New Forest freemasons help raise more than £100,000 for local charities

LOCAL Freemasons have donated more than £100,000 to charities and good causes in just 12 months.

Two celebration evenings, including one in Lymington, saw dozens of recipients collect cheques.

As well as donating to national Masonic charities, local lodges in the 400-year-old movement raise money to support groups in their communities.

The New Forest event was attended by the mayor of Ringwood, Cllr Rae Frederick, the mayor of New Milton Cllr Alvin Reid and the deputy mayor of Lymington and Pennington Cllr Colm McCarthy.

Chris Lockwood, who heads the Freemasons in the New Forest and Bournemouth, said: “We are very grateful to all the dignitaries who attended the two events.

“And we are grateful that so many charity representatives were able to attend, receive a cheque and tell the packed rooms a little bit about what they do.

“Every lodge raises money for local charities, and these events allow them to explain what they do.

“These evenings also enable charities to meet each other and network, and often new relationships are formed.

“We heard much about the increasing pressures people are facing with the cost of living rising, and we will continue to do our best for the communities we live in.”

The total raised and distributed was £106,000