A donation from Freemasons in March will have a positive impact on the support given to young carers attending the town’s Neale-Wade Academy.
Stone Cross Lodge No. 6704 took advantage of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cambridgeshire’s offer of nominating a good cause for a proportion of £11,000 being shared out locally. As a result, the Province was able to secure £500 for the Young Carers at the Neale-Wade Academy from the Masonic Charitable Foundation.
The Neale-Wade group provides support and activities for those pupils who act as carers for members of their own families. These are children under the age of 18 who regularly helps to look after a family member or friend who is disabled, ill, has a mental health condition or addiction problem. The Academy is committed to meeting the needs of young carers so they can attend and enjoy school in the same way as other pupils and achieve their potential.
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.
Hilary Hitch, Senior Lead for Safeguarding and Welfare of the Neale-Wade Academy said:
We felt that the money would be most effectively used to further resource the Young Carers group. This will be by purchasing further board games and craft materials for them to have access to during the after-school club that we facilitate here at the Academy. We have also discussed using a proportion of the money to fund an activity with our carers once Covid-19 restrictions have ended.”
She added: “I assure you that this will have a positive impact on the support that we offer our Young Carers.
Paul Ashby of Stone Cross Lodge said:
Stone Cross Lodge is incredibly pleased to have been able to give their support to Young Carers at the Neale-Wade Academy. We feel that our Young Carers need to get all the help they can. They do an amazing job and it is important that they achieve their potential.
About Neale-Wade Academy:
We are committed to working in very close partnership with both parents and carers to foster a strong relationship that enables all of our students to be fully supported and happy children.
Our teachers track the progress and achievement of individual students so that all staff are kept aware of particular needs that may develop. It is very important to us that our students are secure and happy and that their school life is a memorable experience which will form the basis of a rich and rewarding later life. We have the highest expectations of our students and continually look for opportunities to widen their horizons and encourage their ambition.
Our students benefit from highly qualified, hard-working and committed staff who recognise the importance of ensuring that learning is active, exciting and build strong relationships. Challenging lessons are taught across a wide range of academic and vocational courses. There is a strong system of support, which helps students to manage their learning, build confidence and maximise opportunity. Our solid traditional values of equality, inspiration, excellence, friendship and determination sit firmly at the heart of what we do and what our students learn to see as important to them. Behaviour for learning is an essential part of what we do every day.
Neale-Wade Academy is a school committed to bringing out the best in everyone. Our mission is to enable all students to “dream, believe and achieve”. We promote the aspirational approach that anything is possible and encourage all of our local community to reinforce this notion. In all that we do on a daily basis we strive to ensure that all of our students and staff achieve their potential. We want our children and young people to be confident, well-rounded individuals who are prepared to play a full role in the world in which they live.
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
