FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the 2014 Festival?
The Surrey Mark Province is raising funds to donate for the purchase of equipment and facilities for the Surrey Air Ambulance and CHASE Children’s hospice. The Festival will conclude in the second quarter of 2014.

What happens to the donations?
All donations are accumulated in a Relief Chest at Grand Charity where it will earn interest tax free until funds are distributed in 2014. A dedicated bank account has been set up to receive the proceeds of the sales of merchandise and clear cheques payable to the Surrey Mark 2014 Festival.

How can I contribute?
The best way to contribute is personally through a Regular Payment Promise where by you make an affordable monthly, quarterly or annual payment with a minimum of £2 per month. Just complete a payment form which you can down load from the Provincial web site and we will do the rest. We will even get Gift Aid Tax Claw Back of 28.1% if you are a tax payer; this is of great value to the 2014 Festival with current interest rates so low. Of course, you can contribute by making a single donation payable to “Surrey Mark 2014 Festival” or the Grand Charity Relief Chest No E2087.

Gift Forms are available to download from the Surrey Mark Provincial web site: Click Here or from David Willmott, the Festival Treasurer.

How can my Lodge contribute?
Lodges may choose to make a charitable donation to “Surrey Mark 2014 Festival” or to organise a “Stamp Your Mark” event to raise money. Your Group Representative will be happy to advise you.

Where can I get Gift Aid envelopes?
You may also want to use the Gift Aid envelopes specially prepared for the Festival available from the Festival Treasurer: David Willmott, Drumore, The Marld, Ashtead, KT21 1RW, tel: 01372 278678 or email: dandaw@ontel.com

To whom do I make payments?
Please make cheques payable to “Surrey Mark 2014 Festival" or the "Grand Charity". Gift Aid envelope collections, should be sent to: the Festival Treasurer: David Willmott, Drumore, The Marld, Ashtead, KT21 1RW, tel: 01372 278678 or email: dandaw@ontel.com

What is the Relief Chest Number?
The Relief Chest Number at the Grand Charity is E2087 If you are making a payment directly to Grand Charity please make sure you advise the Festival Treasurer: David Willmott, Drumore, The Marld, Ashtead, KT21 1RW, tel: 01372 278678 or email: dandaw@ontel.com

Where do I get a sponsorship form?
Blank Sponsorship Forms can be downloaded from the Surrey Mark Provincial Web Site: Click Here

Sponsors should note that Surrey Masons are raising money for public charities and doing so by accumulating funds in the Grand Charity. At the end of the Festival all donations plus tax claw back and interest will be distributed to the named charities.

How do I organise and an event?
We suggest that you first talk to your “Stamp Your Mark Representative” for your Group of Lodges. Contact details available from the Surrey Mark Provincial web site, The Provincial Charity Steward, your Lodge Secretary, or email the Festival Secretary on stampyourmark@markmastermasons.org.uk

How do I make use of gift Aid?
You must be a UK tax payer and pay sufficient tax to cover that being reclaimed. You must check the box certifying this on the appropriate form (Gift Aid Sponsorship Form and Gift Aid envelope). Only payments from individuals can qualify and the claim must have the name and the address to qualify. The Grand Charity will reclaim the tax at the basic rate significantly increasing the value of the donation. If you are a higher rate tax payer you can make a note of your donations on your annual tax return to reclaim the difference between the basic rate and the higher rate.

When will the Charities receive the benefit?
We plan to distribute the funds in the second quarter of 2014 equally between the two charities.

Do contributions count towards the Scrip Purse scheme?
Yes. All notified contributions will count towards the Scrip Purse in the same way as other charitable contributions made by the Lodge.

How do I fill in the Regular Payment Promise form?
The form must state that you request the Grand Charity to allocate the donations to “Surrey Mark 2014 Festival, Relief Chest No E2087".The specific downloadable form from the Surrey Mark Provincial web Site includes this statement. If you use the standard blank form from the Grand Charity these words must be added in the blue box.
If you have any difficulties filling in the form please contact the “Stamp Your Mark Representatives” for your Group of Lodges. Contacts will be available from the Surrey Mark Provincial web site, the Provincial Charity Steward, or the festival secretary on stampyourmark@markmastermasons.org.uk

Who do I contact?
Please contact the “Stamp Your Mark Representatives” for your Group of Lodges. Contacts will be available from the Surrey Mark Provincial web site, or the Provincial Charity Steward, your Lodge Secretary or email the festival secretary on stampyourmark@markmastermasons.org.uk

Where do I buy a “Stamp your Mark” Polo Shirt?
These will be on sale at provincial events such as the AGM or you can purchase them direct from the Festival Treasurer: - David Willmott, Drumore, The Marld, Ashtead, KT21 1RW. Tel: 01 372 278 678 or email: dandaw@ontel.com at the current price of £15.00 each.

How do I promote Fund raising events?
The 2014 Festival Committee will do everything it can to assist in promoting events including adding details to the Provincial Web Site, using routine communications through the Provincial team, advertising and promoting in the Surrey Overseer (providing enough advance notice is given to the editor) and by involving your “Stamp Your Mark Representative” who will assit you to liaise with the other Lodges in your group. We regret that we cannot manage the promotion directly but we do advise you to give as much notice as possible for an event.

How do I get my story on the/picture on the web?
We want to encourage contributions however brief, and welcome news stories and items, articles and pictures for inclusion on the web site and the Surrey Overseer are encouraged. Please send your material to the Festival Secretary on stampyourmark@markmastermasons.org.uk or contact one of the “Stamp Your Mark Representatives” for your group of Lodges.

What is the polo shirt Competition?
A prize will be awarded at the conclusion of the Festival to the Brother who submits a photograph of himself wearing his “Stamp Your Mark” Polo Shirt in some exotic location or in an original situation. Photographs should be sent to the Festival Secretary on: stampyourmark@markmastermasons.org.uk or contact one of your “Stamp Your Mark Representatives“ for your Group

Who do Group representatives report to?
Provincial Grand Charity Steward: W Bro Graham Walder.
The Birches, 8 Phillips Close, Headley, Hants GU35 8LY.
Tel: 01428 717217
Email grwalder@grw.org.uk