Plymouth Heartbeat receives £1,000 from local Freemasons

Every Spring and Autumn Freemasons from around Devon meet to give support totalling in excess of £50,000 to local charities & organisations throughout the county who are in need of assistance, we were one of the groups who were nominated by their local Lodge MARISTOW 2725.

The money is raised by the “WAKE Fund” a trust conceived by the Right Worshipful Brother William Alexander Kneel, our Provincial Grand Master from 1970 to 1984, the late owner of Kneels laundry & dry cleaners (now Johnsons). This fund now stands at almost £2 million and the interest earned is given annually to local non masonic organisations who are in need of help. Since the first disbursement in 2001 over £725,000 has been given to over 760 worthy causes selected by members of the 133 Masonic lodges based in the county.

This year on Friday 3rd November, The Right Worshipful Brother Ian Kingsbury JP. Provincial Grand Master for Devonshire presented cheques to 25 deserving causes. Meeting at the Masonic Hall, St. Andrews Road, Exmouth, the charity representatives accompanied by a Mason from their nominating lodge were able to enjoy a buffet supper, explore the Lodge, ask questions about to freemasonry and receive their cheques totalling the magnificent sum of £25,000. Making the contributions Ian Kingsbury said “I am delighted that the Freemasons of Devon are able to contribute to these important local causes many of which are totally run by volunteers and hopefully these donations will make a real difference especially in this the Tercentenary year of English Freemasonry” having already donated another £120,000 to 9 deserving causes in September .

Julie Williams and John Axworthy from the charity PLYMOUTH HEARTBEAT, Plymouth’s longest running provider of coronary heart disease prevention programmes, attended to receive the cheque. John Axworthy thanked Ian Kingsbury and said a few words about Plymouth Heartbeat.

Julie Williams, Plymouth Heartbeat’s operational manager, said “At the presentation I gave a talk about Plymouth Heartbeat. It was a lovely evening meeting the other award winners and overall it was a wonderful, relaxed, friendly, enjoyable evening and our thanks go to Provincial Grand Lodge of Devonshire and Lodge Maristow”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                  
Pictured: John Axworthy and Julie Williams from Plymouth Heartbeat with Ian Kingsbury.