Background to the Appeal
is the slogan of the joint Legacy Appeal being mounted on behalf of the four Central Masonic Charities (CMCs), i.e. the Grand Charity, the Masonic Samaritan Fund, the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution, and the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls & Boys.
History
The Appeal was announced at the December 2006 Grand Lodge Quarterly Communications meeting, where it was given the full support of the Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Kent, who has graciously accepted the role of Patron of the Appeal.
The idea of a specific, joint appeal to promote legacy giving for the benefit of the CMCs was first considered towards the end of 2004, when the Presidents and Chief Executives of the four Charities decided to seek professional advice and guidance on appeals for legacies.
Two of the UK's foremost companies in legacy and fundraising campaigns (Smee & Ford and Compton International) were commissioned to carry out an initial feasibility study, followed by "market research" with a cross-section of Freemasons, and finally to produce a proposal as to the best course of action.
The research showed overwhelmingly that Freemasons, their wives and widows would strongly support an appeal designed to improve their understanding of the intricacies and importance of making a Will, and would look favourably at the possibility of leaving a gift to one of the Masonic Charities.
This strong support was clearly illustrated by the following selection of quotes from those interviewed:
“It would be great to see the Charities working together to create one conduit for legacies.. “
“I would never have thought about Wills and legacies as a way to proceed . . . But the way it’s represented here has made me rethink it all.”
“I can see at least 5 out of the 50 in my Lodge agreeing to make a legacy - and maybe many more.”
The study confirmed that current income levels from legacies remain considerably below what might be expected from an organisation with as many members as the United Grand Lodge of England and also gave some pointers as to why this might be:
“I’ve been raising money for the Masons for 20 years, and have never thought to offer legacies as an option.”
“Of course legacy income is lower than it should be - people don’t know enough about the importance and benefits of making a gift in a Will.”
The final report suggested that a joint appeal would offer the most cost-effective way forward, and that a Legacy Manager be recruited to design and deliver the Legacy Appeal. These proposals were accepted, and W Bro Mike Wheal, a West Kent Mason, was appointed in July 2006.
The Need
The four Charities derive their income solely from Freemasons and their families, by way of Festivals, appeals, legacies and donations. To this is added income from investments, most of which originated as gifts from Brethren over the years.
The CMCs are proud of the day-to-day "cradle to grave" help that they are able to provide to the "Masonic Family", as well as giving assistance to non-Masonic good causes and helping when national or international disasters occur.
To maintain this range of services, and cope with the demand for new or extended services, the Charities need to secure their future income as far as is possible. Current income streams are all, more or less, variable and largely beyond the control of the charities. Overall income has peaks and troughs from year to year and it is therefore vital that the CMCs maximise every possible source of income. Legacy income has always been an important source of funding, and, as the studies identified, there is scope to increase it.
In the world at large, demographics indicate that care for the elderly will increasingly become a problem for everyone, from national governments to individuals. By the year 2025 it is estimated that 1.9 million people in the UK will be over the age of 90. This will place an increasing burden on charities. As more people live longer the resources that they put in place to fund their retirement will be stretched, possibly to breaking point, with the result that they will become more likely to seek charitable support. At the same time they will be less likely to be able to afford to give support to charities.
This increased longevity is particularly noticeable within the Masonic population where 27% of the membership is already over the age of 65. This has a potential double impact on the income of the Central Masonic Charities. Retirement provisions are being stretched over a longer period than anticipated, and therefore Freemasons are more restricted in their charitable giving, whilst at the same time, the longer they live, the more likely they are to require help from the Masonic charities. If the increased demand is to be met there is a need to offset the predicted decline in future income.
Appeal Objectives
The primary objective of the Legacy Appeal is to increase income from legacies for all four of the CMCs. The true success of the Appeal as regards this objective can, of course, only be gauged in the longer term.
However, there are two further, important objectives against which success can be judged in the shorter term:
Firstly, to improve the awareness of the services and facilities offered by the four Charities. This is not only to encourage support of the Charities, but also to ensure that Freemasons and their families are aware of the help that is available to them.
Secondly, to ensure that Freemasons and their families have access to advice on how best to make their Will to ensure that their wishes are carried out after their death. This will also include advice on how to reduce any liability for inheritance tax through a charitable bequest.
Appeal Structure
The Appeal will ultimately cover the whole of England and Wales. At the time of writing, it is also intended to include Districts and Groups overseas, but the approach has not yet been finalised.
A pilot phase of the Appeal was undertaken early in 2007, with the national rollout taking place throughout 2008. It is anticipated that it could take up to two years or more to complete the national rollout.
Initially, the Legacy Manager will deliver a Legacy Presentation in each Province, normally as part of a suitable Provincial event. Legacy Presentations are intended to inform the members of the Craft about the Appeal and to inspire individuals to become involved as volunteer Legacy Appeal Officers. These volunteer 'LAOs' will then be invited to legacy workshops, which will equip them to give short talks about the Appeal in their local Lodges and Chapters. This will ensure that delivery of the message can be maintained and extended, in a face to face process, in all areas across the country.
The target audience for presentations comprises Freemasons and the wives and widows of Freemasons. The intention to include "Masonic Ladies" fully in all aspects of the Appeal was also supported by research evidence and the following quotes:
“The Masonic charities don’t rank highly among my commitments, but I could change my mind if I knew more about their work.” (A Masonic widow)
“It will be important to get the wives and widows involved. Each Province will differ in its habits and relationships with the women but, in terms of making financial decisions, their participation could be very important.”
Appeal Management
The Appeal will be managed by W Bro Mike Wheal, Legacy Manager for the Central Masonic Charities.
When asked for a summary of the Appeal, Mike said that he thought one of the people interviewed during the research had put it very well:
“The key message should be that by doing this your legacy will continue the principles by which you have lived your life as a Freemason, and that your gift will continue to help those who are less fortunate than you ever were long after you have gone.”