Pre-COVID Activities at the Over Day Centre
Nourse Lodge, in Cambridge, have raised funds for the Over Day Centre. Funds from the Lodge plus a grant from the Cambridgeshire Freemasons through the Masonic Charitable Foundation means that £500 has been raised for this very worthwhile cause.
The Over Day Centre aims to maintain and enhance the quality of life for older people living in Over, and other Cambridgeshire villages, by helping to combat loneliness and provide respite for their carers and, in doing so, extend the time that they can continue to live happily and safely in their own home. Opportunities are also provided for local people to volunteer to support the above objectives to enhance community support and spirit.
Cambridgeshire Freemasons have contributed to this grant that comes through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is funded by Freemasons, their families, and friends, from across England and Wales.
Sally Hunt, Trustee of the Over Day Centre said:
Many thanks for your generous donation. Our lovely clients cannot wait for us to re-open and your donation will help us to make the Day Centre extra safe to welcome them back.
Charlie Brown of Nourse Lodge said:
We are very happy that Nourse Lodge, has been able to give their support to the Over Day Centre. The Covid pandemic has deprived many older people of companionship over the lockdown period, care homes in particular having been badly affected. At Nourse Lodge we wanted to help the Centre to reopen as soon as possible before some of these people start to lose their independence.
About the Over Day Centre:
On September 2nd 1989 the Day Centre was opened as a meeting place for older residents in Over. Thirty years on, and the temporary portakabin is now a purpose-built care facility with qualified staff providing a safe, friendly environment for people from all over South Cambridgeshire; many of whom are dependent on our free minibus service to and from the Centre. Our premises are part of a development by South Cambridgeshire District Council which includes the local doctors’ surgery, a pharmacy and a sheltered housing scheme. The Over Day Centre Association is a charity managed by a Board of Trustees working in partnership with Centre Manager Hayley Smith who is supported, in turn, by Administrator Halina Szulakowska. Care staff, Sarah Brown and Tracy Griffiths, are supervised by Lead Carer Liza Smith. The two-course lunches are prepared in our kitchen by cook Karen Croxon. Responsible for our daily minibus service is driver Graham Waters. The Centre is supported by a team of dedicated volunteers without whom we would not be able to provide the level of service that we offer. These wonderful people act as escorts on the minibus, help as kitchen staff, provide entertainment for the clients and organise fundraising events. Our goal is to help our clients remain as independent, socially active, and physically mobile as possible, in order that they can continue to live as contributing members of their local community. We are also a support for families who need respite from the emotional and/or physically exhausting challenges of caring for a loved one on a daily basis.
About the Masonic Charitable Foundation:
The Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) is one of the largest grant-making charities in the country. Funded entirely through the generosity of Freemasons and their families, the MCF awards millions of pounds each year to local and national charities that help vulnerable people, advance medical research and provide opportunities for young people. The MCF also helps to fund vital services such as hospices and air ambulances and regularly contributes to worldwide appeals for disaster relief. In total, MCF support helps to improve the lives of thousands of people every year in England, Wales and internationally. As well as providing grants to charities, the MCF supports Freemasons and their families with a financial, health or family need. Visit www.mcf.org.uk
For further information about the Masonic Charitable Foundation, please contact Guy Roberts, Press Officer (groberts@mcf.org.uk 0203 146 3311)
About Cambridgeshire Freemasonry:
The Masonic Province of Cambridgeshire is relatively small, with Masonic Centres in Cambridge, Ely, Newmarket, March, Chatteris, Whittlesey and Wisbech. There are around 1500 Freemasons and 30 individual lodges. We pride ourselves on our friendliness and inclusivity, with members drawn from all walks of life and professional backgrounds. We welcome enquiries from anyone who is curious about our values and our history.
More information is available on our website and enquiries should be directed to our Provincial Office in Cambridge via https://www.cambridgeshirefreemasons.org.uk/ or to our Provincial Information Officer:
Jon Cooper
press@pglcambs.org.uk
07714 763427
United Grand Lodge of England:
Freemasonry is one of the world’s oldest social and charitable organisations in the world. Its roots lie in the traditions of the medieval stonemasons who built our cathedrals and castles. For Freemasons, there are four important values that help define their path through life: Integrity, Friendship, Respect and Charity. In today’s world filled with uncertainty, these principles ring as true as they have at any point in the organisation’s history.
https://www.ugle.org.uk/about-freemasonry
