THE Freemasons have donated £58,000 in a big cash giveaway to six charities.

The six were nominated by Freemasons and members of the public to receive a grant from the Freemason’s national charity the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF).

Groups helping the sick were among those to benefit, including Rockinghorse Children’s Charity, which received £25,000.

Sussex MS Centre received £6,000, Headway received £4,000 and the Sussex Heart Charity £4,000.

Homeless charity The Clock Tower Sanctuary was given £15,000 and domestic abuse charity Rise £4,000.

Chris Moore, provincial grand master for Sussex, and Mike Harris, board member for the MCF, made the presentation to representatives from the charities at the Sussex Masonic HQ in Queen’s Road, Brighton, last week

The cash give-away comes as Freemasons around the country observe the 300th anniversary of the United Grand Lodge, which is the governing body for most Freemasons in England and Wales.

To celebrate the occasion, MCF donated money to 300 charities across the country from a £3 million fund.

Thousands of votes were cast in The MCF Community Awards across a seven-week period this summer.

The Rockinghorse was awarded the biggest grant of £25,000.

The Brighton-based charity has been helping to improve healthcare services for sick children and babies who are treated at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Eastern Road, Brighton, and the Trevor Mann Baby Unit at the adjoining Royal Sussex County Hospital.

Ryan Heal, chief executive of Rockinghorse, said: “We are absolutely over the moon to have been awarded a grant of £25,000 from the Masonic Charitable Foundation.

“To be one of 300 charities across the country to benefit from a special £3 million fund is an honour.

“It is thanks to all the votes received from our supporters that we have had such huge success.

“This donation will go a long way in supporting our 50th anniversary appeal Sussex Giving for Sussex Children – we can’t thank everyone enough for voting for us.”

Although the donation was from a national masonic fund, the Sussex Freemasons support a lot of charities from their own pockets.

Last month Sussex Freemasons gave £10,000 to The Argus Appeal when The Argus newspaper’s official charity was awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.