Leeds Freemasons help Meanwood park playground with a well needed upgrade
The Lodge of Dawn donate £30,000 to Meanwood Park Playground Appeal!
Back in February 2020 one of the members of the Lodge of Dawn Freemasons lodge saw a news story in the YEP* about a group of fed-up parents who had just launched an appeal to improve the local children’s playground. Under half a mile from their masonic hall, it sounded like the perfect cause for the lodge to get behind and support.
The lodge reached out to offer to see if they could help, but were a little bit too early, as the group hadn’t yet registered as a charity nor even had a bank account to receive funds! And then the pandemic hit and everything went quiet.
Fast forward to January 2023 and the Meanwood Park Playground appeal group re-contacted The Lodge of Dawn.
By now the group had a constitution, a partnership agreement, initial funding, plans and bank accounts. The group had received an initial funding grant of £75k from Veolia Environmental Trust, and £20k from Leeds City Council which had enabled the first phase of work to commence, but more funding was still needed.
The Lodge of Dawn took up the request and worked closely with the group to put forward an application to the Yorkshire West Riding Provincial Grand Master’s Fund which focuses on the ‘Freemasonry in the Community’ Initiative. A few short months later and both the lodge and the group were delighted to hear that a grant of £30,000 had been awarded to help support the on-going development of the Playground.
“Charitable giving is a key part of masonic life. We are delighted to see our funds being used for something that supports our local community, and moreso is right on our doorstep. And from our own point of view this is the largest major grant that we have ever secured so we are doubly delighted. I would also like to take this opportunity to put it out there that if anyone reading this works for, knows of or simply is connected to a charity based in the North Leeds area please get in touch, we would be pleased to consider your cause for a financial grant.”
The Lodge of Dawn
You can find out more about Meanwood Park playground and donate via this link: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/meanwoodpark
Follow the Meanwood Park Playground Appeal’s progress on Facebook:
@MeanwoodParkPlayground
“Meanwood Park is at the core of our community, and the playground needs some serious work so we can create better play facilities for the children in and around Meanwood for years to come. We are absolutely delighted that The Lodge of Dawn proposed an application supporting us to West Riding Masonic Charities. The Leeds Freemasons have now granted us £30,000 to deliver some fantastic new, safer and accessible features to the playground. This will make a huge difference to the project to revive and renew the whole playground, and we are thankful for this fantastic support!”
The Meanwood Playground Appeal
The Lodge of Dawn members come from Alwoodley, Moortown, Shadwell and the surrounding areas.
The Lodge of Dawn is currently open to new members.
Whilst an introduction into Freemasonry has previously only been by invitation only, The Lodge of Dawn is happy to meet or talk to any readers of THAT LEEDS MAG who are interested in becoming a Freemason. Find out more here.
