Provincial Charity Steward Pete Tong poses the riddle of the MCF…
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When is an insurance company not an insurance company?
When it’s the Freemasons’ charity the MCF, says Pete Tong
If you were to call an insurance company and ask to take out a policy, but wanted to pay only what you could afford and only when it was convenient to you, what would be the reaction?
Imagine if you wanted to include certain members of the family in that cover, but didn’t want to pay more to do that. I can’t hear the insurance ‘agent‘ saying, ‘Yes, don’t worry, it doesn’t matter how much you contribute. In fact if things get really bad and you can’t pay at all, we’ll still support you?’ and then adding, ‘Including some of your family, yes of course, we would be pleased to help’.
The Freemasons’ charity the MCF is not an insurance company but, in some ways it’s like one. MCF does exist to support you and certain members of your family when you have problems – mental health problems, health and wellbeing problems, or you need support with daily living costs – what I guarantee they will not do is say, ‘Hang on a moment whilst I check how much you have paid in.’
During the year 2022/2023 – 95 Lincolnshire Freemasons and their families were supported with grants totalling £331,907. £133,311 was given to support health and wellbeing, and £36,516 to support the education of children and young people. Sadly the year saw a 30% increase to £162,080 in support with daily living costs compared to the previous 12 months.
However, it is not just the money, it is the support, help and advice we get from the MCF Team. The number of people who accessed mental health support had also risen, from six to eight. Some may say that’s a small number, but that is eight people who at the time were suffering the dark anguish and distress of mental health problems. Ask yourself, how easily could they have accessed that support through the state… or an insurance company?
But it is not only we Freemasons and our families that the MCF supports. In 2022/2023 they were able, through the support of Freemasons like you, to help 21 charities in Lincolnshire with grants totalling £49,600. To put it in context, there are 48 Provinces in England Wales and the Channel Islands, and MCF supported a total of 451 charities. Therefore, each Province potentially received fewer than 10 charity grants, whereas our Province had 21 – wonderful support.
…and that is why we are currently in Festival.
