The South Wales Freemasons have donated 3000 vital personal protective equipment (PPE) visors to more than 100 hospitals, GP practices, care homes, hospices, pharmacies, prisons, and schools, for front-line and key workers throughout south Wales.
During this Covid-19 pandemic the procurement of PPE has been a challenge and, at times, costly for many organisations. Organisations who are helping others, and who desperately need to protect their employees in the workplace. The provision of these PPE visors from the freemasons of South Wales has helped over 2400 workers in such organisations in south Wales.
Robert Payne, who instigated this initiative by the South Wales Freemasons, said: “the visors were sourced from a local company in the Caerphilly borough, who turned their printing and design company into a manufacturer of PPE visors. The freemasons of South Wales funded 3000 units and have distributed them to the organisations and people in the local area who need them most in the fight against Covid-19”.
The recipients of the PPE visors include St David’s Hospice Care, Lloyds Pharmacy, Tongwynlais Pharmacy, North Cardiff Medical Centre, Well Pharmacy, Ty Hafan, Morriston Hospital covid ward, City hospice, Amethyst Health Care, amongst many others.
Sally Morris of St David’s Hospice said: “Our local hospice and at home nurses are desperate for them, we are so grateful to the South Wales Freemasons for this. This is wonderful thank you so much”.
This sentiment was echoed by Sally Rees of Tongwynlais Pharmacy, who said: “All the staff at Tongwynlais Pharmacy are so grateful to the South Wales Freemasons for the delivery of these face visors. These will definitely assist all our staff in keeping them safe, whilst we are dispensing prescriptions to those who can collect from us, and also those we deliver to in our communities”.
PPE visors donated by the South Wales Freemasons
Eleanor Prescott from Ty Hafan, a well-known charity in South Wales that provides paediatric palliative care to children and support for their families, throughout Wales, said: “We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of the Masons, and your donation of vital PPE at a time like this is invaluable to the organisation. This donation of critical equipment means we will be able to keep life-limited children and families in need safe and shielded whilst still providing them with the highest standard of care. PPE has been a considerable challenge to secure throughout the healthcare sector during this crisis. Without supporters, including the Masons, willing to provide us with a donation of PPE, we would struggle to meet the levels necessary, and in the worst case have to restrict our services to keep families safe. Thanks to you we can go on fulfilling our purpose to help make short lives full family lives and be there for families as long as they need us.”
Gareth Jones OBE, the head of the South Wales Freemasons concluded: “I am delighted that the freemasons of South Wales are able to play a small part in supporting the NHS staff, care workers and frontline staff who are all providing such valuable care to those in need”.
# # #
About the South Wales Freemasons
- South Wales Freemasons, or more formally the Provincial Grand Lodge (PGL) of South Wales, was founded in the 1720s.
- Today, the PGL of South Wales has almost 6000 members, based in over 160 lodges within the old counties of Glamorgan, Brecknockshire and Radnorshire.
- PGL of South Wales has 23 masonic centres, where Lodge meetings take place, in the cities of Swansea and Cardiff and also in smaller towns from Barry in the south to Llandridnod Wells in the north.
- PGL of South Wales is one of 47 Provincial Grand Lodges in England and Wales, which are governed by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE).
About Freemasonry
- Freemasons use four important guiding principles to help define their path through life: integrity, friendship, respect and charity.
- One of the oldest social and charitable organisations in the world, Freemasonry’s roots lie in the traditions of the medieval stonemasons who built our cathedrals and castles.
- Membership is open to people from all backgrounds and the organisation’s aim is to empower members to be the best they can be – it’s about building character, supporting members as individuals and helping them make a positive contribution to society.
- Freemasonry is one of the largest charitable givers in the country, contributing more than £48m to deserving causes in 2018 alone. Freemasons do not only donate money – more than 18.5 million hours of volunteer work was undertaken by Freemasons in 2018.
Further information
For further information on the Provincial Grand Lodge of South Wales:
https://www.southwalesmason.com/
For further information on the Grand Lodge of England:
https://www.ugle.org.uk/about-freemasonry/video-library
Photograph:
Staff at Morriston Hospital, Swansea