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Masonic lodge lending its financial support

11:24am Tuesday 9th October 2007

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Addington High School has received a generous donation of £10,000 from local Masons to allow its to apply for specialist arts status.

Last year the school was the second most improved school in London and this year it was determined to raise the money needed to become an arts college.

In order to apply for this the school needed to raise £50,000 in sponsorship and without it they would have to wait another year to apply.

Led by headteacher Tim Davies and its staff the school was struggling to find sufficient sponsorship funding for its specialist school bid. After learning of this members of Addington Lodge promptly agreed to support Addington High School with a £10,000 sponsorship from the Addington Lodge Memorial Fund, allowing the bid to be made.

As a result, Addington High School is now a visual and media arts college.

Mr Davies said in a letter to the masons: "The support of Addington Lodge is hugely important to current and future pupils and their families, partner schools and other educational partners, local business partners and, I believe, the New Addington community as a whole."

The Addington Lodge Memorial Fund was set up in 2002 to hold a legacy to the lodge from one of its members, John Bradish, who had been its organist for many years.

Since then the lodge had been seeking a worthy cause which would benefit the local community, while at the same time honouring the memory of its friend and colleague.

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Your Say YourCroydon Guardian

Eric Forbes, LONDON says...
11:39am Tue 9 Oct 07

The Freemason’s is a political organisation. The school should not be accepting funds from these kinds of groups as it sends out the wrong message

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Paul, Upper Norwood says...
2:04pm Tue 9 Oct 07

Eric Forbes wrote:
The Freemason’s is a political organisation. The school should not be accepting funds from these kinds of groups as it sends out the wrong message
You don't know what you're talking about.

Freemasonry represents a charitable organisation. If their charity extends to the education of children then what is the problem?

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Peter Faulkner, Barnet says...
3:44pm Tue 9 Oct 07

Eric Forbes wrote:
The Freemason’s is a political organisation. The school should not be accepting funds from these kinds of groups as it sends out the wrong message
Please - check your facts before posting! See http://www.ugle.org.
uk/masonry/what-is-f
reemasonry.htm
and in particular "Freemasonry is non-political, and the discussion of politics at Masonic meetings is forbidden."

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Paul, Upper Norwood says...
3:51pm Tue 9 Oct 07

Taught to be cautious Peter?

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Paul, Upper Norwood says...
3:53pm Tue 9 Oct 07

Taught to be cautious Peter?

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Alan Reeves, Stourbridge says...
3:57pm Tue 9 Oct 07

It's true that some Politicians are Freemasons, but Freemasonry itself is neither a political organisation or a religion. Discussions of religion and politics are expressly forbidden in Masonic Lodges. Neither do we just look after each other - we support the community in general, as well as Masonic and Non-Masonic charities world-wide.

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Shaun, says...
5:10pm Tue 9 Oct 07

Eric Forbes wrote:
The Freemason’s is a political organisation. The school should not be accepting funds from these kinds of groups as it sends out the wrong message
If this sends out the wrong message, then can you explain what message this is, and please bear in mind as you respond that you were wrong about the political status of the Freemasons, so I wouldn't be too convinced that you are not wrong with your arguement.

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Bill Sibley, Croydon says...
6:03pm Tue 9 Oct 07

So helpng a School is the Wrong message is it? What then is the right message I wonder?

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Neil, Upper Norwood says...
12:50pm Wed 10 Oct 07

I have two children that go to this school and am vedry grateful to any organisation that chooses to do what the government should be doing and fund my childrens education. Perhaps Mr Forbes has his own agenda and maybe he feels that less minority charities that do not benefit children should get the money???

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Tony Lapton, says...
6:15pm Sun 14 Oct 07

The freemasons are a closed organisation under no public scrutiny and of which are indebted to help each other before others. They are not charitable and should in no way be associated with the word. If the freemasons do not want to be deplored for their actions in donating money to Addington High School they should donate the money to a charitable trust which will donate the money appropriatly without freemasonry intervention. This donation would not be so bad if it wasnt for the fact that it was from freemasons. A childrens High School should have nothing to do with a freemasonary lodge. End of story.

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gareth henderson, ruislip says...
6:18pm Sun 14 Oct 07

should always be cautious when donations are given. wonder if there are any freemasons on that school board?

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Jboy, London says...
3:37pm Tue 16 Oct 07

to Eric and Tony:- I might have once agreed with you, largely based on ill-informed prejudices from my childhood in the 1980s. However I was initiated 2 years ago and very glad that I was. Masons are prohibited from discussing religion and politics within a lodge. Freemasonry is about charitable giving and moral instruction. No more, and no less. It is not for everyone, but it is for me. I can sympathise with your views but the reality is very different from the public perception. From your dogmatic tone, I take it that you have first-hand experience of freemasonry which is very different from my own - which is a shame. If not then I would suggest that you propertly research this subject before commenting any further. Freemasons have occasionally been persecuted as a body, most notably by Hitler, presumably not a man you would wish to associate yourselves with. The donation of such a sum of money by any organisation to any other organisation should be applauded.

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