In May this year, the East Lancashire Masonic Charity (ELMC) awarded a £2,000 grant to Henshaws in Bolton to support their digital enablement services. The grant will provide over 100 digital support sessions to more than 40 visually impaired people at the Henshaws Hub in Bolton.

The ELMC grant enables Henshaws to purchase new assistive technology and software to help visually impaired people develop their digital skills. This will improve their ability to access information, connect with others and live more independently.

On 30th August, Bolton Freemasons, Martin Horan, Area Chairman, Michael Greenhalgh, Area Charity Steward, and Paul Wood, Area Communications Officer visited the Henshaws Hub in Bolton. They met with Henshaws staff Kat Parry, Deputy Grants and Trusts Manager and Mark Belcher, Head of Digital Enablement who explained how the charity supports visually impaired people in the community.

Martin, Michael and Paul were given a tour of the facilities and saw first-hand how the grant will benefit Henshaws service users, some of which were actively using new equipment at the time. The new technology is being used in one-to-one training sessions to build digital skills and confidence among people with sight loss.

The East Lancashire Masonic Charity is here to care for and to afford charitable assistance to needy Freemasons or their widows or to any of their dependent relatives, and to reach out to others in the communities in which we live who are deserving of our charitable support. We are delighted to be working closely with the ELMC to assist worthy causes in our Area.