Leicestershire and Rutland Freemasons has donated £20,000 to national asbestos-related cancer charity, Mesothelioma UK. Mesothelioma UK’s headquarters is located in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire and the funding will help to support the vital work that the charity does in supporting the families of, and patients diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos.

Freemasonry in Leicestershire includes nearly 3,000 members, meeting in 80 Lodges spread across 11 centres in the county. Two of these Lodges, Sir John Corah No.7736 from Leicester, and Science & Art No.8426 in Loughborough, have joined forces to support Mesothelioma UK, with the additional help from the Leicestershire & Rutland Freemasons’ Charity, a grant-making charity which encourages applications for grants from local charities, funded by the members throughout Leicestershire and Rutland.

Colin Ibbetson of the Sir John Corah Lodge, a mesothelioma patient who has benefitted from the support given by Mesothelioma UK, was the instigator of the donation given by the Freemasons, with the assistance of Barry Hasdell and other members of the Lodge including Dr Ilias Macheridis, an occupational disease medical expert who was keen to support Mesothelioma UK having had contact through the charity’s education and awareness activities.

Colin said: “The support and expertise of Mesothelioma UK has substantially extended my life, for which I am very grateful.”

Liz Darlison, Chief Executive of Mesothelioma UK added: “Although we’re now a national charity with a network of clinical nurse specialists supporting mesothelioma patients throughout the UK, Mesothelioma UK began as a small charity based out of Glenfield Hospital."

“We’re proud of our Leicestershire roots and are delighted to receive this generous donation from the Leicestershire and Rutland Freemasons.”