Masons give a helping hand in lockdown fundraising drive
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HIGHLAND Foodbank is among the beneficiaries of a lockdown fundraising drive by freemasons across the region.
The Inverness-based food bank project run by Blythswood Care was presented with a cheque for £360 from two members of different city lodges after a three-week campaign.
Six lodges in Inverness-shire and four based in the Ross and Cromarty area donated to an appeal, raising more than £2500 in total.
As well as the food bank donation, the Inverness Foodstuffs project, based at the city’s Ness Bank Church, received two separate donations totalling £1300.
Much of the rest of the funds went on buying and delivering supplies of tea, coffee, sugar and other essentials to frontline workers in Inverness’s hospitals, as well as those working for the police, fire and ambulance services.
Alex Craib, a member of Lodge St Columba in Inverness, said: “I had a thought about providing frontline workers with coffee and biscuits, so I put a post on to our Highland Masonic Facebook page.
“Having expected enough money to buy one donation for each ward, we ended up with £2540 and a van load of supplies.
“This provided for seven deliveries to frontline staff between the three hospitals, the ambulance service, the police and fire service.”
He added: “There was enough money left over to donate some £360 to the food bank.
“Subsequently, I put out another appeal and we collected a dozen bags of supplies and another £360.
“The generosity of my fellow freemasons has been overwhelming in these troubled times and I cannot thank them enough.”
Lodge St Andrew 601 in Ardersier is also supporting a local food bank there during lockdown.
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