The RMBI (Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution) is there to look after elderly Masons
and their dependants at their time of need.

It accommodates over 1000 residents in the 17 homes around the country and over
3000 other people benefit from their services still living in their own homes.

In 2006 it cost £26million to run the RMBI of which about £20million was
collected through contributions from tenants and Local Authorities. The
difference of £6million needs to come from other sources
which includes Festivals.

I would like to thank all those brethren who have signed up in support of the
Festival and our contribution toward it and ask any who have not yet to
please think seriously about doing so. Unlike many charities the
RMBI will only receive charitable donations from Masons.

The Festival Committee have announced a couple of interesting initiatives.

There is the “Executive Master Class”. One Lodge and one Chapter will get the
opportunity of having the Provincial Executive attend one of their meetings
to perform a ceremony.

It will be decided by a draw to be made at the next Provincial Annual Meeting in
May 2008 and to enter a Lodge needs to donate £2500 or a Chapter £1000
in a lump sum between now and the end of April 2008.

The other is the “Golden Trowel”. This is an actual trowel to be awarded to both
the Lodge and Chapter that achieves the greatest average donation by
member at the end of the Festival.

Members of the lodge and chapter at the time of the award will receive golden
trowel lapel pins and representatives will be invited to the Festival Dinner as
guests of the Festival Committee.

More information on these initiatives can be obtained from your Charity Forum
Centre Chairman, details of which you will find on the Charity Forum page.

Donation forms can now be completed over the phone without the need for the
form to be signed. This should make it much easier for brethren to make
donations and much easier for the charity stewards to ask.

So if you haven’t donated to the Festival yet, give your Charity Steward a ring
and donate over the phone. To become a Steward only costs £234
(when given under gift aid) and that can be spread monthly over
3, 4 or 5 years so it could be as little as 90p a week!

If we don’t support our charities, no one else will!