Freemasons give £51,000 in charity donations

The Mayor and Mayoress of Rochdale, Councillor Keith Swift and Ms Susanne Etchells receiving a cheque for £700 from Rochdale Masons towards the Mayor's Charity.

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The Freemasons of Rochdale recently presented 44 different charities with donations totalling more than £51,000.

The 14 freemasons lodges from across Rochdale raised the funds over the past 12 months and gave it to charities such as the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Francis House Children’s Hospice, Rochdale Music Service, RNLI, SSAFA and Alzheimer’s Research Trust, alongside many others.

The event was held at the Freemasons’ Hall in Rochdale with 140 people in attendance. The Mayor and Mayoress of Rochdale, Councillor Keith Swift and Ms Susanne Etchells, were at the event alongside Assistant Provincial Grand Master Harold Woodward and his wife Phyllis.

Commemorative Certificates were presented to all the charity representatives by the Rochdale District Charity Steward, David Greenhalgh.

A string quartet from the Rochdale Music Centre provided music during the arrival of guests and also during the buffet meal.

An additional £700 was raised on the evening for the Mayors Charity Appeal.