The West Riding Masonic Care and Support Fund was launched in 2023 and replaces CHOICES which has, to date assisted over 950 of our members or their dependents, in times of need.

The Team consists of two Care and Support Officers, Sharon Mees, Elaine Dunwell, our Welfare Officer, Claire Beaumont, and two Administrators; supported by the Craft Provincial Almoner, Royal Arch Provincial Almoner, and the Mark Mason’s Provincial Almoner.

Help from the Care & Support Fund is available to:

  1. All Freemasons who are members of the Province of Yorkshire, West Riding
  2. Their wives, partners and widows
  3. Family and other dependants of West Riding Freemasons.

 

Aim of the Care & Support Fund

The aim of the West Riding Care and Support fund is to identify and assist in providing any NEED before it becomes a necessity to distressed and vulnerable West Riding Freemasons, his family and dependants. 

 

The Care and Support team will provide fast and immediate assistance and support whenever a West Riding Freeman, his family or dependant are:

  1. In financial distress
  2. Have any urgent need.
  3. Have any other immediate or pressing requirement.

 

Examples of need and the services the Care and Support fund provide vary tremendously and here are just a few examples:

  1. Emergency financial grant.
  2. Home improvements, minor repairs or house access problems.
  3. Assisting with short tern respite and convalescent care.
  4. Help with health and social care needs.
  5. Help with benefit checks and assessments

 

If you are a member of this Province, you have access to this unique facility; never be afraid to use it.

 

How do I get help?

  1. Your Lodge Almoner
  2. Free telephone helpline                      0344 902 02 20
  3. Or email                                                 helpline@wrprovince.com
  4. All the Care & Support team work with total confidentiality, which is paramount in the work we do.

 

Benefits Check

The Care & Support fund help by completing Benefit requests for our brethren and dependants to DWP through our Welfare Officer Claire Beaumont. Claire joined the Care & Support team in August 2021 and has provided our brethren and dependants annual benefits of:

 

October 2024           £1,179,224

 

Care & Support Fund Update

In 2023 the Care & Support fund provided:

 

  1. 107 Home Improvement Grants             -           £159,195
  2. 58 Emergency Financial Grants               -          £48,700

 

Total -           £207,895

 

From when the Care & Support Fund / CHOICES started we have provided over 950 Grants for our brethren and dependants:

 

952 Grants -           £1,106,000

 

Letter of Thanks

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear Care & Support

 

Would you kindly pass on my everlasting gratitude to all at Care & Support who gave my daughter a new lease of life, because of the tremendous help they provided, during her recovery from a grave illness; from which she has made a somewhat miraculous recovery.

 

She still awaits further scans and an operation to correct her mobility issues, which were delayed because of hospitalisation for an unrelated, but life-threatening condition. She will remain dependant on a certain amount of continued support and will be reliant on medication for the rest of her life.

 

When she was discharged from hospital, she was unable to toilet or bathe without the assistance of myself or carers. However, when CHOICES made the speedy adaptation to her home; it meant that she could actually manage without too much assistance and restored her dignity and independence.

 

It is hard to describe in words how grateful I am to you and everyone at Care & Support; especially the two fitters who carried out the adaptations to her home. They were absolutely brilliant and are great ambassadors for the scheme. They were extremely friendly, courteous, kind and professional at all times.

 

I would particularly single out Claire Beaumont, who has been an absolute rock to Catherine and has assiduously guided her through, what I would describe as a maze of officialdom and form filling.

 

Claire is still spending time with my daughter and hopefully, will be successful in achieving government support for her situation.

 

Once again, thank you for all the help, support, care and attention you provided to my daughter and I will be eternally grateful to West Riding Masonic Charities Ltd., for making such a fantastic scheme available to all masons and their families within the Province.

 

With most sincere and kindest regards

 

W.Bro AB