Service
Charity is one of the founding principles of Freemasonry — and at Gosport Lodge, it's at the heart of why we meet.
Across England and Wales, Freemasons give over £50 million a year to charity — making us one of the largest non-corporate contributors to charitable causes in the country. At Gosport Lodge, we put our share to work locally, supporting causes here in Gosport, across the Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and through our national charity.
Whether it's participating in events, fundraising for a particular cause, or volunteering with a community organisation, service is at the very heart of Freemasonry. Our members make valuable contributions by donating time, resources and skills.
Where our giving goes
Like all lodges under the United Grand Lodge of England, our giving flows through three main channels — national, provincial and local. Together they reach an extraordinary breadth of causes.
National
The MCF supports Freemasons and their families in hardship, and gives substantial grants to non-Masonic causes — hospices, medical research, mental-health charities and community organisations across the country.
Visit the MCFProvincial
Our Provincial charity (HIWMC) focuses support on local causes and members across our county. It funds emergency-response equipment, hospice care and a wide range of community projects.
Visit the ProvinceLocal
Direct support for community organisations, hospices and emergency services here in Gosport — chosen each year by the Lodge committee on the basis of need and local impact.
Specific local causes for the current year — to be confirmed by the committee.
Recent fundraising
Our fundraising is as much about good company as it is about good causes. Our summer race night in the garden brought members, partners and friends together for an afternoon of fun — and raised money for charity along the way. Alongside our annual Charity Night, it's a reminder that the best fundraising doesn't feel like hard work at all.
The committee is pulling together recent totals to publish here. If you have figures or photos to add, please get in touch with the Almoner.
Getting behind good causes
Beyond our own events, we're glad to get behind wider Masonic charity efforts across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. One we're proud to support is the Widows Sons' Christmas Toy Appeal — an annual toy run by the Widows Sons Masonic bikers in aid of SCRATCH, which relieves poverty for families and individuals in Southampton and the surrounding area.
It's a great example of the spirit that runs through the Craft: different Lodges and orders, all pulling in the same direction to bring a few more smiles at Christmas.
Service is in a Freemason's DNA. It's the focus of our First Degree ceremony, and its importance and virtues are the first lesson a newly made Freemason learns.
Get involved
Many of our charity events are open to the wider community — Charity Night welcomes family, friends and neighbours, and you're warmly invited. If you'd like to attend an event, donate to a current appeal, or partner with the Lodge as a local charity, we'd love to hear from you.
Get in touch