A Boost from Castle Lodge

W Bro Mick Lay (R) David Holmes (L)

In September 2011 the Charity Steward of Castle Lodge No. 1436, Mick Lay, accompanied by his wife, visited an Open Day at the Demelza House hospice in Sittingbourne, Kent. Impressed by the tender care and love given to the children with life threatening conditions, Mick proposed in his Lodge that Demelza House receive a donation of £500. At a time when fundraising is challenging and donations becoming increasingly more difficult to secure, the brethren of Castle Lodge enthusiastically agreed the proposal. The brethren have raised over £8,500 for charity over a period of five years. This is in addition to the £17,768 raised so far for the 2014 Festival, a magnificent effort by its fifty-eight members.

The Demelza House hospice provides respite care, short breaks, system control and end of life care for children and young people with life limited and life threatening conditions including those having treatment for cancer. There are two hospices and a community team supporting children, young people and families in Kent, South East London and East Sussex. However, it costs £3.5 million a year to keep these services running, and so the organisation relies heavily on charity donations.

On Friday 16th December 2011 Mick, accompanied by Provincial Information Officer Tony Elliott, presented a cheque for £500 on behalf of Castle Lodge to David Holmes, a representative for Demelza Hose. Furthermore, on Thursday 15th December 2011 the lodge presented another cheque of £500 to the Pilgrims Hospice in Ashford Kent

3 January 2012

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