BURY Hospice has received another helping hand from the Freemasons.

Mr Phil Mountford, the chairman of Bury and Radcliffe Freemasons, presented cheques totalling £2,150 to the Dumers Lane Hospice.

Hospice fund-raising manager Mervyn Reeves said: "One of the most popular misconceptions about Freemasonry is that members only look after their own. While it is true that there are Masonic charities which provide support for Freemasons and their dependents in times of need, many other national and local charities benefit from donations from Masons."

The Freemason's Grand Charity in London also gives almost £500,000 each year to hospices throughout the country.