Support group given welcome helping hand

PARTNERSHIP: St Chad’s members Peter Blincoe (left) and Shannon Cooper with Freemasons Lodge Arawa’s Charlie Windell (rear) and St Chad’s manager James Leigh. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

A unique partnership between local Freemasons and disability support service St Chad's is blossoming, and it seems everyone is reaping the rewards.

Freemasons Lodge Arawa's Charlie Windell says the organisation has been misunderstood over the years, and he is working hard to rectify this.

"We are trying to dispel the myth that we are a secret society. A lot of fathers and grandfathers are Freemasons as there was a big influx after World War II, and they were secret back then, they didn't talk about it.

"Looking back now that was possibly a big mistake," he says.
"Now we are trying to get back in the forefront, and get back to the grassroots work in the community.

"Years ago they would do work around the community, whether it be painting an old lady's fence, working bees, or raising money. So we have kind of adopted St Chad's as our local charity group to give a little bit of extra help.

"We have helped them in the past with some awnings but we have decided that we wanted to do more for them."

St Chad's support services are available to anyone who experiences any kind of disability and manager James Leigh says the aim is to help clients develop life skills by facilitating inclusion into the wider community.

James says he is very grateful for the support Charlie and the Freemasons are providing.

"The services we offer are both centre and community-based and we are trying to promote and foster those natural supports within the community. We only receive around 40 per cent government funding per year and then as a charitable trust we have to find the remaining 60 per cent, which equates to roughly around $200,000.

"As you can imagine, we rely heavily on donations and support," he says.

"Freemasons Lodge Arawa have been superb. They've been really great at helping us out.
We are in the process of creating a small wish list of things we need, things that will help, and we will pass that on to them. It's not just material things that we need, it's resources and time as well."

Charlie says Freemasons Lodge Arawa is willing to lend a hand wherever it is needed.
"Many members of ours are retirement age so they have more time to be able to help. We all have different skills that we can bring to the table, so we will do whatever we can to help."

To find out more about Freemasons Lodge Arawa contact Charlie at cwindell@xtra.co.nz.
To find out more about the service on offer through St Chad's contact James on 07 3478515.