BERKSHIRE Freemasons have teamed up with charities in Reading to provide days out for children and carers.
The organisation teamed with Grass Rootz, an initiative which provides regular youth clubs around the town, to fund transport for more than 100 children and carers to visit theme parks last week.
Reading Family Aid arranged for a group of younger children to visit Chessington World of Adventures and an older group to visit Thorpe Park the following day.
Members of Berkshires Freemasons, Reading Family Aid, and the Grass Rootz charities waved off the groups, including Reading Family Aid’s outings manager, Vivienne Simpson; Berkshire Freemasons’ charity steward Mickey Labana; and the Deputy Leader of Berkshire Freemasons, Mark Heppelthwaite.
The groups numbered more than 100 in total.
Mark Heppelthwaite, the Deputy Leader of Berkshire Freemasons said, “Despite the chilly weather, the children were beaming with excitement and joy at where they were going.
“It’s a privilege to be able to make this happen for them–children are so very special to our members, as we nearly all have families of our own.”
Ruth Perkins of Reading Family Aid said, “We’re so grateful for the support given to the children we help by the Berkshire Freemasons.
“We really didn’t imagine them be quite so supportive this year and it’s a delight to see the children so happy.”
More information about Reading Family Aid is available via: readingfamilyaid.org
More information about Freemasonry in Berkshire is available via: berkspgl.org.uk
Details about the Berkshire Masonic Charity are available via: berkspgl.org.uk/local-charity/