Through this increased reach, more young people have been given the opportunity to build confidence, develop communication and teamwork skills, and express themselves creatively in a supportive environment. The grant has not only extended the number of participants but has also strengthened the depth and quality of delivery, ensuring each school benefits from a rich, immersive experience.

The funding has been crucial in removing logistical and financial barriers to participation by supporting in-school delivery, professional facilitation, creative resources, and providing a final performance opportunity for pupils to share their work with peers, teachers, and families. By participating in Go Create, young people are supported to develop key life skills, including confidence, resilience, communication, and teamwork.

Go Create is an immersive six-week programme designed for mainstream primary school pupils in Years 5 and 6. Placing creativity, collaboration, and pupil voice at its core, the initiative partners students with professional theatre practitioners to devise, write, and rehearse an original theatre piece. The original work is inspired by a curriculum area linked to Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education, supporting pupils to explore topics that encourage critical thinking and self-expression, helping them to lead healthy, safe, and responsible lives.

Sita McIntosh, CEO of Go Live Theatre, said:

“We are incredibly appreciative to London Freemasons for this incredibly generous grant that has enabled Go Create to expand its reach and impact within this academic year. Thanks to the support, we have been able to bring the programme to six schools, engaging over 350 young people in meaningful, creative experiences. We are grateful for the support provided by London Freemasons in helping us inspire more young people and continue working towards our mission of making theatre accessible to all.”

Will Clayton, London Freemasons, said:

“London Freemasons are proud supporters of the arts and this exciting opportunity, providing support for over 350 young people living within our community to explore the power of the theatre and develop their skills for the future is something that we are pleased to be involved with”

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The £10,000 grant will go towards LonSAR’s operational costs – helping to keep the charity operational and ready to respond at any time of day or night. This is essential to enable volunteer teams to train, deploy and support police-led searches safely and effectively, all year round, whatever the weather.

LonSAR is a 100% volunteer-driven search and rescue charity that works alongside the Metropolitan Police, the City of London Police and other emergency services to help locate missing people who may be at immediate risk. Every year, over 42,000 people are reported missing in London, with a significant proportion classed as the highest risk and most vulnerable in our communities. Those LonSAR supports are often vulnerable due to their age (being elderly or children), people living with dementia, or those facing mental health challenges, including those who have made plans to act on suicidal thoughts.

While many think of London as an urban landscape, around half of the capital includes parks, commons and waterways – areas where searches can be complex, time-critical, and resource intensive. LonSAR’s professionally trained volunteers provide life-saving search support across land and water, with specialist capabilities deployed as required, including bike, drone, and water search teams  that help cover areas quickly and safely.

Anna Dean, Senior Leadership Team, London Search and Rescue, said:

“On behalf of everyone at LonSAR, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to London Freemasons for this £10,000 donation. Our volunteers are on call 24/7, and sustaining that capability depends on funding for our operational costs. This support means we can bring high-risk missing people home and give families hope during the most difficult time.”

Will Clayton, London Freemasons, said:

“We are pleased to be able to continue our support for LonSAR, helping them to continue the very valuable work that they do in supporting high risk, vulnerable and missing persons within our communities.”

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Only A Pavement Away is the national charity supporting people to rebuild their lives  through employment opportunities in the hospitality industry. Acting as a bridge between forward-thinking employers and referral partners, the charity provides tailored  learning and development, financial support and job opportunities. 

For example, Paul found a pathway out of homelessness through the Only A Pavement Away employment programme, and now works as a Goods Receiver at The Ivy Asia in Chelsea. He says,“Since Only A Pavement Away helped me back into full time employment, I’ve got money, I am able to pay my bills, buy myself clothing, and have found myself a place to live. My life is very stable and secure now which it had not been for a very long time. With help from the charity, I have gained so much confidence and can finally believe in myself. Best of all I am now able to work with my biggest passion in life… food.”

To date, Only A Pavement Away has placed 818 people into employment contributing an estimated £32 million in economic value and has received over 5,000 engagements with their Learning & Development programmes. 

Greg Mangham, Founder & Voluntary CEO of Only A Pavement Away said: 

“The recent grant from the London Freemasons continues the generous support they and UGLE have provided to Only A Pavement Away since our launch. The support  received to date, both financially and in value-in-kind, truly exemplifies the outstanding work the Freemasons deliver within their communities. We've always been warmly welcomed by London Freemasons and are proud to share aligned values and a common commitment to supporting those facing homelessness. Our members tell us how moving into work has transformed their lives and the lives of their families, and we are grateful for the support of the London Freemasons” 

Will Clayton, London Freemasons said:

“We are very pleased to be able to continue supporting Only A Pavement Away in their continued campaign to support disadvantaged individuals in our community to gain employment.”

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Steel Warriors is a pioneering charity that tackles knife crime through an innovative approach: melting down confiscated knives and transforming the steel into outdoor gyms in public spaces. Through these gyms, the organisation delivers free coaching, community classes, and youth programmes designed to create safe spaces where young people can build strength, confidence and positive connections.

The funding from the London Freemasons’ Charity will enable Steel Warriors to run weekly calisthenics classes for teenagers at each of its four outdoor gyms across London. The programme is running now and continues through to the summer holidays until the end of August.

Across the project,Steel Warriors expects to reach around 200 young Londoners aged 13-19, with an average of 20 participants attending each weekly session at every site. These sessions are designed not only to improve physical fitness but also to support mental wellbeing, resilience, and engagement with education and community.

Steel Warriors will monitor attendance and outcomes using its impact measurement tool, Upshot, and anticipates that:

• 90% of regular attendees will report improved mental and physical wellbeing

• 80% will report improved engagement with education and relationships with peers and adults

Jenny Oklikah, CEO of Steel Warriors, said:

“We’re incredibly grateful to the London Freemasons’ Charity for supporting this summer programme. Their funding will allow us to provide consistent, free access to safe training spaces for young people during a time when positive opportunities are crucial. These sessions are about far more than fitness, they create belonging, confidence and trusted relationships that help young people thrive.”

Will Clayton, London Freemasons, said:

“The work that Steel Warriors are carrying out within our communities is fantastic and anything that supports getting knives off the street and provides young adults with a better pathway for the future is something that we are very proud to be involved in.”

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Based in Herne Hill, the café combines hands-on vocational training, accredited City & Guilds qualifications, and intensive personal development support, helping young people build skills, confidence, and pathways into long-term employment. The Clink Café is more than simply a place to learn new skills and gain qualifications, though. To the young people who step through the doors, it is a safe space with no fear of judgement. It is a community where they can connect with each other and take a step towards a meaningful future they can be proud of.

The café has already proven its impact. In its pilot cohort, learners achieved an 88% course completion rate, earning 28 City & Guilds NVQ qualifications, with 100% progressing into either employment with Clink 
Events or further education.

The Clink Charity has more than 15 years’ experience in rehabilitation and training, running restaurants, gardens, and events across the UK prison estate. The Training Café marks a new chapter in the charity’s work, focusing on prevention by engaging vulnerable young people before they enter the justice system.

Donna-Marie Edmonds, Chief Executive of The Clink Charity, said:
“We are hugely grateful to London Freemasons for this generous grant. Their support allows us to continue transforming the lives of young people in Lambeth by equipping them with skills, confidence and hope for the future. This funding means we can reach some of the most vulnerable young people in our community, preventing them from entering the criminal justice system and instead setting them on a positive pathway.”

William Clayton, London Freemasons, said:
“We are proud to support The Clink Charity’s innovative Training Café in Herne Hill. By investing in young people at risk, we can help prevent future offending, strengthen communities, and give young Londoners the chance to thrive.”

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A generous £5,000 grant from London Freemasons enables 40 children and young people in London to receive tuition within two London schools, better enabling them to break free from the disadvantages that life has otherwise landed them with.

The grant, which was generously donated by London Freemasons, will enable up to 40 children and young people facing disadvantages in London to receive tuition, through programmes delivered in two schools. The grant will cover both direct costs: such as tutoring resources for the volunteers and their expenses, as well as staff costs related to curriculum development, tutor training, and volunteer recruitment. These are essential components of the programme that allow the charity to place the pupils at the centre of what it does, providing them with the best possible academic support and opening doors to their future opportunities.

In 2023-24 Action Tutoring delivered 27,582 sessions to 6,003 pupils, with more than one in ten receiving support in both subjects.  Children tutored in maths were 20% more likely to meet the expected standard than other pupils nationally, while those tutored in English were 24% more likely to reach that benchmark. Teachers choose children to take part in Action Tutoring programmes who they know are at particular risk of not meeting this benchmark in their key stage 2 SATs. This makes their achievement all the more meaningful.

Action Tutoring was born from a simple yet powerful idea: to make the benefits of tutoring accessible to pupils who couldn’t otherwise afford it. Now in its 14th year of delivery, this award-winning education charity continues to support thousands of young people facing disadvantage to achieve academically.

Action Tutoring partners with schools across the country to provide evidence-based English and maths tutoring that helps young people to progress in life, whether academically or in the working world. The charity harnesses the power of volunteers, aged 18 to 83, to deliver the tutoring both online and in-person, creating a national community enabling young people to succeed regardless of their backgrounds. 

Action Tutoring’s CEO, Jen Fox, reflects on the impact of this grant: “We are incredibly grateful to London Freemasons for the generous donation which will have a significant impact on the lives of young people in the capital, who wouldn’t otherwise have access to this support. It’s an investment in their futures and an investment in our society, which will enable them to fulfil their potential. We simply couldn’t achieve our mission without the support of fantastic organisations like these.” 

Will Clayton, London Freemasons said: “Knowing that the grant will be used to support 40 children to get the help and tutoring support that they need to get ahead in life is an extremely important thing for both us and the communities that we all live and work within.  We are very pleased to be able to support Action Tutoring with this initiative.”

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Twenty members of the Lodge have now completed the Metropolitan Grand Lodge Mental Wellbeing Ambassadors training programme. Seventeen were present to receive their certificates from Lee Canon, who leads the initiative across London, with the remaining trained members forming part of the same cohort. As certificates were handed across and congratulations exchanged, Lee paused to acknowledge the scale of participation within the Lodge.

“If there were ever a Guinness World Record for the Lodge with the most Mental Wellbeing Ambassadors, Tamworth would hold it as London’s Lodge with the highest number of trained ambassadors”, he said. The remark, shared in good humour, underscored a significant point. Twenty trained ambassadors within a single Lodge reflect intention and foresight. It signals a willingness to equip members not only with ritual knowledge, but with the confidence to recognise distress, begin difficult conversations and guide someone towards appropriate professional support.

The milestone carries particular weight when viewed against Tamworth’s recent history. In 2021, the Lodge had just seven subscribing members and was close to surrendering its warrant. The turning point came when a small group of committed Masons, connected through a Masonic WhatsApp group known as The Working Tools (often referred to as TWT), began discussing how they could support a struggling London Lodge. What started as a conversation soon translated into practical support and renewed energy. Today, membership stands at thirty.

That recovery has been shaped by clarity of purpose, steady leadership and a consistent focus on serving both members and the local community. The Mental Wellbeing Ambassadors training does not end in the Lodge room. It extends into homes, workplaces, friendships and the everyday spaces where many men continue to mask struggle behind routine.

By strengthening peer awareness and encouraging early intervention, the programme reinforces the principle that no member should feel isolated in times of difficulty. Lee Townsend, Tamworth’s Membership Officer and Co-Lead of the Aurora Mental Wellbeing Ambassadors Team, describes the Lodge as community-oriented, where the principal tenets of brotherly love, relief and truth are treated as a call to action rather than ceremonial language.

He explains that wellbeing is not a separate initiative but an integrated expression of the Lodge’s values, adding that if members speak of brotherly love, they must also be prepared to recognise when a brother is struggling and respond with care, both inside the Lodge and in the communities they serve.

Wade Newell, Lodge Secretary and Co-Lead of the Aurora Team, expressed pride in the collective effort while emphasising the wider ambition. He highlighted the importance of every Lodge within the Metropolitan Grand Lodge having at least one trained Mental Wellbeing Ambassador, noting that consistent engagement across Lodges would strengthen support for members throughout London.

For Tamworth Lodge, the presence of twenty trained ambassadors is not presented as an endpoint, but as evidence of a Lodge that chose renewal over retreat and continues to build with care at its core.

This article is part of Arena Magazine Issue 60 – Spring 2026.
Arena Magazine is the official online magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.

Get Arena stories direct to your phone with the Arena App, available for Apple and Android smartphones here:

The post Tamworth Lodge Chooses Renewal Over Retreat appeared first on Lloyd's Lodge.

Adarsh Shah was co-opted at short notice to step in as Junior Warden, gladly reporting “a fantastic evening full of good company and the kind of teamwork that makes Freemasonry so special”.

This article is part of Arena Magazine Issue 60 – Spring 2026.
Arena Magazine is the official online magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.

Get Arena stories direct to your phone with the Arena App, available for Apple and Android smartphones here:

The post Seven Raised at Meridian appeared first on Lloyd's Lodge.

He writes, “Being Installed by my father-in-law, W Bro Clive Goodman, added much emotion to the ceremony, especially being Invested with my Masters Apron, which has a 75+ year family legacy. I shall wear it with pride. We were also very fortunate to be in the company of our Metropolitan Grand Inspector, W Bro Derek Morley, as well as former Metropolitan Deputy Grand Master the RW Bro Stephen Fenton, and many other Distinguished Brethren. It was certainly a day I will never forget and I’m very excited for the year ahead”.

Kindred Arts have just launched their new Lodge website www.kindredartslodge.co.uk as well as the Lodge Facebook page, and encourages everyone to visit to learn more about what makes Kindred Arts an attractive proposition for Joining Members, and for Lodges wanting Degrees by request. Any Member or Lodge interested should make an enquiry through the website contact form.

This article is part of Arena Magazine Issue 60 – Spring 2026.
Arena Magazine is the official online magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.

Get Arena stories direct to your phone with the Arena App, available for Apple and Android smartphones here:

The post A 75 year old apron gets a new owner at Kindred Arts appeared first on Lloyd's Lodge.

On 19th February, W Bro John Evans of Chelt Lodge No 3240 was honoured with a 60-year long service certificate. The presentation was made by W Bro Barrie Davies, Metropolitan Grand Inspector. Due to W Bro John's age of 97 and his inability to travel to London, the ceremony was graciously hosted by Saint Padarn Masonic Lodge 5472 in Aberystwyth, where John is also a member and with the kind permission of the Provincial Grand Master for West Wales, who was also in attendance.

This article is part of Arena Magazine Issue 60 – Spring 2026.
Arena Magazine is the official online magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.

Get Arena stories direct to your phone with the Arena App, available for Apple and Android smartphones here:

The post 60 Years for W Bro John Evans appeared first on Lloyd's Lodge.