We’ve all heard the statistic that one in four people will experience a mental health problem of some kind each year in England. But, only a third of people who experience these symptoms will seek out treatment.

At the MCF, we can help Freemasons and their families access mental health support if they’re feeling down, have symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress or other mental health concerns. This includes widows and partners of Freemasons regardless of gender, as well as children, step-children, and grandchildren of Freemasons aged between 5-17 years old.

Children and Young People

A 2023 report highlighted that one in five children aged 5-17 years old were identified as having a probable mental health condition. Steven, aged 13, reached out to us after he began to struggle with his anxiety when going to school.

In his initial assessment, Steven was lacking confidence and self-esteem and was referred to  our provider for six sessions of counselling. With their help, Steven challenged his thoughts and noticed his mood improved and anxiety quickly became more manageable. He also learnt to feel more comfortable reaching out for support and has since adapted the tools he learnt in counselling to better manage his wellbeing to feel less isolated.

Anna, aged 20, was also struggling to manage her anxiety, and as a result struggled to complete her university coursework. She was offered a course of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) after an initial assessment where she discussed not knowing how to address her negative thoughts and emotions.

After 12 sessions, Anna has made significant progress and has learnt to manage her worry and anxiety. She is so glad she reached out to the MCF for support and found that the sessions massively helped her self-esteem and confidence, and taught her to understand herself more.

Reaching out

In a recent survey of 1,270 beneficiaries carried out by our Impact and Evaluation team, they found that after receiving support, 62 per cent of respondents strongly agreed that it helped their wellbeing. Some of the main areas of change that respondents benefitted from was feeling more able to cope with difficult situations, and feeling healthier.

The mental health support service we offer is delivered through an experienced and independent provider and gives access to fully trained and qualified mental health practitioners, ensuring that they receive the highest quality of care.

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