Suffolk Freemasons

2021 Prostate Cancer Screening Programme

Suffolk Freemasons working with the community

Confirmed Dates for 2021

09:00 - 13:00 - All events are APPOINTMENT ONLY

Ipswich 12th June & 16th October

Sudbury 30th October

Bury St Edmunds 26th June & 6th November

Lowestoft 20th November

 To book, please visit events.chaps.uk.com

For further information please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The UK as no national Prostate Cancer (PCa) Screening Programme and many men are unaware of the risk their prostate gland poses. Consequently, over 12,000 men die from PCa every year and UK mortality is well above our European neighbours. 

Our 2020 leaflet “The Who, Why, What and How of Prostate Caner Screening” explained how long-term programmes regularly testing over 20 years with the simple blood test PSA halved the risk of death from PCa. In preliminary testing in Suffolk and at Freemasons’ Hall in 2020, 601 masons had PCa tests. Forty-nine (8.2%) were abnormal leading to detection and treatment already for a number of aggressive PCas. Consequently, Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk and CHAPS have come together with The National Federation of Prostate Cancer Support Groups (Tackle) to develop this Programme at scale and long-term with major contributors including Manchester and Cambridge Universities, Imperial College, The Graham Fulford Charitable Trust and a team of expert advisors. NB. We must emphasise the importance of personal, long-term commitment to repeated tests within the Programme to obtain the maximum benefit for men aged 40-80. After testing, your PSA result, reminders and individual appointments will be communicated online from events.chaps.uk.com.

 CHAPS   Is a men’s health charity dedicated to raising awareness and screening for all men’s health issues and PCa in particular.

 Tackle Prostate Cancer  is the campaign name of The National Federation of Prostate Cancer Support Groups.

The two charities have come together with Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk to run this Programme.

For any further information, advice or participation, contact us at 01206 321251 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Freemasons take lead role in NHS Frontline Workers’ Day

Photo shows the team at Howard House in Felixstowe after receiving much needed PPE donated by Suffolk Freemasons

The inaugural celebration of NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day is set to take place on 5 July 2021, with Freemasons leading the event. In Suffolk the event is being marked at Masonic Centres across the county who will be raising a flag or banner in support of the NHS and individual Lodges are in addition marking the day with an Afternoon Tea shared with family and friends. The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), the governing body for Freemasons, is inviting its 200,000 members to fly specially designed flags at 10am on 5 July, to celebrate this unique day dedicated to the NHS, social care and all those that work on the front line, who have saved so many lives during the pandemic. The celebration will also remember those workers we sadly lost.

The UGLE is one of the core supporters of the event alongside the Cadet Forces, English Heritage and the Women’s Institute. A £5 donation from every flag and length of bunting made will be equally divided between NHS Charities Together and the National Care Association. Freemasonry for Women and the Order of Women Freemasons have also joined the UGLE in this initiative, as Freemasons aim to set a record for the number of flags raised simultaneously across the nation. Subsequently, at 11am, Freemasons are planning a moment’s silence to remember NHS workers and all those who died from Covid-19. The day continues with a toast to the NHS at 1pm, raising a cuppa to the NHS during afternoon tea at 3pm, followed by an address to the nation at 6pm. At 8pm, the Freemasons will join the nation in an evening clap for NHS workers, while church bells are set to ring 73 times to celebrate 73 years of the NHS. Closing the celebrations at 9pm, there will be a #timetotoast for all NHS workers.

So far, nearly 37 Lodges and Provinces have made a commitment to the raising of the flag and other elements of the day. In addition, Northumberland Freemason, Nicholas Deakin, is hosting a special live streaming theatre show from the Tyne Theatre & Opera House with compere, comics, singers, reading, video footage and messages of support to raise money on the day. Bruno Peek, pageant master to the Queen and creator of NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers Day, said: “We are delighted that Freemasons, whose members come from all walks of life, are playing such a high profile and active role to start this special day of celebration and commemoration of those within the NHS, Social Care and on the Frontline who undertake so much for us all, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and fifty two weeks a year, without any thought of their own safety.”

In addition, Dr David Staples, chief executive of the UGLE, and a Consultant in Acute Internal Medicine at Peterborough Hospital, said: “We are facing the greatest global pandemic in living memory, and the NHS has never been so tested in its history. Its staff have been stretched beyond comprehension over the last year and they deserve our gratitude, our applause and all the support we can give. We are encouraging not only our 200,000 members, but the entire population to celebrate the day honouring and remembering the NHS workers with a complete programme of events on 5 July.”

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Freemasons have been supporting the NHS in a great many different ways. They have donated more than £2.5m so far to the Covid effort and complete 18.5 million hours of volunteering to help those in need each year. The donation is being used to help with food, personal protective equipment (PPE), supplements for hospitals and hospices, funds for NHS workers and ambulances. Freemasons have also offered their Lodges as bases to administer the vital vaccinations. In Hertfordshire, for example, Halsey Hall is being used as a vaccination centre, supporting three local GP surgeries. The centre has been operational since 15 January and once fully scaled up, there will be up to 1,000 vaccinations given there each day. Meanwhile, Freemasons are rising to the challenge to provide essential PPE to protect the vulnerable and the NHS. Thousands of visors have already been produced, with several businesses adapting their production lines to meet demand. In Norwich, for example, Colin Breckons has been making face shields with his company’s 3D printers – and giving them away free to the NHS and other key workers.

To find out more about NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers Day and to register your participation in the event, please visit: www.nhsfrontlineday.org

Freemasons rise to Covid-19 challenge with donations totalling £1m and 18 million hours of volunteering

 

 Pictured is a delivery of a Food Box by 'Square Meals' - a service by Suffolk Freemasons offering deliveries of boxes with three days of basic food items to create healthy meals for two people. Assembled by volunteers at the Sudbury Masonic Hall in North Street, the boxes contain food supplied by local businesses, such as butchers, bakers and wholesalers, to provide them with another source of income while trade is low during the public lockdown.

Faced with the greatest global pandemic in living memory, Freemasons came together in 2020 and donated a total of £1m as well as their time to help those in need. The donations were used to help communities in various critical areas, including foodbanks, support for unpaid carers, personal protective equipment (PPE), supplies for hospitals and hospices, support for women’s refuges, and funds for NHS workers, ambulances and equipment. Freemasons also worked 18 million hours as volunteers in a range of different areas, where there was a need, including driving vulnerable people to hospital, preparing meals, taking care of people at risk, organising care packages, producing scrubs, PPE and hand sanitiser.At the start of the crisis in April 2020, some Freemasons adapted their businesses’ production lines to produce nearly 5,000 visors for use in healthcare settings. Since then, Freemasons have produced or procured tens of thousands of pieces of additional PPE. Meanwhile, to help protect women and children from domestic abuse, Freemasons donated more than £165,000 in 2020. The donation helped more than 2,000 women during the lockdown, who received more than 1,000 parcels containing essential items for women fleeing domestic abuse.

Freemasons also focused their efforts on hospitals and care homes, donating nearly 1,000 tablets to provide vital contact between coronavirus patients and their loved ones. The tablets were provided to more than 50 hospitals, care homes and hospices. In London, hospitals including The Royal London, Queen Mary's and St Thomas' received approximately 115 tablets; while in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, some 200 tablets were donated. Elsewhere, to support thousands of families struggling during the crisis, Freemasons donated 300,000 meals and 38 tonnes of food to homeless people, women’s refuges and vulnerable people, supporting more than 120,000 people in total. Moreover, £560,000 was donated to provide meals and help numerous foodbanks.

Dr David Staples, chief executive of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), said: “No one in this day and age should have to worry where their next meal is coming from. We are so glad that we were able to provide thousands of families across the UK with a hot meal or food donations to help get them through this current crisis. Freemasons have achieved all of this in just a few months and have also given their time to produce and deliver food to the vulnerable.” The UGLE is also encouraging its members to roll up their sleeves and volunteer to help vaccinate the population. “More than 18.5 million hours of volunteer work were undertaken by Freemasons. Now it is crucial that we help in every way we can to protect the population. If the NHS needs volunteers, then we are happy to emphasise the importance of this to our members,” said Dr Staples.

He continued: “Our response to the Pandemic shows what Freemasonry is all about; supporting those in need, giving back to our communities and volunteering where it can make a real difference.  Freemasons have been doing this for over 300 years and I am proud of the time and commitment that our members have given to support the nation in its fight against Covid-19.”

In addition to the £1m donated in 2020, the Freemasons have committed a further fund of £2.1m to support the ongoing Covid-19 crisis response. Of that £2.1m, £850,000 has been allocated to support homeless people through several charities with which UGLE partners. More than 40,000 homeless individuals are being provided with food and essentials, transport, help with accessing services such as counselling and healthcare, as well as employment and training opportunities.

Further information can be obtained from Livia Ferreira, public relations manager, United Grand Lodge of England. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.