Special partnership formed between Royal British Legion and Freemasons to boost Poppy Appeal
A special partnership has been forged between Hampshire and Isle of Wight Freemasons and the Royal British Legion (RBL) to boost this year’s Poppy Appeal.
Volunteer Freemasons will join forces with RBL's teams throughout the launch day on October 23 in Portsmouth, Southampton and Ryde on the Isle of Wight. They will also be at Aldershot two days later on October 25 as the two organisations come together to support the Armed Forces community.
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A special dinner, featuring an impressive performance by the Royal Marine Cadet Band, was held at the Royal Maritime Club in Portsmouth to mark the support of local Freemasons for the Armed Forces community.
Jon Whitaker, head of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Freemasons, speaking at the dinner, said: "We are delighted to be partnering with the RBL. Many of our members have served or currently serve in the Armed Forces, both in regular or Reserve roles. The RBL and Freemasonry share similar values such as comradeship, integrity, charity and are united in service.”
RBL's county chair for Hampshire, Richard Moore, and guest at the dinner, said: "We are very excited by the opportunity of our partnership with the local Freemasons and look forward to this significant initiative growing from strength to strength.
“These are exciting times for all involved as so many Freemasons are ex-servicemen. Both our organisations work on the same principles of putting our beneficiaries first and ensuring we do all we can to support our members and their families.”
Also attending the dinner was John Thompson from The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), representing 175,000 Freemasons in England and Wales as UGLE’s lead for the Armed Forces Covenant.
Most recently, UGLE has been awarded the MOD’s employer recognition scheme Gold Award. This highly valued award recognises commitment nationally and in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
John said: “I’m immensely proud that Freemasonry has been recognised with the MOD’s Gold Award. It’s a tribute to the countless members who, whether through military service or community support, live out our shared values and commitment to others.
“Hampshire and Isle of Wight Freemasons exemplify those values, and their partnership with the Royal British Legion is a natural extension of our enduring support for the Armed Forces community.”
Organised by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Provincial Stewards Lodge, the dinner included a generous donation by the Stewards Lodge and raised a bumper £4,000 which will help fund several important small local military charities.