FREEMASONS in Skipton have raised £4,000, most of it via a Flower Festival opened by the Calendar Girls.
The doors of the Masonic Hall in Skipton were thrown open to the public by Skipton’s two lodges of freemasons, The Craven and Mawsis for a Festival of Light and Flowers.
The festival consisted of magnificent floral arrangements and displays throughout the building on Sackville Street. All the displays were the work of wives and friends of the Lodge members and were co-ordinated by Fiona Newhouse and Eileen Proud.
Several hundred people passing through the doors, marvelling at the floral displays and learning more about Freemasonry and the activities of the two local lodges. All flower displays were auctioned off on the Sunday.
A little known fact is that Freemasonry is the second biggest contributor to charitable causes in the UK after The National Lottery.
The Festival raised more than £3,000 which was made up to £4,000 by the two lodges. This will enable Freemasonry throughout Yorkshire to continue to make sizeable donations to both local and national charities.
The Skipton lodges have recently made donations to the Childrens’ Ward, the Physiotherapy Department, the Cardiac Unit and the Clear Campaign, all based at Airedale General Hospital, SCAD, the Samaritans, the Deaf and Manorlands.
The Grand Charity, which is the central grant making Charity of all Freemasons in England and Wales, has since 1981 made grants totalling £72 million to such areas as youth opportunities, medical research, vulnerable people, hospice services and emergency relief work including £1 million to the Institute of Cancer research, almost £1 million for support for the survivors of the Asian Tsunami and also to Help the Aged, British Red Cross and Sargent Cancer Care.