English Freemasonry's governing body is the United Grand Lodge of England. For administrative purposes, the country is divided into the London area and 47 "Provinces", of which the Masonic Province of Berkshire is one. This includes most of the county of Berkshire and some parts of Oxfordshire.
The headquarters of Berkshire masonry is at Sindlesham, near Reading. As well as being the administrative centre, this is also the meeting place for over 48 lodges. Many lodges meet in other locations. Faringdon, Newbury, Pangbourne, Wallingford, Wantage, Windsor and Wokingham all have Masonic centres. In other locations, such as Abingdon, Cookham, Maidenhead, etc., other premises are used. Many of the Masonic centres hold open days for the public to see the lodge room and engage in discussion. In all there are 90 Lodges in the Masonic Province of Berkshire, with a total membership of just under 5,000.
In addition to the lodge structure, there are sporting associations for golf and bowls. There are various study groups, libraries, a museum and programmes of entertainment for ladies, such as lodge ladies' nights, gala evenings and talks or visits. Speakers are available to address public meetings about Freemasonry.
The Berkshire Provincial Grand Lodge has a web site at www.berkspgl.org.uk which is open to anyone with an Internet connection and from which many other Masonic Internet sites can be accessed.
The Masonic Centre at Sindlesham is available for hire for non-Masonic occasions, such as business meetings, receptions and dinner dances. (Tel: 0118 987 3902)
Lord Harris Court is a home at Sindlesham for some 85 elderly masons, wives, widows or close dependent relatives. It is registered as a residential and nursing home and was opened in 1973.
Charity
An important aspect of Freemasonry is its support for charities - both Masonic and non-Masonic. The annual sum raised is about £25M. Charitable giving operates at three levels: from individual lodges; at Provincial level, where Berkshire has established a special fund to support local charities; and at national level operated by Grand Lodge, which supports many national charities.
Well over 150 grants have been made in the past two years from the Berkshire fund, including the following:-
- Age Concern, Reading
- Alzheimer's Disease Society, West Berkshire
- Berkshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre
- Berkshire Blue Sky Appeal
- Berkshire Association for Young People
- Berkshire Autistic Society
- Blind Association of Maidenhead
- CARITAS (Wokingham)
- Caudwell Day Centre, Drayton, Abingdon
- Crowthorne Community and Earley Community Minibuses
- Didcot Community Hospital
- Friends of Reading Hospital
- Friends of Dysons Wood, Sonning Common
- Hungerford House Day Centre
- Newbury Shopmobility
- Pangbourne Valley Playgroup
- Reading Association for the Blind
- Reading and District Victim Support
- Reading Council for Racial Equality
- Royal Berkshire Hospital Breast Surgery Unit
- Royal Berkshire Hospital Premature Baby Unit
- South & Vale Carers Centre (Abingdon)
- Thames Valley Hospice - Pine Lodge, Windsor
- Thames Valley Mental Health
- The Ascot Area Sheltered Housing
- The Sobell House Hospice, Eynsham
- The Wendy House (Earley) Pre School
- Well Women Association for West Berkshire
- Westmead Day Centre, Crowthorne
- Windsor Mancap Gateway Club
Masonic funds are generated by masons alone. Freemasonry does not raise money by public appeal and only a small proportion comes from fund raising activities.
For more information about Freemasonry in Berkshire, please contact Raymond Head, Provincial Grand Secretary, on 0118 978 7625 or by e-mail at provsec@berkspgl.org.uk The postal address is
Berkshire Masonic Centre
Mole Road, Sindlesham
Wokingham
Berkshire
RG41 5DB
This information is taken from the leaflet entitled "Freemasonry in Berkshire", copies of which may be obtained from the address above.