PROVINCE OF WEST LANCASHIRE Charity Provincial Charity Stewards

Charity Provincial Charity Stewards’ Structure: The 2010 Festival was launched for the Masonic Samaritan Fund: Dominated the activities of the Structure and to some extent, that of Lodge and Chapter Charity Stewards Culminated in 2010 with the delivery of over £5.4 million to the The Masonic Samaritan Fund Now we need to return the Structure and its Objectives back to what was intended, before the Festival. “within the context of an understanding that Lodges and Individuals are free to exercise their duty of Masonic Giving ”WHERE THEY WISH. Provincial Charity Stewards

Charity Charitable Giving: Our Charitable giving can be split into two broad categories: Masonic Charitable Giving, which would go to one of our registered Masonic Charities and; Non Masonic Giving, to a range of National and locally registered Charities and other good causes. Note: Money raised in the name of “Charity” must be applied to a recognised Charitable Cause Provincial Charity Stewards

Charity 2.1 Masonic Charitable Giving: There are Four National Masonic Charities; 1. The Freemasons’ Grand Charity – has two primary purposes: a)Making financial grants for charitable purposes in support of: Freemasons’ and their dependants who are in financial need Other Masonic Charities Non-Masonic charities (national charities and for emergency relief work worldwide) b)Managing the Relief Chest Scheme: Over 4,000 Individual Relief Chests holding £30.0 million Provincial Charity Stewards

Charity 2.1 Masonic Charitable Giving: 2.The Masonic Samaritan Fund: Health and Care support for Freemasons and their dependants Beneficiary of the 2010 Festival - £5.4 million 3.The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution: Caring for older Freemasons and their dependants 17 Care Homes (Ecclesholme, The Tithebarn) Respite Breaks 4.The Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys (“RMTGB”): Relieving Poverty, advancing education Lifelites Talent Aid Provincial Charity Stewards

Charity Masonic Charitable Giving In addition to the four National Charities we have our own Provincial Charity: The West Lancashire Freemasons Charity Formed in 2008 from 7 Masonic charities operating in the Province Provides financial assistance for hundreds of Freemasons and their dependants Provides some support for non-Freemasons and for a range of other charitable purposes Operates from: 2 Paramount Business Park, Huyton, L36 6AW Tel: website: The Charity is staffed by volunteers, helping ensure that the maximum benefit is achieved from donations received Provincial Charity Stewards

Charity Masonic Charitable Giving West Lancashire Freemasons Charity Adopting one of the Gift Aid Envelope Schemes for Lodge collections: –Blue - pre-numbered, issued in sets of 12, cannot be used by visitors –Yellow - Gift Aid declaration made at time of use. Can be used by visitors Taking out a Regular Giving Pledge (Monthly, Quarterly or Annually) and Gift Aid it Donations at Lodge Installation meetings Other Fund Raising Events on behalf of the Charity by Lodges, by Groups Legacies through a Will or Codicil AN AVERAGE OF £1,000 PER LODGE PER YEAR Provincial Charity Stewards

Charity Other Charity Stewards Toolkit The Charity Stewards Handbook : –Role and Duties of the Charity Steward –Raising and Collecting Money –Gift Aid –Legacies –Fundraising at Festive Boards and Social Events: Fundraising Ideas Gift Aid Envelope Scheme –Administration –Bank Accounts –Disbursing Money –Charitable Funds –The Charity Steward and Other Officers –The Relief Chest Scheme –Sources of Information Both provided by the WLFC, to support the work of Charity Stewards in the Province Provincial Charity Stewards

West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity

Accounts for the Year Ended 31 st March 2011

Accounts 31 st March 2011 Total Income (Excluding 2010 Festival) General Donations ,332 Recovered Income Tax Gift Aided Donations57,71340,585 60,813 16,72811,447 Provincial Meetings4,0090 Legacies47,986245,942 Total Voluntary Income Dividends Bank Interest Other Income Total Income 327,318358, ,691214,053 21,44817,990 3, ,388 3, ,587

Accounts 31 st March 2011 Investment Income (Excluding 2010 Festival)

Accounts 31 st March 2011 Analysis of Total Income (Excluding 2010 Festival) Total Income £578,388

Accounts 31 st March 2011 Total Overheads (Including 2010 Festival) Rent – Hope St ,906 Postage, Stationery and Printing Telephone4,0151,570 7,875 12,75314,517 Travelling Expenses8,4766,320 Computer Expenses7,292 7,934 Office Refurbishment and Furniture Legal Fees Bank Charges Other Expenses Total Overheads 9, ,015 2,036 7, ,640 5,793 75,199 Audit and Accountancy Investment Management Fees 4,2255,013 26,59723,139 Ground Rent, Rates and Water Heating, Lighting and Insurance Depreciation 04,301 2, ,5130

Accounts 31 st March 2011 Overheads Analysis (Including 2010 Festival) Total Overheads £102,640

Accounts 31 st March 2011 Charitable Grants Helping the young….. ….. and the old

Accounts 31 st March 2011 Charitable Grants (Excluding 2010 Festival) Freemasons ,460 Other Masonic Widows208,402241, ,140 25,09521,350 Masonic Organisations010,000 Non Masonic Organisations119,004104,316 Total Grants533,961535,061

Accounts 31 st March 2010 Charitable Grants Analysis (Excluding 2010 Festival) Total Charitable Grants £533,961

Accounts 31 st March 2011 Charitable Grants Maximum Grant Available to Widow Claiming Grand Charity

Accounts 31 st March 2011 Charitable Grants per Member Non-Masonic Charitable Grants per member Masonic Charitable Grants per member Total Charitable Grants per member £ 36.21p £ 10.39p £ 46.60p Last year to pay the maximum support grant to a widow or to a distressed freemason we needed the average contributions of 77 members Average donation to W.L.F.C per member £ 24.37p For every £1.00 given by lodges and members we gave £1.91 to charitable causes.

Paramount Business Park Huyton

Purchased from legacies not lodge and member donations Cost £470,000 A modern, professional, efficient office for the largest Masonic charity outside the four national charities Increased efficiency – applications often paid within 24 hours Open to all to view every Wednesday but please call first Headlines a Charity of which we can all be very proud

Prospects for No recovery in Interest Rates Stable overheads (excluding exceptional costs of moving) Increased demand for support Need to eliminate annual deficit Need to continue rebuilding support from lodges after end of 2010 Festival Need to continue to work with Provincial Charity Stewards structure to introduce more and more Lodges to Gift Aid Envelope Schemes

Giving by Brethren Initiatives for Existing Gift Aid Envelope Scheme simplified New alternative Gift Aid Envelope Scheme Scheme can now apply to visitors Lodges to get credit for tax recovered Envelope collections at Provincial meetings now for the Charity Details have been sent to every Lodge or Chapter Charity Steward New address :-

Giving by Lodges and their members We need to restore the principle that the Charity should be the prime recipient of charitable effort by lodges. Lodge contributions to the 2010 Festival ended 16 months ago. Since then 51 lodges ( out of 389 ) have given nothing at all to the Charity Including the above 78 have given less than £100 And 133 ( more than a third ) have given less than £250 There are 28 lodges who have not given anything for over five years Fortunately 60 lodges have given more than £1000 And of these 8 gave more than £2000 So why does this matter ? …………………………….

Why do we need the money ? Don’t we have enough already ? Existed for 3 ½ years and have “lost” money every year. For every £1.00 given to us we gave £1.91 to charitable causes Balance of money has to be made up from investment income on capital Without investment income grants to widows etc would have to be halved Average age of new Freemason applicants is 56 Average life expectancy of new widow applicants is 20 years Ageing population -more retirees - fewer members Still only 50% of lodges have any applicants for assistance Freemasonry Cares – anticipated increase in demand 15 – 25%

How much do we need for 2011 – 12 ? On average per lodge we need £1,000

Helping those in needHelp us to help them

West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity Free Glasses for Old England Night’s Chorley Group test