Thousands of Ukrainian refugees across England and Wales will be receiving practical support thanks to a grant of £500,000 raised by Monmouthshire and other Provinces, in partnership with UK Community Foundations.
The grant follows a similar £500,000 grant in April 2022 to the British Red Cross, UNICEF and other organisations working with Ukrainian refugees in Ukraine, Poland, Romania and Moldova. A separate donation of £50,000 was made shortly after the Russian invasion. This latest grant means that Freemasons have given more than £1 million to Ukrainian refugees since the war began. The new programme of grants will see 10 community foundations supporting local charities and community organisations that are providing immediate support for refugees arriving from Ukraine, as well as those who are developing longer-term support for the integration of Ukrainians already here.
Rosemary Macdonald, CEO of UK Community Foundations, said,
‘We’re very grateful to the Freemasons’ charity for its generous grant that will provide a major boost to local charities that are doing so much to welcome Ukrainians into their communities.’
Richard G Davies from Monmouthshire Freemasons said,
‘I’m pleased we’ve been able to provide substantial assistance to Ukrainians in need across the country. There has been an unprecedented wave of support for Ukrainians from the British public, but there is a great deal more that needs to be done. These are people who have left everything behind in a country that is suffering the effects of a devastating war. I’m proud of the help Monmouthshire Freemasons have provided in pushing the total amount raised to more than one million pounds.’
