CHARITIES in Ceredigion got a share of £150,000 given out by west Wales Freemasons to celebrate their 30th anniversary.

More than 30 charities benefited in the share-out, which took place at a special dinner held in Fishguard earlier this month, attended by 180 members of the Masonic Province of West Wales and 50 representatives from the charities. The grants ranged from £600 to £10,000.

Those receiving £600 grants included the Aberystwyth-based Care Society, Lampeter Family Centre, Cardiganshire Association for the Blind, Cardigan Oxygen Therapy Centre, Blood Bikes Wales and Welsh Hearts.

Grants of £10,000 apiece went to three charities helping charity patients from all over Wales - Macmillan Nurses, Marie Curie and the Paul Sartori Foundation.

Four charities - Newcastle Emlyn-based HUTS, the Welsh Hearts charity, HOPE and the Carmarthen Youth Project - have also been put forward for Masonic Charitable Foundation Community Awards and will share £50,000 between them, the proportion for each being decided by a public vote in June.

See this week’s south editions for the full story, in shops and online on Wednesday