Lincolnshire’s Freemasons are thanked for their ‘vital’ donation

Staff at an East Lindsey charity have said thank you to the county’s Freemasons... 63,000 times over!
Pam Cox and Sue White from Age UK Lindsey with  Freemasons Peter Tasker, left,  and Dave Wheeler (right) .Pam Cox and Sue White from Age UK Lindsey with  Freemasons Peter Tasker, left,  and Dave Wheeler (right) .
Pam Cox and Sue White from Age UK Lindsey with Freemasons Peter Tasker, left, and Dave Wheeler (right) .

The Lincolnshire’s Freemasons the Masonic Charitable Foundation has been able to support Age UK Lindsey with a donation of £63,000.

The potentially life-changing donation is part of a £1m project called Later Life Goals, launched nationwide to support the charity’s 
work in reaching out to enhance the lives of many hundreds of lonely and vulnerable older people.

In Lincolnshire in this year alone that translates to one-to-one intervention on behalf of 262 people undergoing major transitions in their lives such as bereavement, serious health diagnosis, or a partner moving to a care home.

Age UK Lindsey Service Manager Sue White said demand for the services they were able to provide continued to flood in.

She added: “We have an average of 200 new referrals for our information and advice service every month, and 30 new requests for our befriending help on top of that. Our services are always up to capacity and so many callers have nowhere else to go.

“We can’t thank the Freemasons enough for this donation; it will help us to sustain our services to people who otherwise might have 
no help at all.”

Age UK Lindsey works across East and West Lindsey and North Lincolnshire, helping to make later life a fulfilling and enjoyable experience by providing a range of direct services, advice, and domestic support.

This can include help to access benefits, liaising with care agencies, or simply a weekly befriending visit.

Freemasons Grand Master Dave Wheeler said: “The work of Age UK Lindsey is vital for so many people in rural Lincolnshire.

“I’d urge brethren to volunteer to help with the befriending service.

“It involves an hour week of a chat over a cup of tea, but it can be a lifeline for someone.”

• Age UK Lindsey is in the process of raising funds to build new headquarters in Horncastle. Find out more at www.ageuk.org.uk/lindsey.