Mark Charities Supporting the Communities of Yorkshire, West Riding

The Mark Benevolent Fund (M.B.F.) was founded in 1868 by Reverend George Raymond Portal, the then Grand Master for the Mark. It is now the National Charitable arm of the Mark Degree. In recent years it has supported many major Charities, including £3M to the Osteoporosis Society and similar amounts to St John Ambulance and ‘Hope for Tomorrow’, a charity providing Mobile Chemotherapy Units.

Airedale Hospital in West Yorkshire received a Mobile Chemotherapy Unit funded by the M.B.F. in November 2018. Over the last 12 months, it has donated over £200,000 to Charities across West Yorkshire, including: 

​An Ambulance Support Vehicle for St John Ambulance Yorkshire                            £32,000
A Rapid Response Vehicle for Yorkshire Air Ambulance                                              £32,093
A new Minibus for Martin House Hospice, Boston Spa                                                 £39,957
Refurbishment of a Canal Barge for Safe Anchor Trust                                                 £48,235
Special Syringe Drivers for Kirkwood Hospice, Huddersfield                                      £23,400
A Flood Relief grant to South Yorkshire Community Foundation                               £20,000
Perinatal unit support, Forget-me-not Children’s Hospice, Huddersfield                 £16,585
Portable Electronic Gaming equipment for Forget-me-not Hospice                          £4.035

Similar to the Craft national Charity, the M.C.F., the Mark Benevolent Fund relies on Provincial Festivals for its funding and the Mark Province of West Yorkshire is currently in Festival. You can help to support the West Yorkshire Mark Festival just CLICK HERE
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The Cleeves and Whitehead Trust is a local West Yorkshire Mark Charity, providing Support and Pastoral Care for West Yorkshire Mark Masons and their families. It also makes grants to worthy causes in the community and last year donated over £44,000 to Charities in our Province. These included:

​Lost Chord (Dementia Charity, South Yorkshire)                                                             £1,000
SNAPS (Special Needs support, Leeds)                                                                            £2,000
Asperger’s Children & Carers Together​ (Autism support, Sheffield)                          £1,500
Bradford Toy Library & Resource Centre (Toys for disabled children)                         £2,000
Safe Anchor Trust (Barge trips for disabled & disadvantaged, Mirfield)                    £2,000
Woodlands View Dementia Support Group (Sheffield)                                                 £7,200
Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes                                                                                   £2,000
Leeds Weekend Care (Weekend care for children with special needs)                     £1,000
Bradford Deaf Children (Supporting deaf children and their parents)                       £1,000
Performance Drama School (Providing children’s drama classes, Otley)                 £2,000
Clothing Solutions for Disabled People (Bradford)                                                         £2,000
Brighouse Central Methodist Church                                                                                  £13,440
Burley in Wharfedale Scout & Guide Group                                                                       £1,890
Fulfil the Wish (Activities for children with disabilities, Bradford)                               £2,500
Round Table Children’s Wish (Fulfilling wishes for sick children)                               £2,000

Mark Charities are proud to support the above worthy causes, which has augmented the excellent work being done across the Province by West Riding Masonic Charities Ltd.
R.W.Bro. J Steggles GMRAC