Freemasons are paying out tens of thousands in grants across Kirklees.
Four Huddersfield area charities are being boosted by major grants totalling £72,000 while a further nine small organisations are also being gifted handouts bringing the total to more than £84,000.
Mencap in Kirklees is the biggest beneficiary with a huge £26,000 donation.
The Lindley -based charity, which provides support for people with learning difficulties, is using the cash from the West Riding Provincial Grand Master’s Fund to buy a new a 14-seater bus to replace its 20-year-old vehicle.
Kirkwood Hospice in Dalton has been awarded £25,200 to buy six electric beds for patients who have severely reduced mobility.
The Welcome Centre, based on Lord Street in the town centre , is getting an £11,000 cash injection.
The charity, which provides front-line support for families and individuals in crisis, will use the money to upgrade IT and telephone equipment.
Brockholes -based DEMAND, who design and manufacture bespoke equipment for the disabled in schools and for charities, are receiving a £10,000 cash boost.
Representatives from the four charities will be presented with their grants by Provincial Grand Master David Pratt at the Freemasons’ annual meeting at the Royal Hall, Harrogate, on May 2.
Many Huddersfield area Masons are expected among the 1,100 in attendance who will hear about the £300,000 distributed throughout the year in celebration of the Tercentenary of United Grand Lodge of England and the Province of Yorkshire West Riding’s bicentenary.
Mr Pratt said: “We continue to provide an example of Freemasonry being at the very heart of the communities that we live and work in and I am always both amazed and grateful for the extreme generosity shown by our members in helping ensure that we can do this.”
Smaller grants have been awarded to Holmbridge Cricket Club, who will receive £3,000 towards their project of providing a new electronic scoreboard; Hepworth Community Association (£2,000) for a defibrillator in the village; Berry Brow Infant and Nursery School will get £1,000 towards the cost of a new climbing frame and equipment; Woodley School and College for autistic children based at Dog Kennel Bank gets £1,000 to to equip a new room to reduce class sizes; Parkwood Scout Group at Longwood receives £1,000 towards the cost of new tents and stoves and Yetton Together receives £1,000 to help fit out a new kitchen.
Saddleworth Ranger Amateur Rugby League FC has been awarded £1,000 to help buy tables and chairs for its new clubhouse;
Hepworth Community Association has been given £2,000 to provide a defibrillator for the village; Safe Anchor Trust LTD in Mirfield has been given £850 to replace a heavy steel hatch on a narrow boat with a lighter, aluminium hatch and the 7th St George’s Scout Group in Halifax has been given £640 to replace old, worn tents.
