Newton Abbot Community Transport and the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust, Bovey Tracey, are among organisations who will be receiving a cash donation from Devonshire Freemasons as part of a £25,000 handout.

Every spring and autumn Freemasons from all around Devon meet to support local organisations who are in need of financial assistance, among which are children’s charities, Scouts, youth centres and locally-based charities including hospices, hospital services and cancer charities.

The money is raised through the Wake Fund, a trust conceived by the right worshipful brother William Alexander Kneel, the Freemasons’ provincial grand master from 1970 to 1984, the late owner of Kneels laundry and dry cleaners (now Johnsons).

Since the idea was initiated the fund has grown through the continued generosity of Devonshire Freemasons and wise investments, today it stands at £1.88 million from which the trustees distribute the income generated, currently around £50,000 each year.

Since the first disbursement in 2001 more than £600,000 has been given to more than 700 worthy non-masonic organisations and charities throughout Devon, selected by members of the 137 masonic lodges based in the county.

Next Friday, at 7pm, the right worshipful brother Ian Kingsbury JP, provincial grand master for Devonshire will be presenting cheques to 27 deserving causes.

The meeting will be held at The Masonic Hall, Ashleigh Road, Uffculme, and will welcome both the members of the press and representatives from the successful organisations accompanied by a member from their nominating lodge who, in most cases, will also have given generous donations separately to their chosen charity.

Among the organisations that will benefit are: Plymouth Children’s Theatre Workshop, Community Health in Lipson, Macmillan Nurses at Derriford, the Cardiology Department Derriford Hospital, Plymouth Music Zone, the Alzheimer’s Society Plymouth, Peninsula Medical Foundation Plymouth, Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust Bovey Tracey, The New Tavistock Youth Café, Ilfracombe RFC, Children’s Hospice South West, Torbay Hospital League of Friends, Torbay Olympic Gymnastics Club, Daisy Play Centre Totnes, Kingsbridge Community College, Newton Abbot Community Transport, Seaton Scout Group, Force Cancer Charity Exeter, D’Arts Crediton, the Queen Elizabeth Academy Trust Crediton, Unite Carers in Mid-Devon, Foodcycle Exeter, St Loyes Foundation Exeter, Dream-A-Way Exeter, Sidmouth Town Band, The Good Samaritans South Molton.