WHAT IS A FESTIVAL?
Approximately every eleven years each Masonic Province holds a Festival (or Charitable Dinner and Celebration) for the benefit of one of the four major Masonic Charities.
During the period of a Festival Appeal it is expected that all Lodges and Brethren will do their utmost to support the Provincial Grand Master's Appeal in aid of the appropriate Masonic Charity.
Every Province allocates several years to a Festival, so that Lodges and individual brethren may accumulate a large sum and qualify for a Stewardship or other honorific.
THE LAST FESTIVAL
THE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT was charged with responsibility for the then New Masonic Samaritan Fund Festival in 2005 which culminated in a Festival Banquet at the Brighton Centre on 10th May 2005 attended by numerous brethren and their wives/partners and presided over by THE FESTIVAL PRESIDENT the Provincial Grand Master R.W.Bro. Brian C. Bellinger who proudly announced that the total raised by the brethren of the Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight was
£6,942,720
The Province was honoured by the presence at the banquet of the then Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master The Most Honourable the Marquis of Northampton and Lady Northampton.
THE NEXT FESTIVAL
The next Festival for this Province will be held in 2016, will be officially launched in July 2010 and will be in support of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys.
You are all encouraged to visit the RMTGB website www.rmtgb.org to learn for yourself the wonderful work they do having spent for example over £160,000 last year in assisting youngsters of this Province. This level of commitment by the Trust to our Girls and Boys is of course ongoing.
As the appeal period will be of a shorter duration than that which culminated in the 2005 Festival we really need to hit the ground running and preparations for the next Festival are now well advanced
Should your Lodge or individual members decide to start early and to donate monies to the Festival Appeal before the Official Launch, RMTGB WILL allocate these monies to our Festival Appeal NOW and in fact have already commenced doing so.
Any Brother who wishes to donate regularly may, if he wishes, start NOW by completing the Regular Donations Form and sending to RMTGB 60 Great Queen Street London WC2B 5AZ. Single contributions may also be made by Brethren or the Lodge using the Single Donations Form. If an individual and a taxpayer ~ simply complete the Gift Aid Declaration Section on the appropriate Form. For those Lodges wishing to utilise Gift Aid Envelopes, Explanatory Notes and a Verification Form. Non-taxpayers can also use these envelopes – refer to the Notes. For those Lodges with a Relief Chest, monies for the Festival Appeal may of course be transferred to the RMTGB utilising the blue voucher form provided with your Information Pack. If your Lodge Relief Chest Representative has kept a record of individual donations to the Chest, a Relief Chest Form is available to transfer those donations to the RMTGB in the individuals’ names. However once the monies so allocated, have been sent, it is preferable that any further monies are sent direct to the RMTGB quickly and not deposited for a lengthy period in the Relief Chest. This is because we want to help those in need NOW. The Trust will record every donation by Lodges and Brethren, will calculate and attribute Gift Aid Tax reclaimed and provide regular progress reports on deposits which will attract an excellent notional interest rate which will also be credited to the individual donor and Lodge. An early start is also advantageous as the RMTGB can claim an additional 3% (28% instead of 25%) on donations by any taxpaying Brother up to 5 April 2011 (please see the H M Revenue and Customs website www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/gift-aid.htm )
ROYAL MASONIC TRUST FOR GIRLS AND BOYS
JANUARY 2010
Exciting times ahead!
Let’s hit the ground running and make the Festival fun.
To be officially launched at the Provincial AGM on 7 July 2010,
213 Lodges 4 Chapters and 2 Lodges of Instruction
have ALREADY contributed sums totalling
to the Festival Appeal
In addition to an introduction to the Festival and ~
Single and Regular Donations Forms for Lodges and Individuals,
This website NOW includes:-
*A fuller explanation of the Gift Aid Envelope Scheme and Verification Form*
*A Relief Chest Transfer Form*
Why not DOWNLOAD YOURS NOW?
Make an early start, fill out your Regular Donations Form and then relax and ENJOY the Festival Appeal.
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The Festival Appeals Committee is working hard in the background
Each Group is now forming its own Festival Committee ~ speak to your Group Area Representative
**Buy an RMTGB Diary** **Save your silver in an RMTGB Money Box**
**Use Gift Aid Envelopes for your Charity Collection**
**Support the Fund Raising Initiatives by YOUR Lodge, YOUR Group and YOUR Province**
Want to know more?
Telephone the NEW Festival Helpline – 02380 268059 – Answerphone facility
Email the Festival Director
rmtgbfestival.hantsandiow@googlemail.com
Attend a Charity Stewards’ or Festival Seminar when in your area
Be positive, be proactive and be enthusiastic
Help our youngsters build a better future
