and other members together with the private and business doners were all in attendance when the van was presented to Jennifer King and the Pathway Volunteers. Afterwards, Jennifer and her team were given a tour of the Royal Assembly Rooms and provided with a welcome cup of tea, which made a pleasant change as it is usually them who serve the teas!
The appeal raised the magnificent sum of £9,556, with Gift Aid adding a further £111. Sincere thanks must go to all who gave their support.

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