The Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice, Samaritans and Laura Lynn Foundation will share the huge sum following the successful 18-month long Festival for Charity organised by the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of Ireland.
The finale of the festival was celebrated at a banquet in the Provincial Masonic Hall, Rosemary Street, Belfast, where Grand Master George Dunlop presented cheques for £200,000 to each of the charities.
Actress Olivia Nash, vice-president of the hospice, said it was one of the biggest single donations they had ever received. The stage and screen celebrity was among a guest list that also included her BBC TV Give My Head Peace co-star Alexandra Ford, who is ambassador for Belfast Samaritans, Jane McKenna, founder of the Laura Lynn Foundation, and other representatives of the charities.
“Like the rest of the community, charities are feeling the pinch of the credit crunch and our support is therefore more important and necessary than ever,” Mr Dunlop said.
The festival, launched in November 2007, was originally intended to cover a year-long programme but had to be extended by a further six months to accommodate the number of money-raising events organised by members of the Masonic Order throughout the island of Ireland.
Aside: Jane McKenna, founder of the Laura Lynn Foundation, actress Alexandra Ford, ambassador for Belfast Samaritans, and her BBC TV “Give My Head Peace” co-star, Olivia Nash, vice-president of the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice, help George Dunlop, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of Ireland, spell out the £600,000 raised for the three charities.
