# Freemasons' funding for HFT to help families caring for people with learning disabilities - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/10/14/freemasons039-funding-hft-help-families-caring-people-learning-disabilities/ - Published: 2008-10-14T21:26:11+01:00 - Author: Howard Lake National learning disability charity, HFT, has been awarded £60,000 from The Freemasons’ Grand Charity to fund its Family Carer Support Service which helps families caring for people with learning disabilities. The £60,000 donation has been pledged to HFT by the Freemasons over a two year period. HFT’s Family Carer Support Service, which was established in 1993, provides national support for family carers of adults with learning disabilities and is dedicated to empowering family carers so that they and their learning disabled relatives can live full, well supported lives. Support and information is provided to over 4,000 family carers across the country through personal contact, workshop courses, news digests, a telephone helpline and online information, conferences and seminars. ## Advertisement Robina Mallett, HFT’s Family Carer Support Service officer commented, “Family carers of people with learning disabilities may feel isolated and extremely concerned about the future of their learning disabled relatives. Often they are unsure where to seek information about the opportunities that might be available and how to access the support that they and their relatives should be entitled to. HFT’s Family Carer Support Service responds to individual approaches for support. We provide lots of information and run workshops around the country to help family carers. “The £60,000 donation from The Freemasons’ Grand Charity is a very welcome and generous contribution which will enable us to expand our vital services in response to the increasing demand for information and support. Over the next few years we will aim to support more family carers, year on year, and to extend our service to those who are harder to reach, such as the increasing numbers of older carers. “In the year ended 30th November 2007, The Freemasons’ Grand Charity gave grants totalling over 5.7 million to worthy causes”, said Michael J. Flynn, J.P., Provincial Grand Master for Bristol Freemasons. “It is, therefore, both a pleasure and a privilege, on behalf of The Freemasons’ Grand Charity, to have presented to HFT a cheque for £60,000 to aid the valuable work carried out by the Trust for people with learning disabilities and its associated Family Carer Support Service.” ENDS Issue Date: 14 October 2008 For further information please contact: Irena Babic, HFT PR Consultant, Tel: 01275 343547 email: ir***@***********co.uk **Notes to editors** HFT Previously known as The Home Farm Trust, HFT is a registered national charity for adults with a learning disability. HFT provides services for over 1,000 people in supported living, registered care homes, advocacy, supported employment and day services. The charity runs a Family Carer Support Service (FCSS) which provides support each year for 4,000 family carers of adults with learning disabilities. www.hft.org.uk Freemasons’ Grand Charity The Freemasons’ Grand Charity is the central grant-making charity of all Freemasons in England and Wales. Charitable giving has always been at the heart of Freemasonry and funding for The Grand Charity comes from donations by individual Freemasons and their families www.grandcharity.org * **[Nominations for 2009 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize open](https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/10/15/nominations-2009-conrad-n-hilton-humanitarian-prize-open/)**( 15 October 2008) * **[Writing Bids and Funding Applications (One Step Ahead)](https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/10/17/amazon-245/)**( 17 October 2008) * **[Faithworks Awards offer £15,000 to Christian community projects](https://fundraising.co.uk/2008/10/30/faithworks-awards-offer-15000-christian-community-projects/)**( 30 October 2008)