No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Mayor of High Wycombe, Councillor Julie Pritchard

According to an article in the Bucks Free Press ("Mayor's Charity 'Favours Masons' Controversey"), Julie Pritchard, the newly elected Mayor of High Wycombe in England, is in hot water for directing money from the annual Mayor's Appeal to the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys. Britain being Britain, the accusation is that money is "improperly" helping Freemasons, who are naturally treated in a pejorative manner.

Mayor Pritchard, a Conservative, is allowed to name her charity of choice, but several Liberal Democrat Party members of the ceremonial body of charter trustees are crying foul. “I will need assurances that all the funds raised are finding their way to everybody that could benefit and not just a few,” proclaims Councillor Trevor Snaith.

Past charities named by former mayors have included hospices and air ambulance services.

From the United Grand Lodge of England website:

In 1982 the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls (formed in 1788) and the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys (formed in 1798) were combined to form the MasonicTrust for Girls and Boys to continue nearly two hundred years of care for the children of poor families. On 1 May 2003, the Trust became the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys.

The prime object of the Trust is support for the children of distressed or deceased Freemasons, the aim being to give them the start in life they would have received had distress not befallen their families. The second objective is to provide help to children not connected to Masonic families and to support charities connected with children.

Here are the Evil Schemes performed by the Royal Masonic Trust. In looking over their annual report from 2007-2008, yes it is true, the Trust does indeed first provide grants and scholarships to the children of deceased or destitute Freemasons. Hmmm. Sounds perfectly awful, doesn't it? I suppose such children should be cast aside because of their Masonic connection, or be solely dependent upon the UK's national welfare programs.

The other program the Trust engages in the "Choral Bursary scheme," which gives grant money to choristers at cathedrals and other choral foundations. This has absolutely zero to do with any kind of Masonic connection. It is done so underprivileged children can take part in church choirs all over the country.

Yes, I can see clearly now. Another dastardly Masonic plot to both snatch money from High Wycombe's unsuspecting public and corrupt more than just Masonic-related children. "Excellent."