Gloucestershire Freemasonry held its annual Charity Day at ‘The Hill’ in Stroud to celebrate the support given to local charities during 2023.

Sean Sullivan, the Charity Steward, opened the proceedings. Ian Davies, the newly appointed head of over 2500 Gloucestershire Freemasons, told everyone how the members had donated £338,056 to purchase mobile scanners for Cheltenham, Gloucester and Southmead hospitals over a period of only 18 months.

He then explained that grants totalling almost £154,000 to other local charities came from the MCF (Masonic Charitable Foundation), GCF (Gloucestershire Charitable Foundation) and the GMCA (Gloucestershire Masonic Charity Action) which comprised:

Young Gloucestershire (£55K over 2 years) £27,500

Gloucester Deaf Association £24,757

Meningitis Now (£45K over 3 years) £15,000

Teddies for Loving Care 5,645 Family Space (£15K over 3 years) £5,000

Allsorts (£15K over 3 years) £5,000

The Chamwell Centre £2,000

Heart Heroes £2,000

Severn Freewheelers £2,000

Gloucester City Mission £1,000

4th Cheltenham Boys Brigade £2,000

Brendan's Bridge £2,000

Gloucester Child Contact Centre £2,000

Gloucestershire Bundles £2,000

Gloucestershire Society £2,000

The Music Works £2,000

Community Connexions, Gloucester £2,000

Forest Pulse £2,000

Read With Me £2,000

Sailability £2,000

The Spring Centre £2,000

Centred Horseplay £2,000

Tortworth Forest Centre £2,000

Empowering Futures £2,000

Staple Hill Community Hub £2,000

Cirencester Housing for Young People £2,000

Cheltenham Open Door £2,000

Men in Sheds Cheltenham & Glos £2,000

Goals Beyond Grass £1,850

Bristol After Stroke £1,790

BUST £1,750

Big Yellow Bus £1,750

Bloodhound Education £1,544

Charlies £1,500

Cheltenham Housing Aid Centre £1,500

Toucan for Children £1,500

Severn Ambulance £1,500

Forest Talk £1,250

Bournstream Trust £1,000

GL4 CIC, Matson £1,000

Jigsaw Thornbury £1,000

Stratton Primary PTA £958

Warmley Lip Readers £792

Masonic Relief grants £700

Brendan's Bridge £500

Severn Valley Alternative Provision School £500

Cadbury Heath Parish Hall £500

Eight of those charities then spoke very emotively about the great and growing need for support for the disadvantaged in our local communities.

Ian went on to say how he valued Gloucestershire Freemasonry’s force of collective philanthropy which is far greater than anything that we as individuals could achieve.

Roger Head, the Deputy Lieutenant, closed proceedings by calling the money we raised in 2023 an ‘outstanding achievement’. He also thanked Gloucestershire Freemasons for having given in excess of £50,000 to Pied Piper over the years, a charity he is proud to be associated with, over the years.

Dick Smith and Nick Ellwood provided photos of the day.