Snaresbrook Lodge

London Freemasons have raised £140,000 in just three months to support the work of the Royal British Legion, helping provide vital support for veterans and their families across London and the wider Armed Forces community.

The funds will help the Royal British Legion support serving personnel, veterans and their families facing challenges such as financial hardship, housing difficulties and social isolation – issues that many veterans experience long after leaving military service.

The fundraising campaign also highlights the shared values that unite the two organisations. Both Freemasonry and the Royal British Legion are built around the principle of service: service to the nation, service to communities, and service to those in need.

Freemasonry has a long tradition of charitable work and civic engagement, while the Royal British Legion was founded after the First World War to provide lifelong support to members of the Armed Forces community and to ensure the nation remembers their service and sacrifice.

This initiative began in late 2025 when the London Freemasons’ Charity committed £50,000 in match funding to encourage greater giving across the capital. Lodges and Chapters responded quickly, raising £90,000 through a coordinated appeal – bringing the total to £140,000 in just three months.

The scale and speed of the response demonstrated how community organisations across London can mobilise quickly when united behind a shared cause.

Lynda Atkins, National Chair of the Royal British Legion, welcomed the support: 

“On behalf of the Royal British Legion, I would like to thank the Freemasons across London for your generosity and steadfast support in marking this year’s Remembrance. Your commitment speaks to the deep sense of unity and shared responsibility that binds us together. Standing in common cause, you are helping to ensure that Remembrance is honoured not only in words, but through lasting and meaningful support for the Armed Forces community.

As Chair of the Royal British Legion, and knowing first-hand the values of the Freemasons through my own family, I am personally delighted to see our organisations working so closely together in a spirit of shared purpose and mutual respect. Thank you once again.”

John Thompson, Assistant Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England, said the campaign showed how shared values can translate into meaningful impact:

“I want to express my heartfelt thanks for your unwavering commitment and generosity. The support of Metropolitan members not only strengthens our work with the Armed Forces community but also demonstrates the very best of our values and our engagement within the wider community.

The way we have come together shows what can be achieved when we act with purpose and compassion. It is a model of excellence, and one that I believe could be replicated across our organisation as we look ahead to 2026 and beyond.”

Following the success of the campaign, London Freemasons intend to establish the initiative as an ongoing annual appeal, ensuring continued support for the Royal British Legion and the Armed Forces community.

The appeal will remain open throughout 2026, with all funds raised continuing to support the Royal British Legion’s work helping veterans and their families rebuild their lives after service.

The donation once again demonstrates the historic and unique relationship between Freemasonry and the Armed Forces, marked last year by the award of Gold Defence Employer Recognition Award to the United Grand Lodge of England, as well as the release of a short video on Freemasonry and the Armed Forces:  https://youtu.be/NFHDmhYMkKs?si=BTfVBAl2mtIUbUHk