THE MASONIC TRUST FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

The Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys is the senior Masonic charity. It is based in Great Queen Street in London and serves Freemasonry worldwide, within the membership of the United Grand Lodge.

The mission statement of the Trust is: 'to continue to relieve poverty and provide an education and preparation for life for the children of the family of a Freemason and, where funds permit, for any child, as their fathers would have done, had they been able so to do.'

This is the oldest of the major Masonic Charities, set up in 1788, by Chevalier Ruspini, to provide schooling for the daughters of distressed and deceased Freemasons. The equivalent Charity for boys, was established in 1798, to provide clothing and education for the sons of indigent Freemasons.

The two Charities operated in parallel until they were merged in the early 1980's into one Charity - The Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys.

The Charity has had a long and close association in education, having operated separate schools for Boys and Girls. The former, based at Bushey Park, was closed in 1977. The girls' school, at Rickmansworth, remains open to any fee-paying girls, but continues to be available to successful petitioners to the Trust when appropriate.

The activities of the Trust, which is financed entirely by Freemasons, has considerably widened its scope of charitable activities in recent times and is recognised as a forward looking and innovative Charity. It continues to develop the major responsibility of receiving and considering petitions. Educational support is also promoted through Undergrad Aid - giving financial support to students in higher education, Choral Bursaries - financing successful candidates in Cathedral Choir Schools and Talent Aid - financially supporting the special needs in the education of highly gifted children.

The Trust regularly supports non-Masonic charities with substantial grants for approved projects. The Masonic Province of Nottinghamshire has benefited greatly in recent years, with grants of £25,000 each to the Fountaindale School, in a project developing communication in severely physically and mentally disabled children, and to Walesby Forest International Camping Site, where the Trust supported the Nottinghamshire Freemasons, in a £75,000 building of a reception centre, as a local Millennium initiative.

Nationally, the Trust is developing the millennium Lifelites project, having committed over seven million pounds to the provision of a networked computer system in children's' hospices throughout the country. This is enabling young people to have the benefit of education, learning, contact and fun during what is, inevitably, a difficult time.

The Trust is reliant on the continuing generosity of Freemasons in undertaking their important role in the lengthy preparation for life in our young children.

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