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MISCONCEPTIONS
Isn’t it surprising how we easily form perceptions of organisations from hearsay? It is perhaps therefore, not surprising that we sometimes get it wrong.
For example, a large percentage of the population think that a Hospice is a dark, dismal, frightening place where people go to stay until they die. Many also think that there are dozens of beds with long-stay patients. Maybe that’s your impression too, but the reality is much different.
In fact Wigan & Leigh Hospice is a bright, modern welcoming organisation offering a host of services to improve the quality of life of people living with a life-threatening illness. There are just 12 beds with the average length of stay only 10 days. Over 60% of in-patients go home and the majority of the 500-600 new patients each year never even visit the Hospice!
Similarly Freemasonry is perceived by many to be a self-centred organisation, only interested in the self-promotion of its members, with any ‘charity’ monies raised only used for the benefit of Masons themselves. Again the reality is very different.
Nationally, Freemasonry is one of the largest donors to non-Masonic charities in the UK; in the next month the Grand Charity will approve grants of around £1.5 million to a wide variety of charities and charitable organisations such as £150,000 over the next three years to the Brain Research Trust, £200,000 for Youth Opportunities, £30,000 for the National Autistic Society, £25,000 for the Royal School for the Deaf, £45,000 for Wellchild to help care for chronically sick children, £30,000 for the Foundation for the study of Infant Deaths, £85,000 payable over two years to the Samaritans and, for 2006, £500,000 for the Hospice movement. These are in addition to hundreds of smaller donations to churches and voluntary groups throughout the country.
Locally, in the last year, Masonry has donated £3,000 to Wigan & Leigh Hospice and members are here seen presenting yet another £1000 from the Leigh Group.
All Masonic charity funds are raised from Masons, their families and those attending Masonic events. None of it is raised from the general public.
Tony Bent, Chairman of the Leigh and District Group of Masonic Lodges, says “We are delighted to be able to support our local Hospice again. The money donated today was raised from things like raffles at our monthly meetings, ladies’ socials and each lodge setting aside a specific contribution to this cause. This gift is in addition to many other smaller donations by lodges individually.”
Hospice Chief Executive Stuart Liptrot added “Over the years Wigan & Leigh Hospice has received many tens of thousands of pounds from Masonic donations. We are very grateful for their ongoing support which helps us to continue offer the nature and level of care our patients need.”
Tony Bent summarised by saying “Masonry, like Hospices, encourages the adoption and application the highest ideals of ethics and standards. Things are not always what they seem, and perhaps we are all sometimes guilty of forming opinions and misconceptions based on fiction, not fact. This is Freemasonry in practice supporting those less fortunate than ourselves. Freemasons will never forget them”
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