Durham Freemasons are proud to be working with Alice House Hospice, which supports the communities of Hartlepool, Tees Valley and East Durham, to strengthen the support available to Freemasons and their families at the most difficult time in life.
Through the Masonic Aware initiative, hospice staff are learning more about the help that can be offered through Freemasonry, including support from lodge Almoners, counselling services and financial assistance available through the Masonic Charitable Foundation.
Provincial Grand Almoner Duncan Maw recently visited Alice House Hospice to introduce the initiative and speak with staff about how Freemasonry can support families earlier in the end-of-life journey. Assistant Head of Durham Freemasons and Chair of the Durham Freemasons Charity, Martin Rankin, was also present to offer his support. The aim is to help hospice teams recognise when a patient or family may have a connection to Freemasonry and ensure they can quickly access the support that is available.
Duncan and Mark Davies, Durham Freemasons TLC Teddies Coordinator, also recently presented Comfort Bears and Art Therapy packs to the hospice. These thoughtful resources can help patients living with dementia and also support young children who are visiting loved ones, giving them a gentle and creative way to understand and cope with difficult emotions.
Durham Freemasons are also supporting the hospice through the Durham Freemasons Charity, which has awarded £3,000 as a Community Support Grant to help fund ongoing projects that benefit patients and their families.
Alice House Hospice provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care across Hartlepool, Tees Valley and East Durham, supporting both patients and their families with compassion and dignity. By working together through Masonic Aware, Durham Freemasons hope to ensure that no Freemason or family member faces this challenging time alone.
Duncan Maw said,
“Unless you have experienced it yourself, you don’t fully realise the worries families face. Our aim is simply to make sure people know what support is available and that they don’t have to go through this alone.”
This partnership is the first of its kind in the Province of Durham and we hope it will be expanded to other hospices in the future.
As Duncan reminds us:
“Be aware of what’s available. Don’t wait to be asked - just do it.”
