Charity

Charity is the mainstay of our organisation

Every Lodge has a Charity Steward, he is responsible for fundraising and charitable giving.

Help The Child

Last week Charity Steward David H & WM Gary B met up with Louise & Angela at Wedmore Golf Club. These ladies are co-chairs of the charity - Help The Child

- https://www.helpthechild.org.uk/

The aim of the charity is to help children in Somerset with physical, mental and learning disabilities with the purchase of specialised equipment.

They link with social services, the NHS and other agencies who specialise in their aims.

All local, and volunteers, virtually no overheads, so all funds go directly towards the charity.

The picture shows Gary handing over a cheque for £200 on behalf of the Lodge.

Duke of Edinburgh Award

Left-Right
W. Bro Jeff B, W. Bro Gary B
Sam, W. David H, W. Bro Steve C &
W. Bro Robert H

Last weekend (23rd April 2025) the Worshipful Master Gary B. and other members of our Lodge joined W. Bro. Steve C. to meet a local young man who needs some financial support to help him complete his Silver DofE award.

Steve's report of the meeting with Sam & his dad is shown below...

Alfred & Guthrum Lodge of Wedmore and Yatton Freemasons are looking at a joint vent venture of supporting 16-year-old Sam through his Silver DofE (Duke of Edinburgh) award.

Sam, is a very special young man, suffering from Cerebral Palsy, yet this has not stopped his determination in life to achieve great things, ably assisted by his family.

Four Parts make up the DofE silver award, three of which have been completed by Sam:

Physical – Football using a Frame.
Skills – Using a left-handed keyboard as Sam is unable to use his right hand.
Volunteering – Sam assists local band by handing out Music Sheets. Sam also plays the French Horn.
Expedition – 3 Days away from home, canoeing on the Kennet & Avon Canal.

The Expedition is the part where Freemasons can make a difference, by sponsoring a skilled assistant to accompany Sam whilst on the water. In addition, this then allows Sam to remain part of the same group as his abled body friends from Kings Academy, Cheddar.

Sam's Dad Steve says that the DofE Award scheme has given and continues to give Sam confidence and grow towards independence. Sam and his family are a genuine inspiration to us all.

Sponsorship

Looking to raise a total of £1,500.00 for Expedition, giving Sam the opportunity of completing his Silver Award, which will be this Summer. Alfred & Guthrum have already pledged £500, with Yatton Lodges to discuss their potential donations.

Hike to Yatton Masonic Hall – Sunday June 22nd, 2025

A proposed hike involving other DofE Students who are starting their Bronze Award scheme from Kings Academy, Cheddar to Yatton Masonic Hall along the Strawberry Line. Starting point to be determined.

Refreshments given and a tour of Yatton Masonic Hall to the students and parents.

Naturally, the hike is open to Friends and Families of Freemasons from Wedmore and Yatton.

More precise details will be given once given.

In addition, DofE leaders will also give a talk on the joint ventures between Somerset Freemasons and DofE across Somerset.

Yatton Masonic Hall Open Day – Saturday 30th August 2025.

DofE will be attending Yatton Masonic Hall Open day to promote both DofE and Freemasonry. We are currently looking to find DofE representatives for Backwell and Churchill Comprehensive Schools.

Again, another opportunity for Freemasons, Families, local Students and DofE to come together.

Joint Temple Venture & Promotion

A nice venture between two Masonic Halls to promote Freemasonry across our Communities and offer a larger donation for worthy causes. We can also inform local media at either end.

Cheddar Foodbank 2025

Saturday 15th March 2025 - WM Gary B. visited Cheddar Valley Foodbank to deliver a cheque in the sum of £600.

Picture shows from left to right

Angela (Foodbank), Jackie B (WM's wife), Gary B (WM), Bruce (Foodbank) & David Hayward (Charity Steward)

Charitable giving - June 2024

This year the Lodge has been focusing on getting donations out to local charities. So far this month the Charity Steward W. Bro. David H and the Worshipful Master Jeff B. have been out delivering cheques.

Firstly Jeff took a trip over to Wedmore where he met David and Tristan at the Wedmore Village Farm and handed over a donation from our Lodge. The Village Farm is a community project and as the name suggests they are a village farm. They are growing vegetables and they are encouraging the bird & insect life into the village. Their eventual goal is to grow enough local produce to be able to supply the pubs and restaurants in the village. If you have been to the Bluebird Cafe in Wedmore you may already have samples some of their goodies!

The second trip out that day was to The Space in Cheddar. Again another donation to a very worthwhile charity. We met up with Steve Kite and Katharine Thompson who gave us the lowdown on the work they do, where it began, why is began and where they are looking to go forward... It was hard to believe that we were talking for almost an hour, there was just so much information to take on board. For those that haven't heard of them, or have heard of them but don't know what they do...they support local young people (age 4- 17 years) living or being educated in the Cheddar Valley are. experiencing low mental health & emotional resilience. There is so much more than that but their website will give you a better explanation than I ever can, please have a look. www.thespacesomerset.org.uk

The following day W. Bro. David H was allowed out alone today. He met two ladies Louise & Angela at Wedmore Golf Club. These ladies are co-chairs of the charity - Help The Child

- https://www.helpthechild.org.uk/

The aim of the charity is to help children in Somerset with physical, mental and learning disabilities with the purchase of specialised equipment.

They link with social services, the NHS and other agencies who specialise in their aims.

All local, and volunteers, virtually no overheads, so all funds go directly towards the charity.

L to R – W. Bro Fred Body, Elaine Reynolds, Nigel Lakin, W. Bro. David Hayward & W. Bro Jeff Body

Cheddar Valley Foodbank

On Saturday 18th November 2023 a small delegation from Alfred & Guthrum Lodge consisting of W.Bro. Fred Body (former Charity Steward), W. Bro. David Hayward (Charity Steward) and W. Bro. Jeff Body (Worshipful Master) visited the Cheddar Foodbank to hand over our Christmas donation.

Working with two local butchers our former Charity Steward Worshipful Brother Fred Body organised 60 x £10 meat vouchers that will be given out by the Foodbank. 40 vouchers from Cobbs of Cheddar & 20 vouchers from Hectors of Wedmore, meaning that families can use them in their preferred shop.

While we were there, we had a chat with Elaine Reynolds and Nigel Lakin, two of the trustees. Cheddar Valley Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust. They opened in 2013 and currently rent a small unit in the Wessex Business Centre opening on Monday and Saturday mornings from 10:30am-12:30pm. They rely on donations of both food, and money to help with operational costs. All the staff are volunteers but rent needs to be paid and they need to buy food for the parcels when donations aren't available.

It is hard to comprehend that even today families are going without food and other essentials like hygiene products. Each month this foodbank alone hands out up to 40 parcels to local families. If you want to help them, they welcome financial donations, food donations and volunteers. There are donation boxes in Sainsburys, Cheddar and Co-Op, Winscombe. They cannot store fresh food and therefore ask for long-life foods (cans, dried goods, jars etc), toiletries, and cleaning items as an example. Financial donations can be made on their website – www.cheddarvalleyfoodbank.org.uk

Vision

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