Charity
Members propose charities; the lodge votes; the Relief Chest does the rest.
How we give
Funded through the generosity of Freemasons and their families, the Masonic Charitable Foundation is one of the largest grant-making charities in the country. Our lodge uses the Relief Chest Scheme so gifts can be directed to the causes members choose — including other lodges’ appeals.
A proposal is brought to a regular meeting and agreed by the members before a grant is made.
Together with many other London lodges, Earls Court has been — and continues to be — a regular donor to London’s Air Ambulance Charity. London Freemasons have also backed the charity’s fleet appeal as a metropolitan cause. Our lodge giving is ongoing, not a one-off campaign.
In thanks, the charity’s helicopters carry the words “London Freemasons” and the Square and Compasses on their side.
londonsairambulance.org.ukFreemasonry and charity
Almost all of this money comes from Freemasons and their families, not from public collections.
~£1m
every week
Nearly £1 million is given to charity every week by Freemasons under the United Grand Lodge of England.
£42m+
in a single year
Raised for charity, as reported in UGLE’s first annual report. Around 90% goes to non-Masonic causes.
£50m
to other charities since 2016
Around 5,000 grants to local and national charities from the Masonic Charitable Foundation.
£5m+
pledged to London’s Air Ambulance
By London Freemasons since 2015: £2.1m for the second helicopter and £3m towards the new Airbus H135 fleet.
Sources: United Grand Lodge of England, Masonic Charitable Foundation, London’s Air Ambulance Charity.