News & Events

The Summer months in Cairns are hot and sticky. So when the local Freemasons from Murray Lodge heard that the local Royal Flying Doctor Service (Qld Section) had to hire an air conditioner to keep the aircraft hanger cool for engineers working on their aircrafts, they were having none of it.

Recently the Lodge, with the help of Hand Heart Pocket donated a huge air conditioner, saving the charity hundreds in hiring fees.

Murray Lodge representative Alan Sims said it was a privilege to help create a cooler working environment for the organisation’s engineering team.

“Keeping these aircrafts in tip top condition is critical to enabling the RDFS to get to our most rural and remote communities here in the Far North, to give our people access to primary healthcare,” Alan said.

“The RFDS also provide access to mental health and dental services and operates emergency retrievals at any given moment, so the aircrafts need to be in good shape.

“Keeping the hanger cool, means the engineering team can work more effectively.”

Each month the RFDS in Cairns conduct 50 primary healthcare flights and 120 emergency retrievals.

Hand Heart Pocket Chief Executive Officer Sara Parrott said the local Freemasons have provided a very practical solution.

“Without healthy communities, we all suffer. This generous gesture shows how much the local Freemasons care about their community and how much they value the lifesaving work of the RFDS,” Sara said.

“They know from experience how vital the service is. We commend them for recognising this need so that we could match their donation,” she said.

Over the last year, the Freemasons of Queensland have continued to make a positive impact in communities across the State. With the support of Hand Heart Pocket our Members gave over $460,000 to the causes that matter to them in their community.

Find out more about Hand Heart Pocket’s Matched Giving Program