Working with Lodge Charity Stewards

an ‘active listener’, rather than a passive one) are not exclusive to the Almoner and would certainly be replicated for a Charity Steward.

It is important that the Met/ProvGChStwd understands the role of the Met/ProvGAlm to be clear on each other’s roles and where there is an overlap between the two. A close working relationship will benefit the Province and will also add value to each other roles and ultimately the beneficiaries of the funds raised.

MCF Almoners resources https://mcf.org.uk/almoner/

Working with Lodge Charity Stewards The Met/ProvGChStwd should operate an ‘open door’ policy with regard to Charity Stewards and one way of achieving this is to have a dedicated email address for the role as opposed to a personal one. The Metropolitan/Provincial Charity Steward should be seen as being there to help, direct and guide a Lodge Charity Steward as he has access to a vast resource at his disposal. He will also have a lot of fundraising ideas and will be able to direct as to what has worked well in the past and what has not, therefore potentially avoiding wasted efforts. He should have the ability to advise as to which charities have been supported in the past, guidance as how to assess if a charity is worthy of a donation by using a due diligence process, how funds can be used i.e. charitable funds and non-charitable funds. It is also important that the Lodge Charity Steward has a good working knowledge of the objectives and priorities of the Metropolitan/Provincial Executive as well as the operation of any Metropolitan/Provincial Charities.

Induction Process

A suitable induction programme should be conducted for new Charity Stewards by the Metropolitan/Provincial Charity Steward. Subject to the number of Lodges within a Province and the amount of change occurring this should be scheduled as frequently as required so that small groups can be inducted together, but there should be at least one induction programme per year. The induction process should cover the following topics as a minimum: ▪ UGLE and Metropolitan/Provincial charities and initiatives (TLC for example) ▪ The charitable objectives and priorities of the Metropolitan/Provincial Executive ▪ The Relief Chest Scheme

▪ Annual Metropolitan/Provincial Charity Returns ▪ Regular Payment Promises ▪ One-off donations ▪ Gift Aid Envelopes ▪ Raffles ▪ Festival system ▪ Legacies ▪ Charitable donation records ▪ Working within the Lodge ▪ Volunteering ▪ The MCF

Seminars and workshops

Holding regular workshops and seminars are an excellent way to provide training. They provide an opportunity to keep Charity Stewards updated with latest news and developments and also enable you to build and maintain relationships throughout the Province. How often you hold these is entirely down to you, but at least once a year would be recommended. The MCF is happy to provide staff members to give presentations at these events. These seminars can cover a general range of topics, or more specific areas. For instance, you may want to provide training on using the Relief Chest Scheme and so focus a workshop solely on this subject.

Metropolitan/Provincial Charity Committee.

Ensure that Charity Stewards have easy access to you and your Metropolitan/Provincial Charity Team. Your team members should be able to provide help and support in terms of administration, advice on making donations and how to get the most out of communication and publicity. Ensure that Charity Stewards across the Province have all the necessary contact details to make their role easier and more productive.