COVID-19 has hit charity fundraising very hard. That applies to us in Lions as well as many of the organisations we support.
But the needs of those organisations doesn’t go away and we’re pleased to have been able to work with Douglas Valley Lions Club, as well as drawing on funds from the UK Lions Multiple District (MD105) trust, to raise the money needed to fill the gap in Deaf Blind UK‘s own fundraising, and allow them to replace their old and unreliable 20 year old braille embosser.
Collaborations like these are fantastic, but in times when welfare expenditure exceeds our fundraising capabilities they become essential, and we’re proud to have been able to help Peterborough-based DBUK with this project. They are a reminder that even whilst isolated, we can still work together for the greater good.
Peterborough Lions were one of a number of Lions Clubs from Lions District 105EA (UK, East Anglia) who have provided sponsorship to children in Phuket since shortly after the Tsunami on 26th December 2004. The aim was to help the children come to terms with lost ones and to develop their own characters. During this time the Phuket Sunshine Village was built.
When the sponsorship started those clubs were supporting 16 children and the majority have now grown up and have jobs and better lives. During this period Peterborough Lions have supported two girls and one boy, one of whom, Supattra, remains at the village whilst the other two having received education at the village have moved on with their lives and now have jobs.
Phuket Sunshine Village now has local volunteers who concentrate on the fundraising required to support children at the village, and with that in mind the directors of the project now feel that, as there are many different needs throughout the world, that the help can now cease so that the various Lions Clubs can concentrate on new projects.
As an expression of their gratitude they sent Peterborough Lions the attached certificate of appreciation.
Peterborough Lions are proud to have been able to provide support in the aftermath of the terrible events that devastated the area nearly ten years ago, and in particular to have been able to continue that support long after the events had ceased to be of interest to the news channels – work that would not have been possible without the support of the people of Peterborough.
In December Peterborough Lions Club members took time out to raise finds desperately needed for the Typhoon Haiyan disaster.
Most of the funds raised by Peterborough Lions Club are spent on charitable and community causes within the Peterborough area, but a small proportion is held back to support International projects through the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) which is able to direct money raised around the world through Lions Clubs located in disaster areas, ensuring that it is put to good use by local Lions.
The Lions Club Charity Dinner was held at Maharani’s Restaurant in Hampton Hargate (by kind permission of Mr M Farooq) and attended by local Lions and their partners and friends (including honorary Peterborough Lion the Mayor of Peterborough, Cllr June Stokes). On this occasion the sole aim was to raise money to help people affected by the super typhoon Haiyan, and through it and other fundraising efforts Peterborough Lions were able to present a cheque for £1,000 to the UK Lions’ Haiyan Appeal, where it will be used to provide essential water filtration kits. UK Lions combined have pledged £200,000 to this cause, sufficient to purchase 1,000 filtration kits. Lions around the world have contributed $500,000 including funds raised by the Orient and South East Asia Lions and those contributed via LCIF.
For more information about Lions, including donations to the Haiyan appeal or joing Peterborough Lions, please contact us.
On Saturday 13th April, Lion Syd Walker (a Lion for many years) together with Denis, Andy and Gavin (new Lions members of the newly formed Rixton with Glazebrook Lions Club) were interviewed for a Radio 4 article about volunteering. Nigel asked Syd “why he had started the new Lions Club” and the conversation focussed around “being active within their own community and having a visual presence”.
Rixton with Glazebrook Lions Club has 17 new members and 4 transferring from nearby Warrington Lions Club. Radio 4 interviewed Lions members, District Governor Meg Philip (and husband Michael), members of the public and Mike Clipston (District Marketing & PR Officer) on the work of the Lions and the Lions Message in a Bottle project.
The radio article is archived online on the BBC website and is well worth a listen.
For more information about the Message In A Bottle project or volunteering with your local Lions Club in Peterborough please get in touch!
The last two years have seen Lions Clubs all over Multiple District 105 (British Isles and Ireland) participate in World Sight Day / Weekend walks. Some Clubs have been on pub walks and other town or village walks. Many of these have brought local publicity for the Lions Club also in many cases a bringing together of the Lions Club with both local dignitaries and blind or partially persons, all taking part in the walk.
This year Lions Awareness Week is 8th – 16th October, and ends with a sight- related day – World Sight day is Thursday 13th October although many Clubs prefer to get more people involved by having an event on Saturday 15th October or Sunday 16th October.
Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex, patron of Lions Clubs International in the British Isles and Ireland (“Multiple District 105”), officially opened the Lions’ new shelter on Wednesday 14 September 2011 at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
Lions raised over £40,000 to create the purpose-built shelter so that visitors to the National Memorial Arboretum, which is part of The Royal British Legion family of charities, could take a rest or find refuge from inclement weather.
