Cover Letter
Dear Secretary/Scribe Ezra
Proposed 2026 Impact Report
You will no doubt recall taking part in the Impact 2025 work last year, which helped us for the first time to understand the contribution our Province made to supporting our communities under the banner of service? Although this was widely circulated, I attach a copy of the report for your information. The combined efforts of our Lodges and Chapters across the province was staggering with over £667,703 donated to 570 charities and good causes, and over 89,662 volunteering hours undertaken supporting over 500 charities and good causes.
When the report was eventually produced, the feedback was excellent. The report was important for several reasons. Firstly, to show that we as Freemasons are making a difference in our communities. Secondly, to help inspire our members to keep going and trying new things. Thirdly, to help demonstrate that Freemasonry is a force for good in society, which is what is expected of us as part of the Pro-Grand Masters 7 Year Plan for Freemasonry.
It is now time to reflect on our work in 2026, which requires your support again. Hopefully, with the benefit of having done this before, this year it will be a more straight forward task to complete.
As before, we want to know how much money you donated to charities and good causes in your community and how much time you have given up through volunteering as both a Lodge/Chapter and as individuals outside of Freemasonry. We are also keen to know how many organisations and causes you have supported.
As Impact 25 demonstrated, our Province has an excellent track record when it comes to supporting our communities with making financial donations and volunteering our time on a wide range of projects as both Lodges/Chapters and as individuals outside of Freemasonry in our own time. We have also managed to do this during challenging circumstances such as the effects of Covid and a cost-of-living crisis, which we know has made it harder to raise funds to support our charity work. This achievement is a great testament to our compassion and desire to help the less fortunate, and our resilience as an organisation.
Your Charity Steward and Community Engagement Lead (if you have one) will also receive this communication, but it is important that you are also involved and that you support them in completing this task where you can.
The goal is to have the template ready to be submitted to the Provincial Grand Charity Steward by the 8th January 2027. The period we are looking to measure therefore is the full 12 months of 2026, which for the avoidance of any doubt, runs from the 1st January 2026 to the 31st December 2026. Anything outside this window should not be included.
It is understood that some Lodges/Chapters may not have reliable systems in place to accurately record the information required in the Template, or are currently not involved with some of the activities specified in the Template. We would ask that you simply do what you can to populate the Template. However, your Treasurer may also be able to offer some valuable assistance in this matter.
To assist you, additional guidance is attached, which will help you to better understand what is required, and help you to effectively engage with your members to obtain some of that information. In-person meetings will be arranged in the three areas within the Province where there is sufficient demand for this. There will also an on-line tutorial available within the new Charity Hub, which is accessible from the Provincial website: yorkshirenerfreemasons.org.uk
Whilst I appreciate that we have some way to go before 2026 closes, I felt it prudent to write to you as soon as possible so that you can prepare for the completion of this task in good time, which for some, may involve pulling together information you already have, or setting up systems to enable you to effectively record the information required, and for some, trying new things such as volunteering as a Lodge or Chapter.
You can also contact any member of the Charity PSG for assistance. The contact details of the respective leads are listed below:
Des McKenzie, PGCS.
E-mail: provchstwd@yorkshirenerfreemasons.org.uk mobile: [mobile number omitted on this public concept page]
Alan Allinson, PGCCS.
E-mail: alanallinson@hotmail.co.uk mobile: [mobile number omitted on this public concept page]
Ben Doree, Area Lead for the North.
E-mail: bendoree@yahoo.co.uk mobile: [mobile number omitted on this public concept page]
Richard Switzer-Green, Area Lead for the Centre.
E-mail: Switzergreen25@outlook.com mobile: [mobile number omitted on this public concept page]
Malcolm Forbes, Area Lead for the South.
E-mail: ladycairns@aol.com mobile: [mobile number omitted on this public concept page]
The full schedule of attachments include:
The Survey Template,
Guidance Notes for completing the Survey Template,
The Volunteering Proforma for Lodge Members.
I cannot stress how important this task is, and I know you will do your very best to support me and the Province in this essential task.
Yours sincerely
Mark Iveson
Provincial Grand Master