Four Local Charities Receive Additional Masonic Donations
Four charities in and around Basingstoke have benefitted from a funding source that was able to provide finance in addition to what they had received during the summer.
The 105-year-old Elvetham Masonic Lodge, that operates out of the Basingstoke Masonic Centre in Victoria Street at the Top of Town, had made donations to these charities from their own resources.
During the autumn they were able to apply to the Tom Langton fund which was established by a previous Grand Master of the Masonic Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight, the interest from which is donated to suitable applicants proposed by individual lodges.
This successful application has meant that Elvetham Lodge was able to provide an additional £2,000 to be split equally between the four charities they had assisted just a few months previously.
Steve Dignum – Vice Chair of Hook Shed, Natalie Walker – Treasurer Mustard Seed Autism Trust, Richard Pfleger – charity steward Elvetham Lodge, Chris Cornwell – Chairman of Hartley Wintney Voluntary Care Group and Tim Knight – CEO Mencap Green Fingers Project.
The lodge’s Charity Steward, Richard Pfleger, presented a cheque for £500 each to Tim Knight of Mencap’s Green Fingers gardening project in South Ham, Basingstoke, Natalie Walker of the Mustard Seed Autism Trust a child support group in Odiham, Steve Dignum of the Hook Shed project where, assisted by the Hook parish council, a shed is currently under construction, and Chris Cornwell of Hartley Wintney Voluntary Care Group that has 120 members supporting the local community in various ways.
The presentation was made in the Lodge room of the Basingstoke Masonic Centre which proved of real interest to the recipients. Behind the group can be seen the banner of Elvetham Lodge and two boards listing the names of all the Lodge’s Worshipful Masters since their founding in 1920.