PGM’s lodge welcomes Charity Team
 
28th January 2016
 
Provincial Grand Master Keith Beardmore’s mother lodge Fylde Mark Lodge No 296 welcomed members the Corinthian Group Charity team Mike Casey, his deputy Bob Boal and Provincial Grand Charity Steward John Sarti to hear what is happening in the world of Mark Charities.
Peter Green (left) Fylde Mark Charity Steward joins Bob Boal, John Sarti and Mike Casey in the charity line-up.
Mike Casey who is the team leader of the Corinthian Group is a man on a mission who is currently on a whistle stop tour of Mark lodges in his area to spread the good news of how Mark Charities can help local worthy causes and organisations as well as distressed Mark Masons and their families.
 
The WM of Fylde Mark Bill Snell, on his first outing as master since his installation, after ably despatching the early business of the lodge which included news that the lodge’s membership is to be further increased by an impending advancement and a re-joining member, invited Mike to take to the podium and to give his power point presentation on charity.
 
Mike explained that West Lancashire Mark Charities through three principal funds provides appropriate financial assistance to Masonic and non Masonic charitable organisations and support for distressed Mark Masons and their dependants.
 
He confessed that when he was first asked to take on the leadership of the Corinthian Mark Charity Group he had ”not a clue” how the charities operated and his view was that as Mark Masons willingly and generously gave to charity it was only right that brethren had an overview of how the charities operated.
 
He advised that there were five West Lancashire Charity Groups which between them cover the Province and comprised of Ionic, Doric, Tuscan, Composite and his own Corinthian Group, which stretches from Barrow to Blackpool and all points in between and which, working closely with lodge charity stewards, received applications for assistance for all the many and varied types of charity.
WM Bill Snell (centre picture) is joined by PGM Keith Beardmore, charity team and Fylde Mark officers
His biggest fear he said was that lodges were missing out on all that was on offer from West Lancashire Mark Charities to maximise donations made by lodges and he stressed: “If you don’t apply, you won’t receive”.
 
Mike went on to underline the advantages of Gift Aid and how lodges which operated this straightforward system benefitted by increasing the amount of their donations by 25% for every pound they donated.
 
He spoke too on the match funding and top-ups which were available from Province for particular community projects and cited an example of one small Mark lodge’s donation of £200 which, after Gift Aid was added, became £250 and with match funding from West Lancashire Mark Charity more than doubled to £500.
 
Mike advised that needy local causes chosen for support by lodges could top-up grants from the West Lancashire Mark Charities for special projects or equipment but not towards everyday running costs; if any top-up funding was made by the Charity the entire donation would always be made in the name of the particular lodge which made the initial application.
 
When it came time to make the presentation of equipment to an organisation or group Mike suggested that formal arrangements could be made to publicise the donation so that it became news locally and, where possible, a plaque or badge with the Mark logo be attached to the equipment being donated which would further enhance the reputation of the Mark Degree.
 
Mike also reminded brethren that there was help available for Mark Masons and their dependants in distress for example a contribution to consultant’s fees, which often helped reduce waiting times for necessary medical operations and surgery.
Sharing a joke at Fylde Mark Festive Board
Mike asked that lodges consider linking up with other lodges for specific projects and also to think about joining in with Craft Masons on their Giving Days so that awareness of the Degree would be raised amongst Craft Masons and the local community.
 
The West Lancashire Mark Province 21st Century Club, which after lodge donations is the main source of fund-raising in the Province, was also mentioned by Mike. Half of the money raised annually he said, usually in the order of £4,000 from this 100 Club style draw, goes to chosen charities with the other half going in prize money with a top prize of £750.
 
Mike reported that with tickets costing £5 per entry with multi purchases of four tickets earning a fifth entry free that the Club a great fund raiser and an excellent chance to win a prize.
 
Thanking the members of the lodge for listening to his presentation Mike ended his talk by saying: “No one has ever become poor by giving”.
 
The PGM’s Special Representative John Forster thanked Mike for his presentation and said that if anyone in Fylde Mark Lodge didn’t know previously what the Corinthian Group did they certainly knew now.
 
He complimented Mike on the work he did and his efforts on behalf of the Mark Degree
All smiles from the top table diners
John gave several examples of presentations he had attended personally which had been made to good causes in Blackpool and the Fylde and said that the Charity was currently in the process of donating kitchen equipment to food banks in Fleetwood and Lytham St Annes.
 
John Sarti added that the Gift Aid Scheme was an excellent way of ring-fencing funds for a specific project and that joining forces with other lodges was a good way of growing larger amounts. He also commended the 21st Century Club and advised on the various ways there was to take part in the scheme.
 
Keith Beardmore, on behalf of the lodge, thanked Mike for taking the time to explain what West Lancashire Mark Charities and the Corinthian Group in particular were about. He commended Mike’s presentation which he said had been in “plain-speak” which everyone could understand and that all the members of the lodge had gained advancement in their knowledge.
 
Keith spoke about help obtaining tackle bags by the Mark Charity for Fleetwood Rugby Club, as a result of which generosity to help young Fleetwood rugby players, Colin Goodwin, who had played a part in asking for assistance, had joined Mark Masonry and the Fylde Mark Lodge.
 
Keith also mentioned John Lee who is to become the Provincial Senior Grand Warden in the Craft this year, who, having been turned down by Craft charities for help for a computer station for a school for disabled youngsters in Thornton Cleveleys, received the asked-for help from Mark Charity and was so impressed he joined the Mark via Cleveleys Mark Lodge.
 
Keith also spoke about a grant of £2,700 which was given by the Mark to the Mountain Rescue team in Cumbria when they lost equipment helping victims of the devastating flooding two years ago.
More Festive Board fun enjoyed at Fylde Mark.
When floods ravaged Cumbria again last year Mark Charities donated another £2,500 together with Craft Charities who gifted a further £5,000 to the Mountain Rescue team. Needs were covered, Keith said, by the networking of the two Masonic organisations.
 
The PGM said that Mike had enlightened the members of Fylde Mark by his talk and praised his efforts in spreading the good news about the work of Mark Charities in what was Mike’s third presentation in two weeks.
 
Article and Photgraphs Courtesy of Bob Boal