Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Leicestershire & Rutland
A Short History
The Mark Benevolent Fund was founded in 1868 by the Reverend George Raymond Portal, MA Grand Master 1869-1873, (in 1881 Canon Portal). It is the official charity of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, the third largest branch of Freemasonry. His views on charity were far more radical and progressive than the general thinking of the time. He felt that for charity to be effective, it had to be disbursed swiftly and without the bureaucratic formalities of other Masonic charities. To him it was wrong for there to be any delay in providing assistance to those in need and his own Latin tag “Bis dat qui cito dat” – he gives twice who gives promptly – became, and still is, the principal guideline of the Mark Benevolent Fund (M.B.F.) The Fund has disbursed many millions to individual petitioners and an even greater sum in grants to charities within the wider community.
The Fund comprises of twelve Trustees who in turn form the two committees who review applications:
- The Petitions Committee who assess applications from individual Mark Master Masons or their dependants who may be in distress.
The Worthy Causes Committee which looks at applications from registered charities and other worthwhile organisations.
When it comes to individual Petitioners things are handled slightly differently. When a Lodge Almoner is made aware of a Brother or his family in distress he would arrange a visit to assess the circumstances and then complete a grant application form which is then passed to the M.B.F. Each application is reviewed, any further information deemed necessary asked for and then submitted to the M.B.F. Petitions Committee.
Every pound received in donations to the M.B.F. starts in the pocket of a Mark Master Mason. No public or third-party funding is requested or received.
In 2021, the Mark Benevolent Fund made 37 grants to local charities, Provinces and other worthy organisations across England and Wales, and a number of grants for relief to individuals.
Major Capital Grant to support Hospices in England & Wales
In April 2021, the Trustees of the Mark Benevolent Fund announced a Major Capital Grant to hospices to commemorate the significant contribution made to the Crown and the nation by H.R.H., The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The Grant of £1,286,000 was distributed through Mark Lodges in England & Wales who each nominated a local hospice to receive a £1,000 donation wholly funded by the M.B.F.
Of our 1,286 lodges of Mark Master Masons, 230 different charities were chosen which in turn manage the running of 273 hospices throughout England, Wales, The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
Mark Benevolent Fund Honorifics Scheme
The Mark Benevolent Fund came into existence in 1868 on the suggestion of the Reverend Canon George Raymond Portal, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons. His views on charity were far more radical and progressive than the general thinking of the time. He felt that for charity to be effective it had to be disbursed swiftly and without the bureaucratic formalities of other Masonic charities. To him it was wrong for there to be any delay in providing assistance to those in need and his own Latin tag “Bis dat qui cito dat” – he gives twice who gives promptly – became, and still is, the principal guideline of the Mark Benevolent Fund.
The Fund has disbursed many millions to individual petitioners and an even greater sum in grants to charities within the wider community.
- A major grant of £1.6m was made to the RNLI to help fund a new life boat
- Addenbrooke’s Hospital Trust received over £2m for machines to help in the diagnosis of prostate cancer
- £2.6 million made to Hope for Tomorrow Cancer Charity for the purchase of mobile chemotherapy units throughout the UK
- £300,000 to seventeen Blood Bike charities in England and Wales,
- £3.2 million went to St. John Ambulance to fund a combination of fifty-two state of the art ambulances, mobile treatment centres and support vehicles to be stationed throughout England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
Such disbursements and projects can only be funded with the generosity and dedication of Mark Masons who contribute so
selflessly year after year. The M.B.F. Honorifics Scheme makes it very easy for either a Lodge and/or a Brother - either
on his own behalf, or for his partner - to make a donation direct to the Fund which is administered from Mark Masons’
Hall, and donations are credited and progressively aggregated towards a fund qualification, with six classifications
viz.
- Life Governor
- Vice-Patron
- Patron
- Grand Patron
- Grand Patron Gold
- and the highest; Grand Patron Diamond
The appropriate collarette and jewel is issued when a qualification threshold is achieved. Collarettes can be worn at all Mark and Royal Ark Mariner meetings and events. Please contact our Provincial Grand Charity Steward in the first instance who will be happy to provide useful guidance on filling out the forms. Further information on the scheme and the M.B.F. application forms and additional information can be downloaded by clicking on the following links.
Guide to Honorifics
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Application Form
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