We are starting the year off with a £10,000 boost from Hertfordshire Freemasons to help us continue with the work we do supporting 39 formerly homeless people here in our community.

Funded entirely by Freemasons and their families, the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) is one of the largest grant-making charities in the country. Having donated £1m between April and July 2020 to help those impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, Freemasons are now focusing on protecting the homeless, with a new series of donations in England and Wales, totalling £850,000.

Emmaus Hertfordshire provides a home, meaningful work, daily support and funded training for people who have experienced homelessness or social exclusion. This includes work opportunities in our shops across the county, a house-clearance and cleaning service and our award winning eBay shop, open throughout lockdown www.ebay.co.uk/str/emmaushertfordshire.

John Chesters, the Chief Executive here at Emmaus Hertfordshire, said: “We are very grateful for this incredibly generous donation from the Masonic Charitable Foundation. The COVID-19 pandemic has once again forced the temporary closure of our shops, resulting in a significant drop of income, while at the same time we are seeing a rise in the number of people needing to access homelessness services. Support like this given to us by the Freemasons is needed more than ever and will go a long way in helping us to continue the support we offer to 39 formerly homeless people here in Hertfordshire”

Emmaus communities in 12 locations across the UK are among the organisations being prioritised by the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), which is the governing body for Freemasons in England and Wales.

Paul Gower, Provincial Grand Master for Hertfordshire, said: Hertfordshire Freemasons are very pleased to have been able to support Emmaus with a donation via the Masonic Charitable Foundation. The Emmaus charity carries out tremendous work supporting the homeless, even more so in these very difficult times. During the Covid pandemic we have seen a rise in the numbers of people seeking assistance within our community. We hope that our donation will go some way to help relieve the difficulties faced by those in such difficult circumstances.”

To find out more about the Freemasons’ Charity ww.mcf.org.uk/