A number of frequently asked questions about the Festival from our Provincial Charity Steward Peter Tong

• What is the easiest way to make a regular donation to the Festival?

By far the easiest is to take out a Direct Debit with MCF either on line or using the paper Direct Debit form. In this way you can spread the donations over whatever period you like.

• Are there any other advantages to taking out a Direct Debit with MCF?

MCF will look at how much you are agreeing to give over the period of the Direct Debit and award you the appropriate honorific at the start. You don’t have to wait until the end of your Direct Debit. It will also go towards your Lodge total and Gift Aid will be claimed where appropriate.

• That’s all very well but I can’t afford to take out a large Direct Debit and put money in the envelopes as well.

 That’s fine. You give whatever you can and if you can’t afford to put what you normally do in envelopes, just put in what you can afford. Don’t forget you can always help with events that your Lodge is putting on. Charity is not just about money, it’s about practical help and that help will be greatly appreciated.

• Is there any way if I belong to three Lodges the Direct Debit can be allocated to all those Lodges?

Not by taking out just one Direct Debit but if you split the amount three ways you can take out three Direct debits naming a different Lodge in each then the money will go to the Lodge mentioned in each Direct Debit

• I already have a Direct Debit payable to MCF which I took out years ago. Will that money go to the Festival.

No. Any previous Direct Debits will continue until you cancel them but if you want that donation to count towards the Festival then you need to cancel it and take another one for the Festival. If you wish to do this you should contact Bridget Gialanze in the Relief Chest department, either on the telephone at 020 3146 3345 or via email at bgialanze@mcf.org.uk

• I’ve made a donation to the Festival and they sent me a receipt but it mentioned Everyday Hero Ltd. I am a bit concerned I have sent it to the wrong place.

Not at all, Everyday Hero is used by MCF and it is perfectly safe. But if you ever have any concerns about the security of any payments then get in touch with the Provincial Charity Steward, Pete Tong, or the Provincial Office and they will look into it for you.

• I don’t agree with honorifics. Why can’t the money the Province spends on them go towards the Festival?

There is no cost to the Province for the honorifics, they are free of charge.

• If I get one, I don’t want it presented in Lodge, just give it to me quietly and I don’t want to wear it either.

Tell your Lodge Secretary you don’t want it presented in Lodge, that’s not a problem, he will hand it to you. Neither do you have to wear it if you don’t want to. It is for you to decide and no-one will criticise you.

• If I want to just give through the envelope system, can I do that?

Yes. Just make sure you write legibly on the envelope. Remember someone has to input your name, address (including postcode) into the system. And don’t forget to ‘tick’ the appropriate Gift Aid box.

• Some people have labels they stick on the envelopes to save them having to write it out every time. Can I do that?

Providing the label has your name and address on it then that is OK. It is important though that you have made the appropriate Gift Aid declaration. Donations cannot be included for Gift Aid unless the person using them has previously ticked a gift aid declaration on a handwritten envelope slip.  Effectively if MCF can trace the donor back to a previous donation that had a valid declaration then that is ok, but if not then they can’t claim.  MCF’s advice is to ask all members to fill in one manually at least once a year

• If I tick the Gift Aid ‘on this donation and in the future’ box and then find I have reached my GA limit, do I need to write to MCF to stop them claiming GA or will they continue to claim GA if I do not tick the boxes in future.

It is up to you to advise the MCF (reliefchest@mcf.org.uk and telephone number 020 3146 3352) if you believe you can no longer claim Gift Aid. If you tick the box to include all future donations MCF will continue to claim it until instructed otherwise.

• I belong to three Lodges but want one to be my ‘dominant’ Lodge in other words the one to be credited with all my envelope donations how do I ensure the money is going to that Lodge. 

Any donations you make through the envelopes will go to the Lodge where you are at that evening. Even though you put your own Lodge number on the envelope, it will go to wherever you are visiting.

• I am thinking of doing a sponsored event. What is the best way to get people to donate to that?

Set up a Sponsored event page on the Lincolnshire Festival page. In that way people, not just Masons, can donate as much as they like. Gift Aid can also be claimed but tell them to make sure they fill out all the parts of that as it is different to the Gift Aid declaration they normally complete. If they do it on line then you don’t have to go round collecting the money after you‘ve done whatever it is you are going to do.

• I am sure there are loads of other questions I will have but can’t think of anything else at the moment. What do I do if I want to know something else.

Have a word with your Lodge Charity Steward or Festival Steward. They should be able to help but if they can’t they know who to get in touch with.

• Thanks, I’ve found this helpful. Any chance we can we do it again.

As questions arise I want to repeat this, so I am sure there will be many other questions and we can deal with them in a similar way.