Freemasons help to keep hope alive in Bourne
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Work to enhance the wellbeing of people in Bourne has been supported with a donation of £1,000 to the Don’t Lose Hope organisation from Freemasons in Bourne and Spalding.
Don’t Lose Hope provides access to therapeutic and emotional support and a subsidised counselling service for ages four and upwards.The services provided by the charity are free for families and individuals receiving certain state benefits, and is offered at reduced rates to all others. Said Don Brister of Don’t Lose Hope: “The aim is to make the counselling available to everyone, regardless of income. This service is delivered by a team of qualified and experienced counsellors, in private fully equipped counselling rooms at our premises in Bourne town centre.”
The charity also provides a community cafe that’s open Monday to Saturday offering access to support groups, workshops, and advice. Mr Brister added: “This is a space where anyone can drop in and find someone to talk to, get involved in activities, make friends or just have a slice of cake and a cup of tea.”
The charity operates a shop in South Street in Bourne town centre offering a variety of gifts and home furnishings, with all profits going towards funding the service. There is also a community garden, which is used to grow produce to use in the cafe, encourage positive links with nature and its benefits to mental health, increase community spirit and reduce social isolation, as well as provide a space where people can visit, sit, talk, listen and share. The space also houses a workshop where people can bring items to be repaired, repurposed or reused rather than going to landfill. There are workshops and training sessions to allow people to learn new skills, build friendships and raise funds for the charity through selling items produced.
Graham Allen, Master of Hereward Lodge in Bourne and Stephen Holland, Master of Welland Lodge in Spalding, met Mr Brister, Director of Motivation of Don’t Lose Hope to learn about the charity’s work and hand over the funds.
The Lodges gave £500 each from the Freemasons’ New Provincial Benevolent Fund, and Dom had invited them to the Don’t Lose Hope shed to explain a bit more about the Charity and what kind of services it offered.
