A little over two weeks ago, on Friday 3rd March, the Kent Mark Benevolent Fund (KMBF) launched an appeal to generously match fund Mark and Royal Ark Mariner Lodge donations, up to £5000, made via the KMBF to the Mark Benevolent Fund (MBF) ShelterBox appeal to support those affected by the powerful earthquakes that devastated southern Türkiye and northern Syria earlier in the year.
Knowing that, administratively, Mark and Royal Ark Mariner Lodges would be unable to transfer funds immediately, The KMBF asked them to contact them with pledges until the donations could be properly ratified prior to transfer.
Such was the overwhelming support, that when the KMBF Trustees met on Tuesday 14th March donations and pledges already stood at an amazing £4,800, which gave them the confidence to ratify the transfer of the full £10,000 to the MBF “with immediate effect”.
Upon announcing this decision the Chair of the KMBF, Perri Ahmet, expressed his “heartfelt thanks to the members of the Province, for their incredible and speedy generosity, in pledging the £5000 in record time”.
All that is now required is for formal ratification to be made in lodge committee or open lodge and for the monies to be transferred to the KMBF as soon as possible.
Of course, it is not too late to donate, either by Electronic Transfer to:
Bank: NatWest
Sort code: 60-07-04
Account Number: 71890580
Account Name: The Kent Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Benevolent Fund
or directly to the KMBF Relief Chest