A donation of £4,000 from Lincolnshire Freemasons will help Boston's Butterfly Hospice support people through the pain of losing a loved one.
The money will bolster a vital counselling service provided by a team of six full and part-time counsellors led by Therapy Services Manager Paul Caddell, who said: "Our aim is to make every day the best it can be."
And just how important the service is has been underlined by a woman being supported by it. She said:
"My son died recently, and I don't know where I would be now if it wasn't for the support I am getting from the Butterfly Hospice. Nobody really understands what those of us who have lost someone near and dear are going through because we are all different; we all deal with our grief in different ways."
Charity CEO Bridget McPherson said:
"This full £4,000 is dedicated to our Garden Therapy Village and its pioneering work helping people who are experiencing difficulties in their time of pre or post-bereavement. I think it is important that people learn a little more about the impact our therapy service has on those who need that listening ear when times are particularly tough for them. I thought Jane spoke eloquently and bravely about her own experience, and I hope in some small way that this provides everyone with the sense that the Freemasons' generosity of giving has a direct impact on the lives of so many people."
Provincial Charity Steward Pete Tong added:
"I shall never tire of saying that when it comes to charity, we should look beyond the giving itself and see the outcomes it achieves. Our contribution to the Butterfly Hospice and its work in supporting people like Jane is the perfect illustration of this. None of us knows when we might need similar support."
His sentiment was underlined by Denzil John, Charity Steward for Shakespeare Lodge, who said:
"It is incredible that this Hospice exists solely on Charity money. That emphasises the importance of donations from people like the Freemasons. It was a privilege to meet Thelma Fountain, a founding member of the group who pioneered the concept of a local Hospice in 1999, and for the Freemasons to be able to make a contribution to fulfilling their ambition."
The Freemasons' funds came from Shakespeare Lodge in Spilsby and three Boston Lodges, Franklin, Lindis, and Pilgrim Fathers, each of whom gave £500, which was matched funded by the Freemasons' central charity, the Masonic Charitable Foundation.
