Charity News - St Patrick's
Lodge
Donations
Charities
supported by the Lodge this year 2008/9 are:
Middlesex
Masonic Festival 2009 for the RMBI.
The
RMBI (Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution) is there to look after
elderly Masons and their dependants at their time of need.
It accommodates over 1000 residents in the
17 homes around the country and over 3000 other people benefit from
their services still living in their own homes.
In 2006 it cost £26million to run the
RMBI of which about £20million was collected through contributions
from tenants and Local Authorities. The
difference of £6million needs to come from other sources which
includes Festivals.
St
Patrick's Lodge is supporting the new Festival in every way possible.
We have made our first donation to the Grand Charity, and raised £3,000
so far.
Kidney
Research UK - non Masonic
Founded
in 1961, Kidney Research UK is the leading UK charity funding research
that focuses on the prevention, treatment and management of kidney
disease. The charity also dedicates its work to improving patient
care and raising awareness of kidney disease.
To
help raise money we have opened a Shopping
page on this website. Every penny earned will go to charity. Click
on our Shopping
link for more details.
Dublin
April 2006 - St Patrick's Lodge No. 5742 - presents a donation of
£1,000 to the
Laura Lynn Children's
Hospice on the steps of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, Dublin
The charity Kidscape received
£630.00 from St Patrick's Lodge
to mark the conclusion of a very happy, and successful year 2002/3
by the W. Master W. Bro. Keith Denman, and his officers,
In fond memory of Bro. Bill Bridson, the longest serving member of
St Patrick's Lodge, and
according to his wishes, a donation of £25.00 was given to "Friends
of Wimbourne Hospital" .
National
Kidney Research Fund receives £1,400.00 from St Patrick's
5742
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At the Installation meeting
on Friday 28th June 2002 our outgoing W.Master W.Bro. Chris Whitebrook,
on behalf of the Lodge, presented a donation of £1,400.00 raised
from Lodge events throughout his year of office, to National Kidney
Research Fund representatives David Lumley and Maureen Harbour.
As a contribution to "Freemasonry in the Community " week
in 2002, St Patrick's Lodge have donated £289.00 to Army Cadet
Stephan Memary who was severely injured by a pipe bomb outside a local
Army barracks.
October 2001, Princess Alexandria Masonic Home received £150.00
from St Patrick,s Lodge
April 2001 Harrow Multiple Schlerosis Therapy Centre received £1,000.00
from St Patrick,s Lodge
St Patrick's Lodge also supports
local charities, and has made recent donations to St Luke's Hospice,
Mencap, Harrow M.S Therapy Centre.
Changes
to Tax System - Good News for Charities !
Extract from Charity Commission News issue 12:
The aims of the changes announced
on March 21st 2000 were to encourage more effective tax giving,
and reduce some of the VAT burden on charities.
Key changes are summarised below:
GIFT AID: The minimum amount of £250 has been abolished. Any gift
large or small, regular or one off, can now qualify for Gift Aid.
Individual donors can make a declaration that their donations are
Gift Aid donations via the Internet, or by telephone, as well as
in writing.
DEEDS OF COVENANT: Where a deed of Covenant is effective at 5th
April 2,000, no declaration will be needed to get tax relief. The
Deed will stand in place of the Gift Aid declaration for the amounts
covenanted until the Deed expires.
DONATING SHARES: Previously people donating shares received only
Capital Gains Tax relief. They can now also get Income Tax relief
for the market value of the shares on the date of the gift. They
simply claim the relief in their tax return. Companies can also
make gifts of shares in other companies, and claim relief against
their profits for Corporation Tax purposes
VAT AND FUND-RAISING EVENTS: The new measure extends the VAT exemption
on fund raising events where:
a) the public is made aware that the purpose of the event is to
raise money for charity;
b) the charity, or qualifying body runs a maximum of fifteen fund-raising
events of a similar type in the same location in any year. Each
event can last up to four days.
Useful websites for further information:
Charity Commission:
Inland Revenue:
VAT Budget details:
under "What's new", "Budget 2000"
