- South Wales Freemasons have provided £22,500 to supply cooked meals to those in need and food to local foodbanks.
- More than 2,500 meals have been delivered.
- 11 foodbanks have been supported on a weekly basis.
- 75 volunteer freemason drivers have delivered meals and supplies.
The Freemasons of south Wales have provided £22,500 to supply food for those in need in the local community. This funding has provided daily cooked meals to households and weekly supplies to foodbanks, to help minimise the daily pressure on households across south Wales.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, which has not only been a period of lockdown but also of employment and financial insecurity for many, a lot of families are struggling to put food on the table. The elderly and vulnerable are unable to get to the shops, and many of those effected by the winter floods are still living without adequate cooking facilities.
Since starting its “Square Deals” programme in April, the South Wales Freemasons have provided and delivered over 2,500 cooked meals to individuals and households in Cardiff, Penarth, Caerphilly and the south Wales valleys. These are prepared and cooked by the catering staff at Cardiff Masonic Hall and Church Village Caterers, Abercynon, both of whom have given their time free-of-charge to support this cause. The meals are delivered, safely, by a team of 75 volunteer freemason drivers.
Eleven foodbanks throughout south Wales have also been supported on a weekly basis, by the South Wales Freemasons, with food donations amounting to more than £5,000. The foodbanks supplied include: St. Teilo’s Church- in-Wales School, Cardiff; Twyn Community Hub, Merthyr; Taff’s Well Village Hall, Taff’s Well; Trussell Trust Bridgend; Fforest Lodge Hub, Treharris; St. Luke’s Church, Pontypridd; Butetown Community Centre, Cardiff (covering Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan); Neath and Swansea and a newly established foodbank at Penpedairheol community centre, Caerphilly.
Mike Philips, Chair of the Taff’s Well Village Hall, said: “Though the pandemic has caused catastrophic problems for many residents in the Taff’s Well and Nantgarw communities, the response from the Freemasons during our hour of need has been truly unbelievable. The one thing I have learnt from these recent events has been in times of hardship, how community spirit kicks in. At the end of the day it’s all about people taking care of people and for this we cannot thank you enough.”
Mrs Kay Thurston, a local resident from Penpedairheol, said: “Thank you so much for my sister’s food parcel, she was over the moon and it’s very much appreciated. She is a recovering breast cancer patient, and a few weeks ago fell down her stairs and cracked a bone in her back. She was working but is now unemployed so every little helps.”
Hilary Brown, from the Butetown Community Centre, said: “I would like to convey our sincere gratitude for the amount of help that has been given by the South Wales Freemasons to support many vulnerable people during this COVID-19 pandemic. The food donations have been distributed to families all over Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, and the provision of healthy meals to twenty needy people in Butetown and to eleven families who are vulnerable and with children with life limiting illnesses, have been most appreciated. Your efforts and commitment to help the most vulnerable and often invisible people in our society is immeasurable, and words fail to convey the difference you have made in the lives of many.”
Alan Gardener, Assistant Provincial Grand Master of the South Wales Freemasons and coordinator of these initiatives, said: “The South Wales Freemasons are glad to be able to help our local communities at this time, and support with providing hot meals and food supplies to those who need them most.”
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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
Square Meals – Meals provided by the South Wales Freemasons
Gavin Grey – Fforest Lodge hub foodbank