Freemasons donate £46k to charities

Saturday 05 December 2020

Tens of thousands of pounds have been donated to local charity work by Guernsey and Alderney Freemasons.

Four charities have received £9,000 each, plus a total of £10,000 in certificates from the Masonic Charitable Foundation Matched Funding Scheme.

The beneficiaries are the Cardiac Action Group, Ernie's Angels, Guernsey Alzheimers and Guernsey Sea Cadets.

Representatives from each of the local charities attended a ceremony where they were presented with cheques and certificates by Provincial Grand Master Keith Read.

Ernie’s Angels was founded in December 2017 in memory of Ernie Backlund-Leale, a young boy who died in September of that year.

Pictured: Clare Backlund-Leale, Ernie's mother, receiving a cheque on behalf of the charity that is run in his name. 

Ernie had received much support from local people during a long illness and eventual terminal diagnosis, so a group of his family and friends decided to harness that support in order to continue to help local children. 

The aim of the Sea Cadets is to give young people an experience that will help them grow into the person they want to be in a safe and friendly environment. Through various activities and adventures, young people learn teamwork, respect, loyalty, self-confidence, self-discipline, honesty and integrity, and how to be the best version of themselves.

The Cardiac Action Group aims to help raise awareness of heart disease in the Bailiwick and to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease.The charity facilitates the development of new cardiac services and is continually looking to increase the number of public AED defibrillator units.

Pictured: Members of the Guernsey Sea Cadets with Provincial Grand Master Keith Read.

The Guernsey Alzheimer’s Association holds regular social activities to help support carers and those they care for. The charity offers practical advice, respite and opportunities for carers to connect with others who share similar experiences.