The Yorkshire and Humberside arm of a national charity which helps change the lives of young people has been given a significant boost by Yorkshire Freemasons

Members of Doncaster's Don Valley Lodge, which meets in the town's Masonic Hall on Priory Place, hosted the presentation of cheques totalling £10,000 to two representatives from the Prince's Trust.

The donations, £5,000 from West Riding Masonic Charities and £5,000 from The Freemasons' Grand Charity, were presented to Prince's Trust Regional Chairman, Andrew Farley, and Prince's Trust Youth Ambassador, Rebecca Taylor, by John Kendall Clayton, the Provincial Grand Master of Yorkshire, West Riding.

Rebecca told the meeting how the Prince's Trust had totally transformed her life. She left school at the age of 15 with no qualifications and, in 2007, while carrying her first child, she was made redundant, subsequently losing her home.

'I lost everything', she said. 'I went to various organisations and literally begged for help, but there was no help. Then I was told to approach the Prince's Trust. They listened and they believed.

'I had done a beauty course and they gave me a grant to learn to drive so I could "go mobile". I went on more courses and then, with their help, set up my own business.'

Rebecca approached the Frenchgate Centre asking if she could rent a unit to set up a beauty salon. In December 2010, she became the shopping centre's youngest tenant.

'I now train young, employed girls and employ a team of beauty therapists and am a Prince's Trust Ambassador. I opened in a recession so the business should have been doomed for failure. It isn't and it's giving young girls hope too.'

As a way of repaying the Trust, Rebecca went to them with an idea which has now been adopted nationally. The Tomorrow Campaign aims to help 55,000 young people a year into employment.

'I owe everything to the Prince's Trust and this donation is fantastic. I can't get over how much you have raised. This is going to make such a difference.'

Mr Clayton said: 'We are delighted to be supporting such a worthwhile cause. The Prince's Trust does fantastic work in supporting young people, and Rebecca is testament to this.

'She is a true inspiration. When others had written her off and consigned her to the scrapheap, the Prince's Trust listened to her, and, more importantly, believed in her.'

Lifelites, the children’s technology charity, has expanded its operations, picking up several awards and securing record funds in the process

A subsidiary of the Royal Masonic Trust for Girls and Boys (RMTGB), Lifelites donates packages of fun and educational technology for children who stay, learn and play in all 44 children’s hospices in the country.

In addition to providing the equipment, Lifelites installs and maintains it, as well as training care staff. It became a charity in its own right in 2006, and since then the RMTGB has provided in-kind assistance rather than financial support. This means Lifelites relies on donations from other sources including Freemasons, the public and companies such as Thomas Cook – whose Children’s Charity donated £60,000 in 2011 – and organisations like GamesAid, the gaming industry’s charity.

MAJOR CONTRIBUTION

Most of the charity’s volunteers are Freemasons, who assist in providing technological support in many of the projects and acting as trustees. ‘Our success is underpinned by our links with Freemasonry,’ explains Lifelites chief executive Simone Enefer-Doy. ‘Their support is vital to our continued growth. We also have a great relationship with both the RMTGB and Provinces across the country.’

A major masonic contribution last year came from the West Riding Masonic Charities that enabled a Soundbeam to be installed at the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice in Huddersfield. By using movement to produce sound, the Soundbeam enables children with even the most profound physical and learning disabilities to make music using whatever movement they can manage.

Provinces can become involved with Lifelites – who can showcase the equipment at masonic or other events – thanks to a donation from the Province of Surrey, which enabled the purchase of demonstration equipment. Lifelites staff can also attend after-dinner sessions and provide promotional material.