THE Argus Appeal has received £10,000 from the Freemasons.

Sussex Freemasons handed over the cheque in recognition of the charity’s 60 years of service helping sick children and other good causes in Brighton and Hove and across the county.

The money was presented to The Argus Appeal at a reception where the charity received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service last week.

Provincial grandmaster Chris Moore said: “Sussex Freemasons were proud and privileged to be invited to attend the presentation by the Lord Lieutenant of Sussex, on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen, of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service to The Argus Appeal – an honour so richly deserved and so well earned over 60 years of unstinting support for the local community.

“As the presentation also coincided with the 60th anniversary of The Argus Appeal, the Freemasons of Sussex felt that an anniversary present was in order to enable the appeal to continue with its wonderful work and were therefore pleased to present a cheque for £10, 000 to help it in doing so.”

The Sussex Freemasons have been supporters of The Argus Appeal for years.

Argus Appeal co-ordinator Elsa Gillio said: “The Sussex Freemasons have been a longstanding supporter of the appeal and we are truly grateful for this generous donation from them.

“Without donations from our supporters and our volunteers fundraising, we would not have been able to do the important work we do in the community and which has been recognised with the Queen’s Award.”

The Argus Appeal, formed in 1957, is the official charity of The Argus newspaper.

It has given hundreds of thousands of pounds over the years to pay for life-changing operations and equipment for sick children and given cash boosts to community projects and other charities helping good causes.

The Sussex Freemasons also support many other charities.

Their latest round includes £8,000 to blood transport charity Serv Sussex towards a new motorbike, £6,162 to cancer support charity Cancervive to furnish new consulting rooms, and £1,000 Rape Crisis Surrey and Sussex for essential office items.

Freemasons at the county’s 160 masonic lodges give a monthly contribution to the charity of what they can afford, and has Sussex headquarters in Queen’s Road.

For more information about the Sussex Freemason you can visit www.sussexmasons.org.uk.