Whilst at the South Fylde Group annual meeting and dinner, Mark Mathews discussed many topics such as membership recruitment and retention, the importance of visiting lodges in the province to support one another and also, one of the key tenets of Freemasonry; charitable giving.
Everyone agrees that actions speak louder than words and when it came to light that Adrian May, the WM of Baines Lodge 7844, is supporting a charity that is close to his heart, nobody hesitated in doing what they could to help. After a short email to guests was sent out, a fine collection of prizes was donated for raffle to raise much-needed funds and collectively, a cheque for £468 was presented to Adrian on the night.
Home-Start Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre is a charity based in Blackpool that supports families with young children. Whilst some of these families are poverty stricken; this is most definitely not the case for all. Some are living with the memories of war, after being forced to evacuate from war-torn countries. One of these people is Larysa, who was forced to leave war-torn Ukraine and has been awarded the Home-Start Community Champion Volunteer of the Year 2025. To watch a short video about Larysa, click here.
The charity offers support and mentorship and that all-important ‘someone to talk to’ without judgement or criticism. Their volunteers visit homes, offer support groups and organise social gatherings and outings. Last year, the charity transformed the lives of 58,000 children. Without government funding, it relies on donations and the often under-appreciated and overlooked work of volunteers.
Of course, this charity needs money, but what Adrian May and the team at Home-Start would really benefit from is time. The charity currently relies on a shop at 135 St Alban’s Road in St Annes to raise funds by selling second-hand goods. They are currently undertaking a refurbishment to transform the run-down, dimly-lit shop into a bright and vibrant hub of activity which aims to sell good-quality items at prices that support the local community, whilst raising vital funds. John Lee, also of Baines Lodge, is a strong advocate for the charity and realises that the shop is one of the main ways the charity raises crucial funds.
However, in its current state, it simply isn’t raising enough money. John and Adrian have a vision, where the shop will become a boutique-style shopping experience and customers can find a bargain, but not the typical bric-a-brac that is often found for sale. They are seeking good-quality clothes or items that could be donated. John said: “The only way to raise the standards and quality of the stock is by creating an awareness. The shop needs donations of high-quality clothes and items in order to change the culture and to entice new shoppers.”
Besides donations, Adrian also asked if anybody could lend a helping-hand on the weekend of 25 May, as this is the proposed weekend for the practical refurbishment of the shop. There are many tasks to be completed, such as helping to bag up and box up the stock in the shop or build shelves. The floor of the shop is currently uneven and on two levels making it tricky for wheelchair users, so any help in levelling this out or anyone who has a van to transport the equipment across town would be offering their time to a wonderful cause.
There has already been a lot of work completed behind the scenes by Phillip O’Conner and Pat Deakin, also of Baines Lodge, who have been working hard building and fitting kitchen worktops and a donation station at the back of the shop and converting old scaffold boards into shelves ready for the refurbishment. Vital funds for the refurbishment have been raised through Adrian’s JustGiving page, but there is only so much in the pot.
Sue Uttley, the volunteer turned manager, she said that a wish-list of hers would be to have some CCTV and a better lighting system to brighten up the shop. If you know anyone who might be able to provide a CCTV system, or could help with some interior lighting, it really will help. If you can spare a couple of hours a week to help as a volunteer in the shop so they can extend their opening hours, you will be making a difference to the future generation of this country.
On a visit to the shop with a view to building some awareness for this amazing cause, the shop was closed for business; why? Because of the lack of volunteers. It cannot emphasise enough how devastating it was as discussions with Pat Naylor, the CEO and Sue, the manager of the shop, they had to physically turn customers away.
With the front door open while some pictures were taken, no fewer than 10 customers wanted to come in and peruse the goods on offer. Sue said that the lack of volunteers means that they have no one who can run the shop at weekends, the busiest and most profitable days of the week. Luckily, she had the keys to operate the till and she made three sales. If you feel that you could help, please, please get in touch.
To visit their Facebook page, click here Please like and share. Also, the link to Adrian’s JustGiving page. If you would like to make a donation to help the charity directly, it will be gratefully received, please click here.
Pat, the CEO said: ”The JustGiving page has been a godsend. People underestimate the struggle for a constant flow of money to provide the vital services to local families.” Of course, this is where giving time comes in. By giving a little time, you really can make a big difference to 1,000s of young people who did not choose to be in the situation they are in. John Lee asserts that giving time is ‘In its purest form, the true essence of Masonry in the community’. If you can help in any way, please contact Adrian May on Adrian.may@gmail.com