A Walk for Good: Ferrers & Ivanhoe Lodge Raises Funds for Cancer Support

In a welcome piece of uplifting news from Ashby-de-la-Zouch, members of Ferrers & Ivanhoe Lodge No. 779 recently laced up their boots for a meaningful cause. On Saturday, 26th April, members of the lodge, family, and friends completed a 10-mile sponsored walk from the Lyric Rooms - home to the lodge’s meetings - to the picturesque village of Melbourne.

The event was in support of Cancer Active Recovery Support, a charity that provides information hubs and community-based support for cancer patients across the Leicestershire region, with locations in Market Harborough, Melton Mowbray, Leicester, Loughborough, Hinckley, and Moira. The charity’s grassroots presence in the province made it a cause close to the hearts of the participants.

Online donations through JustGiving totalled £1,305.00 (including Gift Aid), with an additional £107.54 raised at the lodge’s March festive board. Further contributions came from generous passers-by via a charity tin on the day, and a pledged donation from Provincial Mark Master Masons is expected shortly. With the JustGiving page live until May 31st, the team is optimistic about not only reaching but surpassing their stretch target of £1,500.00.

Update: Following up, we have had a late flurry of additional donations and the confirmed amount raised in our donations tin and we have already beaten the £1,500 target, coming in at £1,533 so far. From the original £500 target.

Lodge members taking part included acting Master Matthew Trewartha as well as other members of the lodge including Russell Scott-Worthington, and Martin Flanagan, alongside a spirited group of supporters. Along the way, they paused for well-earned refreshments at The Milking Parlour, a Tollgate Brewery venue, and enjoyed the views at Staunton Harold Reservoir’s Windmill Tower - highlighting the social spirit of the day as much as its charitable purpose.

While Ferrers & Ivanhoe Lodge has faced its share of challenges in recent months, including internal turbulence and leadership transitions, this event offered a much-needed moment of unity, purpose, and pride. It served not only to support a vital local cause but also to boost morale within the lodge, proving once again that shared action can be a powerful force for healing and renewal.