Mayor stands by Masons charity choice (From This Is Local London)

Mayor stands by Masons charity choice

4:48pm Wednesday 13th May 2009 in

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THE new Mayor of High Wycombe today said she “absolutely” stands by her controversial decision to have her official charity appeal support Freemasons.

Conservative councillor Julie Pritchard spoke after Liberal Democrats questioned choosing a charity for the Mayor’s Appeal which gives “most” cash to families of the group.

The Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys says its “primary aim” was to help Masonic families.

The Mayor’s Appeal takes donations from members of the public and holds events for the Mayor’s current charity. It raised £17,500 last year for South Bucks Hospice.

The revelations caused a storm of debate on the Bucks Free Press website yesterday (see links, below).

Cllr Pritchard said: “I am absolutely standing by my decision.

“There is an element of tradition not peculiar to Wycombe that individuals have the choice not to support my events.”

And she said it was not valid to criticise the charity for not being based in the town.

Previous appeal charities such as the hospice and Alzheimer’s Society were not solely for townsfolk, she said.

Cllr Pritchard said: “If that is the case then the last five years, to my knowledge, would not have been fundraised.”

The trust’s guidance states that families in “poverty or financial hardship” must have a “Masonic connection”.

If not, the trust only gives support to other national charities, it says. Yet its website says this cash is not being given out as its “primary aim”, to help Masons, is taking up funds.

It says “At present, the Trust’s resources are sufficient only to support its primary beneficiaries and its existing projects.

“It is not able to consider applications for new non-Masonic grants at this time.”

The national charity’s website says “the main work of the trust is to assist Masonic families”.

It adds: “Most grants can be made only to children and young people who are, or have been, supported by a Freemason under the English constitution.”

Under “non-Masonic” support it lists a charity, Lifelite, which aims to raise £600,000 a year for hospices.

Cllr Pritchard will split the Mayor’s Appeal with the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance.

After being sworn in on Saturday she told more than 100 guests at the Mayor’s reception that the charity was not just for children of Freemasons.