Health & Wellbeing

Kulvinder’s sons went away to live with relatives as, due to smoke damage, the house had become uninhabitable. All the kitchen units were burnt, and the heat was so intense that it melted the seals of the refrigerator. Martin Gain from the Lodge and Norrie Rae, Lodge Almoner were alerted to the situation and made contact with the family and became aware of the damage done by the fire. Enquires revealed the whole house has been affected by smoke damage and significant fire damage to the kitchen.

After Uma left hospital, she gathered her children and brought them home. She was extremely grateful to the family who had made emergency repairs to the kitchen and cleaned the house of the smoke damage so they could return to a home in a better condition.

As Kulvinder’s health continued to deteriorate the hospital began to prepare Uma and the children for the worse. Kulvinder said, “There was an intense forty eight hours of not knowing what the outcome of my condition was going to be. Despite being sedated I remember hitting rock bottom and thinking to myself that my father had died when I was young, and now my children are going to suffer the same fate unless I do something now. The good Lord must have been watching over treatment. Uma, after consulting with Alan Frost, Phil & Lucy Russell, decided

me and heard the prayers of my family, friends and my fellow Brethren.

Finally, their prayers were answered, and I began to make a gradual recovery. Eventually the doctors were able to wake me up from the induced coma. When I woke I was pleased and relieved to hear that I was in Glenfield Hospital receiving treatment, as I was somehow under the impression that I was getting treatment abroad, which I would have never consented to but could not believe how long I was in an induced coma for. After coming out of the induced coma, I spoke to my wife and children over FaceTime for the first time in weeks and I was so relieved to see them!

Uma, however, hid her burns from the view of the camera and did not tell me about what had happened for another two weeks until I was in Coalville Hospital receiving rehabilitation to keep this matter hidden from me as I was suffering from delirium and seeing all this could have hindered my recovery. I still cannot believe how much my wife had to endure during this time.

I had to learn to walk again as I had lost two and a half stones in weight and muscle mass. I had numbness in my feet and legs which made walking even more difficult. However, the physiotherapy unit at the Coalville Community Hospital did a fantastic job in looking after me and getting me to walk again. Thank you, NHS, for all your support and getting me back onto my feet and able to work again.

Sometimes in life, help can come from the most unexpected sources at the most crucial times, Uma never felt alone in her ordeal and the fraternity was an immense source of support during a very traumatic time of our lives. As well as fantastic support from Martin Gain and the Lodge, David Highton, Provincial Grand Almoner also provided assistance with the Provincial and MCF support available.”

When Uma arrived home it was evident that the significant damage to the kitchen had ruined the operation of the fridge freezer. Up stepped the Brethren of Sparkenhoe Lodge who rallied round to arrange a replacement fridge to be sourced and delivered. Kulvinder said he is very grateful for this touching gesture which helped to overcome a significant obstacle whilst he was still largely immobile.

However, the support from the fraternity does not end there. Kulvinder spoke to Andrea from the MCF about his families personal situation, in particular his sports business, which was not able to operate because of Covid19, resulting in an appropriate support package being provided to the family whilst they are all recovering from this traumatic experience.

Today, in November 2020, Kulvinder is continuing his slow and steady recovery and has been able to return to his business at Leicester Sports Centre, albeit in very strict lockdown conditions. Uma is continuing her recovery and the boys are slowly now getting over the trauma. The family would like to thank Andrea for her support and the MCF for providing financial support at a time when it was needed the most. Kulvinder also said, “I will never forget the support of the Masonic community during these difficult times. The help from my fellow Brethren and our Fraternity provided great support and encouragement and enabled me to get back onto my feet and be with my family again. I thank the Masonic Fraternity for being there for me and my family and to the NHS I thank them for saving my life.”

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I am sure all brethren recognise the importance of the Lodge Almoner in providing their pastoral roles and arrangement of welfare support for brethren, their families, dependents and widows. Equally important is the support provided to Lodge Almoners, which is why we have set up an Almoner’s communication and support network.

Being an Almoner is more than keeping in contact with widows, important as that is. In these uncertain times it is more than ever about the ‘pastoral’ duties such as maintaining support and contact with brethren and their immediate family. The role has always been important but never more than during these times when people are living alone and when brethren who are living in family units may need to access Masonic Charitable Foundation grants and support services for financial, health, family and carerelated needs. As is often said, we are all in our own ways “assistant Almoners” but the Lodge Almoner often holds the key role in the support infrastructure of our Lodges. Knowing where to signpost brethren in need of support, addressing confidentiality whilst balancing the need to share welfare information with Lodge members, are just some of the activities of the role of Almoner.

It is a rewarding office but can also be lonely in the sense of who cares for and supports the Almoner? This is a question which has often been asked of myself and others. This is why we have set up the support network of centre focused Almoners to provide the communication and support link to the Provincial Centre to assist Lodge Almoners.

Ten Lodge Almoners have taken on the role of Centre Almoners, four looking after the Lodges meeting in Freemasons Hall Leicester and six others looking after the Almoners associated with Lodges meeting in the other Provincial Centres.

is still in its infancy and is presently supported by regular Zoom Almoners’ Surgeries, which provide a forum for updates, sharing knowledge and offering mutual assistance and support. It also provides the opportunity to recognise through our network of Lodge Almoners that the Province has, over the seven months to the end of October, seen enquires to the MCF concerning Leicestershire and Rutland brethren and dependents increase by over 50% from the same period last year and the support grants double to just short of £150,000.

With the pandemic continuing, our Lodge Almoners are there to help you including contact with the MCF be it for assistance with Daily Living Costs, Health Care and Wellbeing, Support for Children, Young People and Education or Mental Health or Care Counselling.This is a developing initiative which

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