Before the launch of the national lottery the organisation donating the most to charity annually was the Freemasons.

But the donations, which amounted to many £millions, were given without publicity.

Now Freemasons are throwing off their veil of secrecy to publicise the good work undertaken and throw off the 'secret-society' mantle

Oak Tree Lodge, just one of the lodges in and around Woking, started the ball rolling last week with a £2000 donation to Woking Hospice

Annually the hospice receives many thousands of pounds from a variety of local lodges to help fund its work.

Richard Clifton, charity steward for Oak Tree Lodge, told the News and Mail: "In the past donations have been made quietly but, as part of Freemasonry in the community, we have decided to publicise the work we do.

"Despite bad reports in the press we do do a lot of good and we are not a clandestine organisation - we donate a lot of money to charity each year."

"We can't counteract the totally negative stories about us in the national press, because many are just totally untrue."We can, however, show local people the good work we do each year within our community.

"We were even pictured wearing our pinnies for the presentation to the hospice."