The St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital is supported by charitable donations from Knights Templar. It is the main provider of eye care in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.

As members of the Province are well aware, the Most Eminent and Supreme Grand Master, launched a special Fundraising Appeal for two new diagnostic machines at the Anabta retinal unit in the West Bank.

This project is now drawing to a close and will culminate in June with a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land at which the money raised will be presented to the Eye Hospital in Jerusalem.

We have already met and slightly exceeded the original target of £7500.00 but, during this period of maximum effort for the Anabta appeal, unfortunately our donations to the Hospital itself have fallen sadly behind. In fact of the nearly £6000.00 raised for the appeal in the past year, there was only £400.00 raised for the running of the Hospital itself. This compares with an average of nearly £3000 in the three previous years.

I know we are getting near the end of the Masonic year, but Preceptory Registrars and Treasurers, if you do have surplus funds in your Benevolent Fund, please consider donating them, via the Provincial Vice-Chancellor, to the Eye Hospital. I am sure it will be gratefully received and faithfully applied.

Thank you – The R.E. Provincial Prior.