Devon Freemasons awarded a Guides campsite in South Tawton a £1,500 grant for a new low ropes course last week (November 21).

Freemasons from across Devon gathered in Exmouth to present the donations to 20 grassroots Devon charities, including the Taw Bottom Campsite, which is run by the Girl Guides but used by a variety of other organisations such as the Scouts, the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme and local schools.

The camp has been running for 42 years, and the donation will be used to provide a new low ropes course, an obstacle course set low to the ground.

Charity representatives, local Freemasons and their families attended the event at which a total of £30,250 was handed out. This latest round of gift giving comes as the Freemasons celebrate their 250th anniversary.

Nicholas Ball, head of Devonshire Freemasons, said: “This is one of the proudest moments of our masonic year. We know that small, local charities are often the ones making the biggest difference, and with rising pressures on their services, our support matters more now than ever before. To be able to contribute to the wellbeing of communities across Devon, especially as we celebrate our 250th anniversary, is an incredible privilege. On behalf of all Devonshire Freemasons, I thank these charities for everything they do.”

The grant comes from the WAKE Fund (William Alexander Kneel Endowment Fund), which was established by the late William Kneel, Provincial Grand Master of Devonshire from 1970 to 1984, to enable the freemasons to continue their charitable work. Since 2001, the WAKE Fund has donated almost £1.1 million to local causes across Devon.

This year the freemasons have awarded more than £250,000 — including contributions from the WAKE Fund — to local charities. Each spring and autumn, Devon Freemasons gather to offer essential financial support to community organisations. Their donations regularly assist children’s charities, medical and youth services, hospices, cancer support groups, schools, mental health charities, and local care providers.