arena
Masonic support for Scouting
T
he Freemasons’ Grand Charity has launched a five year funding programme of £100,000 to help develop Scouting across the Country. The funding has three distinct streams: £50,000 for activity grants, £25,000 towards programme resources, £25,000 for start-up grants. Each year, the Scout movements’ Development Grants Board, awards ten grants of £5,000 to counties in a different area of the UK. Activity grants will be awarded where a
substantial amount of money is needed to help counties expand their planned development and grow Scouting. Annabel Grout, Head of nonMasonic grants at The Grand Charity commented “The overall aim of the grant is to help expand and develop Scouting, especially in communities that have not previously had Scouting activities available for young people”. Said Steve Altria, A group scout leader, “We used it to buy uniforms
for three new Beaver Scout leaders as well as on new resources. The new colony was quickly filled with 23 young people” Beccy Martin, Kent County Project Manager added, “The Freemasons’ Grand Charity Grant enabled us to run a recruitment project. It has really helped us to develop Scouting in the county, and local Freemasons were very supportive from the start”.
London's Air Ambulance Charity
M
etropolitan Grand Lodge was recently invited to attend a recent sponsors reception by London's Air Ambulance Charity. arena will carry a more detailed interview on what went on at the presentation in a future edition, but WINTER 2012
in the meantime to whet your appetite, here is a quotation from Stirling Moss, who was recently involved in an accident and picked up by just such an Air Ambulance "As a recent recipient of the live saving service provided by London's Air
Ambulance, I am delighted that London Freemasons are giving them so much support. When we need them, rest assured they will be there, we will depend on their life saving skill and professionalism."
27