Thank you to The Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Essex following your press release below in support of Clowns in the Sky.
As announced in the last edition of Mark Times, the Essex Mark Welfare fund have recently supported “Clowns in the Sky”, a charity which was set up following the death of three year old Jennifer, who died after a nine month battle against a brain tumour in 2004.
The charity provides play facilities and support to children with brain tumours and their families. They provide arts and craft materials and sensory trolleys to hospital wards across the UK, locally helping Romford, Basildon, Southend and Colchester hospitals. The Welfare Fund donated £750 specifically to sponsor the placing of a new activity table at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford and to restock it during the first year.
The Trustees of the Essex Mark Welfare Fund were so impressed by the dedication of this amazing charity and were delighted to be able to offer support, especially to local children who will benefit, that they made a funding proposal to the Mark Benevolent Fund (MBF) and have recently learnt that the request for funding was successful. The MBF have agreed to donate £29600 to support the filling of trolleys throughout the country.
The news of the donation to this small worthwhile charity was received with great emotion. Donna Byrne the Charity Development Officer was overcome and explained that, after needing to sit down when she heard the news, the shaking subsided, and a tear turned into the biggest smile on her face – something that will stay for a long time to come. Donna said “Just how many smiles this news will bring, who knows? Every single hospital is now secure for their refills for a whole year” She wrote to her charity trustees “So everyone, that is not just your Monday fix of smiles but should take you well into next week or longer. For me, I know it will be the highlight of the year, and has definitely put a different spin on the awful year of 2020, the year when Roy and Mark Master Masons first made contact”.
Whilst the funds have been released to the charity, a formal presentation will be held as soon as circumstances allow.