Bolton Freemasons were delighted to able to give Urban Outreach a grant for £15,000 towards their Bolton Lunches scheme. The money is a joint grant from the East Lancashire Masonic Charity and the Masonic Charitable Foundation. In the midst of a global pandemic, Urban Outreach had to change the way they provided meals for hungry children compared to previous years. Instead of packs with fresh sandwiches and fruit going out each day, they have been providing weekly food parcels with everything a family would need to make up lunches to feed their children. Each week, those that had a need, received a printed lunch plan for the week with all the ingredients to make lunches every day. This consisted of meals like beans on toast; tuna and sweetcorn jacket potatoes and snacks such as carrot sticks and dips. The packs also included treats like cereal bars and fruit juices.

Martin Horan, Bolton District Chairman said, “In tough times like we are currently facing, we are delighted that we could help such a worthy cause. The work that Urban Outreach does, especially feeding families in such difficult times is amazing. Urban Outreach is an invaluable charity helping those most in need in our town. We hope that this grant can help them continue the vital service they are providing. To see first-hand what this means to families is heart-warming and at the very heart of what we do”.
Dave Bagley from Urban Outreach said, “We really appreciate the support from the Local Freemasons. This money will help us to feed some of the most vulnerable people in our town. Without support like this, we wouldn’t be able to provide the services we offer, so we are truly grateful.”

Article by Lee Gridley
Photographs courtesy of Urban Outreach