Kirkcaldy Freemasons to remain open over the summer to help people in need

Freemasons at Lodge 1599 in Kirkcaldy have raised £100 to help the Cottage Family Centre buy food for people who may be struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic.

After raising the cash for the Kirkcaldy charity, the Masons have decided to keep the lodge at Forth Avenue in the town open over the summer months to collect food donations for the Kirkcaldy Foodbank.

The lodge - the youngest in Scotland - will be open every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11:00am to 1:00pm for donations.

William Brown, substitute master, said: “We are usually closed from May to October, but after raising money for the Cottage we had a discussion and have decided to keep the lodge open over the summer to collect donations for the Kirkcaldy Foodbank.

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“Because we used to meet at Templehall Community Centre we decided to raise the cash for the Cottage as it was just down the road. and as we do a lot of charity work we thought it would be a good idea to help the foodbank.

“In the last three years the Freemasons in Scotland have raised over £500,000 for Prostate Scotland. We have also raised money for Rachel House and other local charities.”

As a miner during the 1984 strike, William knows how hard it can be to put food on the table in a time of crisis.

He said: “We were on strike for a whole year. I had to go to soup kitchens to eat as I didn’t have a wage coming in, I know what it is like to struggle.

“Everyone is in the same boat right now, everyone is suffering because of coronavirus.

“We will keep the lodge open to collect donations as long as we need to during the coronavirus pandemic to help and support people in the town.”

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