2016 Festival Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Help make a child smile
From the Provincial Grand Master
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ne of my first tasks as Provincial Grand Master is to launch our Provincial Appeal for the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys (RMTGB). I am fortunate that my predecessor laid the foundations for the Festival Appeal over 12 months ago so that at the launch the Province could “hit the ground running”. All the building blocks are in place. We have a first class team led by W Bro Geoff Tuck, one of our new Assistant Provincial Grand Masters and supported by the Provincial Grand Charity Steward, W Bro Barrie Hewitt. We have a Festival Appeal Committee to oversee the Appeal, and Group Festival Committees have been established across the Province. We have a website and e-mail system dedicated to the Festival Appeal. Lines of communication have been established. “Giving” could not be easier! So what, and even more importantly, who, is it all for? The RMTGB is a poverty charity which provides appropriate support and assistance where death, desertion, illness, disability or
The PGM and his family
financial need are affecting families, especially children. In short it’s objective is to
Help make a child smile which is the RMTGB slogan. We have all lost loved ones and know the traumatic effect which this can have particularly on children. Those supported by the RMTGB may have lost a loved one and as a result suffered trauma emotionally or physically and are basically in need of support, often for many years. Such support will continue so that the children develop as normally as is possible with a view to their going on to lead fulfilling adult lives. I have been so impressed by the enthusiasm already shown by our Brethren to support the Appeal during the current economic climate. Life is difficult for many of our Brethren who will nonetheless want to play their part in supporting the Appeal. The good news is that the Appeal will run until 2016 when the Brethren’s efforts will be marked at a Festival Celebration evening. It is so important to make use of that period by starting to give now, as the Appeal is launched. This booklet, which I hope you will share with your families, provides illustrations and examples of the work of the RMTGB. Brethren and their families cannot fail to be impressed by what they read. The booklet also gives details of how Brethren can start their contributions now – just £2.50 a week pledged by monthly bankers order will produce a sizeable sum by 2016, and the Brother will immediately qualify as a Festival Steward. Many Brethren will be able to pledge significantly more than this. Once a Pledge is signed and a bankers order set up, Brethren
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Front cover: Ben, aged 9
Introducing the RMTGB and their families can relax a little and enjoy the Festival Appeal period.
Petitions – the Main Work of the RMTGB
There will be many innovative ideas and events for Brethren and their families to enjoy, secure in the knowledge that they are continuing to support the Appeal and most importantly those youngsters to whom we have a responsibility during their time of need.
We help children and young people of all ages to overcome the barriers of poverty and to complete their education.
www.hants-iow-mason.org/festival2016
Ewan (below) aged 6, the son of a Freemason, suffered a brain haemorrhage shortly after birth which has left him with mobility problems. Since 2009, we have provided a maintenance allowance and assistance with swimming and horse riding lessons both of which support Ewan’s on-going physiotherapy.
To qualify for support from the main funds a family must have suffered distress (for example from the death, disability or desertion of a O N that has resulted in financial hardship. I have been actively involved now in threeP A T R parent) Festival Appeals within this Province during There must always be a Masonic connection; the course of which our Brethren have risen usually the qualifying Freemason is the father to the occasion and produced magnificent or grandfather, but in some cases it could be totals in line with the standing and reputation someone else who is a Freemason who can of our great Province. I know that in 2016 our demonstrate that they are bringing up the child Brethren will again have delivered. or children as their own. RW Bro Michael J. Wilks Provincial Grand Master
The RMTGB Mission The origins of the RMTGB go back as far as 1788 when Chevalier Ruspini established a school for the daughters of deceased and distressed Freemasons. A scheme for clothing and educating the sons of indigent Freemasons was introduced 10 years later in 1798. In 1982 the separate Girls and Boys charities were merged into the new Trust to create a single entity. Today our mission statement is:
To relieve poverty and advance the education of children of a Masonic family and, when funds permit, support other children in need. 3
How we Help
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e aim to help beneficiaries to receive the education and training they need to achieve their potential and so succeed in life. Examples include providing assistance with the cost of academic study or with pursuing apprenticeships for practical trades. Children and young people are supported in a wide range of educational environments, including state and private schools, colleges and universities. Financial support can be given in the form of maintenance allowances, school or course fees, computer equipment, music and sports lessons, or grants for educational travel, equipment and materials, and to meet many other educational needs. Support can also be given to top up training wages when these are inadequate, and there is a limited amount of accommodation available for those studying or training for employment in London.
Help with school fees may be available, but this is only likely to happen in cases where a child is already at a fee-paying school when the family distress occurs. For beneficiaries with special educational or physical needs, grants can be given to assist with specialist tuition and equipment. This could be, for example, the purchase of a wheelchair or certain modifications to the family home to improve quality of life. Families with particularly low incomes may also receive Christmas and summer holiday grants to help make the holidays a happy and fulfilling time for all the family.
Louis (below), six, a beneficiary since 2006
Charlotte, aged eight and Lydia, aged seven (above). Their father died in 2006. The RMTGB provides a maintenance allowance for both girls and helps with the costs of ballet lessons. Our support can never make up for the loss of their father but it does make their life a little bit more bearable.
Please do all you can to help make the 2016 Appeal a huge success. 4
Our Masonic Family Toby and Olivia are aged 15 and 19. Toby receives a termly maintenance allowance and is due to sit his GCSEs this year. Olivia receives an Annual Scholarship towards her university expenses. Support was awarded in 2009 following the separation of the parents. Their late grandfather had been a Freemason for over 27 years.
Georgia (right) aged 19, lost her mother when she was a young girl and has lived with her grandparents ever since. Her grandfather, a Freemason for over 45 years, contacted the RMTGB in 2007 and since then we have been able to provide support towards her maintenance, drama lessons and travel.
Emily and Hannah’s (left) father, a Freemason for 16 years, died following a tragic accident in 2006. The RMTGB has been supporting them both since his death. Last year Emily commenced a two year National Diploma in Sport and Hannah will sit her GCSE examinations next year. Both girls receive termly maintenance allowances.
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What Your Support Can Do!
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The RMTGB in Action Today
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uring 2009 we supported 761 girls and 749 boys at schools, colleges and universities. Many others benefited from grants from our subsidiary funds. In all over 1,720 were helped at a cost of over £8.6M.
Our Presence in Hampshire and Isle of Wight Last year grants in excess of £170K were awarded to 41 girls and boys from the Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight. In addition, six young people received grants amounting to almost £40K from the TalentAid Scheme. Over the past five years we have provided grants amounting to over £830K to beneficiaries from your Province.
Choral Bursaries We also provide bursaries for Choristers at many Cathedrals. In 2009, 29 choristers benefited at a cost of almost £140K.
in Hampshire and Isle of Wight Lifelites was established by the RMTGB as its millennium project. Now a separately registered, but subsidiary charity, we are proud to continue to provide substantial support for this worthwhile enterprise which brings a little light into the lives of children who are unlikely to survive into adulthood. Lifelites provides education and entertainment equipment at Naomi House, near Winchester. This children’s hospice was one of the first to join Lifelites. In 2010 your Province generously granted £20K to Lifelites to help support its work at Naomi House. Lifelites supports about 5,000 children and their families that use children’s hospices every year. For more information on the work of Lifelites (Registered Charity No. 1115655) please see www.lifelites.org.
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Relieving Poverty, Advancing Education Marcus is seven years old and his sister Isabella is 12 (left). Their father died in 2001 at the tragically young age of 37. We started helping the family shortly afterwards. Both children receive a termly maintenance allowance and help with the cost of swimming lessons. Isabella is also learning to play the clarinet and the cost of her lessons are paid for by the RMTGB.
Each year we spend in the region of £8.5M helping young people like Marcus, Isabella and Blake. Right now we face a stark choice: to raise more money or to cut back our support for the distressed children of Masonic families. For today’s Freemasons to fail the distressed child of a Masonic family would be unthinkable.
Will you help us in our mission and give your support?
We will continue to support these children as long as there is need. Nothing can ever make up for the loss of their fathers but we will do all we can to help these children fulfil their potential. Blake (left) has Downs Syndrome, his father died in 2000 when he was only three years old. In 2004 we became involved and started to assist with termly maintenance allowances part of which were used to fund horse riding lessons. Blake is now 13 and when he started at a new school last year, we provided a school clothing grant towards the cost of his new uniform and now also assist with specialist tuition. Blake lives with his mother and has a loving, stable and caring environment. His grandfather has been a Freemason for over 20 years.
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Fostering Exceptional Talent
Luke (right), aged 18, is a hugely talented cyclist and a multiple cyclocross champion. He is a member of the British Cycling Olympic Team. Since 2008, we have been supporting Luke with a general TalentAid grant. This allows him to compete at national and international level by helping with his equipment and travel costs.
During 2009, 79 young people received assistance through TalentAid. Five sportsmen and women including an athlete, swimmers and a cyclist are on various schemes for entry to Team GB each hoping to achieve success at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Harriet (right) is one of the current TalentAid recipients. She competed in the March 2009 National Championships which were held in Bormio, Italy and claimed the Gold Medal in giant slalom and Silver in the Super-G race. We have been supporting Harriet since 2006. Harriet now hopes to compete in the 2014 winter Olympics. We continue to provide what support we can to allow Harriet to achieve her ambition and to go for gold.
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How Can You Help The Appeal? Become a Steward of the 2016 Festival by paying or promising to pay a minimum of £500 (excluding Gift Aid and interest) towards the Festival Appeal. Once qualified and on payment of £10 to help defray production costs you will receive your Festival Jewel. Become a Vice-Patron of the 2016 Festival by paying a minimum of £1,000 towards the Festival Appeal. This includes the £500 already paid to become a Steward and includes Gift Aid and the interest awarded by the RMTGB. Become a Patron of the 2016 Festival by paying a minimum of £1,500 towards the Festival Appeal. This includes the £500 already paid to become a Steward and includes Gift Aid and the interest awarded by the RMTGB. Become a Grand-Patron of the 2016 Festival by paying a minimum of £2,000 towards the Festival Appeal. This includes the £500 already paid to become a Steward and includes Gift Aid and the interest awarded by the RMTGB. Ladies may become a Steward of the 2016 Festival by paying a minimum of £50 (excluding Gift Aid).
JustgivingTM We have teamed up with Justgiving™ to provide an easy way for Provinces, Lodges and individuals to donate especially when using credit or debit cards and to assist event organisers to market their event and encourage sponsorship. Please contact us for details of how to use the Justgiving™ site www.justgiving.com. You can also donate by credit card through Charity Choice following the link on our homepage www.rmtgb.org.
Guest Speakers We will, on request, arrange for a speaker to attend Lodge meetings to talk about the work of the RMTGB. Please contact our Fundraising Manager, Bro Ray Collings on 020 7405 2644 or rcollings@rmtgb.org.
PAT R O N
Pledge just £2.50 per week and become a Festival Steward immediately.
Lodge Honorifics Lodges may obtain Honorific Ranks in respect of the 2016 Festival Appeal. These are based on the number of Members in the Lodge as at 1 January 2010 and are as follows: Bronze (Intermediate Award) £375 per member Silver £500 per member Gold £750 per member Festival Gavel £1,000 per member
Ladies Jewel
Gift Aid Envelopes Gift Aid envelopes are also available. The envelopes enable the RMTGB to reclaim tax on donations made through alms collections, festive boards and at Ladies’ nights.
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The 2016 Festival Jewel
Bars will be available free to Stewards who qualify as VicePatrons, Patrons and Grand Patrons.
Our History, Their Future This picture (right) of about 1802 shows Chevalier Ruspini leading the pupils into Grand Lodge in the presence of HRH George, Prince of Wales. In 1788, Ruspini together with HRH the Duchess of Cumberland founded the first Masonic School to educate and care for poor and orphaned girls. Out of this school grew the Royal Masonic Trust for the Girls and Boys and the Royal Masonic School for Girls at Rickmansworth.
“A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child” Ben, aged nine (see front cover), one of three brothers has a form of cerebral palsy which effects his mobility. We have been able to help Ben and his family by providing the equipment to support his mobility needs, a respite holiday and a computer. Ben’s grandfather has been a Freemason in the Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight for over 19 years. Ben, centre, with his brothers and grandfather
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Thank You for Your Support
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n behalf of the thousands of children and young adults who are supported by the RMTGB, the Council record grateful thanks to the Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight. Your generosity will enable us to continue to provide essential and life-changing support to those children of our Masonic family who are most in need. Our website www.rmtgb.org contains further details of our work.
Grand President HRH The Duke of Kent, KG, GCMG, GCVO, ADC, Grand Master President Mike Woodcock, DLitt, ClntMC, JP Chief Executive Les Hutchinson, BA(Hons), MBA, MCMI Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys 60 Great Queen Street London WC2B 5AZ Telephone: 020 7405 2644 Facsimile: 020 7831 4094 Website: www.rmtgb.org www.hants-iow-mason.org/festival2016 Registered Charity No. 285836
Georgia (above), aged nine, a beneficiary since 2001