The singing has ceased for a fundraising choir.

Kirklees Mass Choir has disbanded after four years of fun, singing and raising money for charity.

The choir was formed in 2012 by Emily Reeves Bradley, musical director of Honley Ladies Choir, to give a concert for Mayor of Kirklees Clr David Ridgway’s chosen charity, the Yorkshire Regiment Benevolent Fund. The concert raised £18,000.

The choir went on to perform for several charities, including the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal in 2013, which raised more than £5,000; a concert for the Yorkshire Regiment Benevolent Fund in November, 2014, raising £6,000; and a concert with Hade Edge Brass Band, which raised £780 for the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice.

But choir chair Karen Todd said membership had fallen from 140 to fewer than 100 and the choir faced rising costs in staging the concerts, booking rehearsal space and publicity.

Mr Ridgway, choir president, said he was sad the choir has decided to close. The choir had worked very hard, adding: “It is a remarkable achievement and I have thoroughly enjoyed my involvement.”

The remaining funds – £2,083 – is going to the children’s hospice at Bradley, where the choir has bought a glass block for the Wall of Celebration with the inscription “You Raise Me up” – the choir’s signature song.

Three hospices have received thousands of pounds from a Freemasons’ charity.

Kirkwood Hospice at Dalton, Overgate Hospice in Elland and the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice at Bradley received cheques totalling £3,290, £2,218 and £2,143 respectively from Alan Elstone and John Gledhill, of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Yorkshire, West Riding, on behalf of their national charity. The amounts donated were calculated on the number of beds and community services each hospice provides.

Yorkshire’s 15 hospices have received over £45,000 from the Freemasons’ national charitable foundation as part of a £600,000-plus handout across England and Wales. Since 1984, its national charity has donated over £11m to hospices nationwide. That is in addition to monies given to local communities through West Riding Masonic Charities Ltd.

Freemasons Alan Elstone (left) and John Gledhill (right) present cheques to Wasim Hussain of Kirkwood Hospice, Harriet Eames of Overgate Hospice and Debs Davies of Forget Me Not Children's Hospice.

Earlier this year, the Provincial Grand Master’s Fund gave £40,000 to Castle Hill School at Newsome to help fund a sensory pod for pupils with severe and multiple learning and physical difficulties.

Good causes around Huddersfield can expect further support in 2017 as Freemasons mark the tercentenary of the United Grand Lodge of England. Some £300,000 is being made available across the region in recognition of the milestone, which coincides with the bicentenary of Yorkshire, West Riding Freemasons.

Seven members of staff at an Elland firm will step out this Christmas to help flood-hit households and businesses.

Employees at print management specialist ABS UK Ltd will walk 34.7 miles in 24 hours to raise money for Watermark, a fund set up by the Community Foundation for Calderdale (CFFC). The aim of the fund is to build up a pot of money available for businesses and households immediately if and when future floods hit.

The 2015 Boxing Day floods when thousands of homes and businesses were affected across Calderdale. ABS hopes to raise £4,000 towards the fund by taking on the Walk for Watermark challenge on Thursday, December 22.

Steve Duncan (third left), of the Community Foundation for Calderdale with (from left) Brett Abson, Dave Lees, Sally Roberts, Lea Roberts and Steve Hosker, all of ABS UK Ltd

Starting from the firm’s HQ, they will follow a route taking in areas worst-hit by the floods, including Brighouse, Copley, Sowerby Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden. They will finish at Gimbals Restaurant for a celebratory Christmas dinner with CFFC members. ABS has chosen CFFC as its charity partner for 2017.

David Lees, marketing manager at ABS, said: “We are ready to put our best foot forward for this challenge and to support our local community. Any donation we receive, big or small will be gratefully received.”

To donate, go to https://localgiving.org/fundraising/walkforwatermark

Huddersfield members of Leeds Building Society have raised £23,000 for good causes during the past 12 months.

And their generosity has helped the society’s charitable foundation donate more than £1.5m to worthy causes across the UK – with members contributing the pence they get on their interest.

The foundation has helped more than 2,000 charities since it was set up in 1999 by awarding grants of up to £1,000 to organisations based near its offices and branches.

Denise Watson, manager of the Market Street branch in Huddersfield, said: “As a building society, we are owned by our members and its part of our core ethos to support good causes in the communities where we and our members live and work.

“I’d like to thank all our members, in Huddersfield and across the UK, for their support.”