Freemasonry in the Community - Mowbray Lodge supports Sunderland Food Bank

Throughout the period of the Covid Lockdown in 2020 the Brethren of Mowbray have continued to meet via Zoom on the first Wednesday of the Month. The meetings were felt to be an important way for the Brethren to keep up with the latest news, to ensure each brothers welfare was was known to the lodge and to maintain interest and momentum during the lockdown. As Christmas approached we started to think about those less fortunate than us and how we might be able to support those in our Communities who, through no fault of their own, suddenly found themselves in need of additional support. We decided that we would not send Christmas cards this year but to put the money saved on cards and postage to good use and support the Sunderland Food Bank. 

The call went out for either food donations or monetary donations to the cause and within two week the Brethren of Mowbray Lodge had mobilised themselves. 

On the morning of 14th December 2020 our Worhsipful Master Octavan Lazin, WBros Martin Lawson and Rak Bhalla and Bro Paul Clark collected then donations from paul's home and made the Journey to the Food Bank in Chester-le-Street run by the Durham Christian Partnership.

We met with Jonathan Conlan who runs the Foodbank Warehouse and were told of the sterling work done by the Food Bank and their volunteers. Last month the Foodbank received 15 tons of food in donations and delivered 12 tons to those in need. The Food Bank has moved from its old storage warehouse in Hendon to a new facility in Chester-le Street. They supply 35 Churches and other locations throughout the Province of Durham, nine of those being in Sunderland.

Jonathan was interested to hear of how we had come together in such a short time with donations of food and money to this worthy cause. In total we estimate that the Brethren have donated £600 in such a short time and I should point out that there was a £30.00 donation from one of the Lodge widows also. What a magnanimous gesture from someone who the lodge would normally be supporting at this time year. Not only were the Brethren involved in raising the necessary contributions but so were Friends, Family, and local Churchgoers. 

I have attached some Photos from the day for your interest and once again thank you for the generosity and pride shown by the members of Mowbray Lodge.

If I may, I would  like to also give special thanks to Paul Clark for coordinating the storage, our WM, Octavian for his ongoing enthusiasm and Martin Lawson for collating all the monetary donations.