Two years ago, Saltash Lions Club closed after serving the people of Saltash and its surrounding community for over 52 years. It was a sad passing of one of the oldest Clubs in Cornwall. Now, we are delighted to announce that eleven Lions, originally from Callington Lions Club, have established a new Tavistock Lions Club Branch to return Lionism to the “Gateway To Cornwall” with the creation of Saltash Tamar Lions.
Lion Club Branch Treasurer Jamie Dowdall said, "The purpose of forming this new Club Branch is to expand the reach of Lionism within the Saltash area and engage more community members in service activities. We believe that by establishing this club branch, we can strengthen our impact and attract new members who are enthusiastic about serving the community."
This exciting development marks a new chapter of Lions' service in the Saltash and Tamar Valley area, where a passionate group of individuals has come together with a shared commitment to making a difference in the local community.
Following the election of the Club Branch’s Officers,
The meeting also took the opportunity to thank all those who had assisted in the creation of the new Club Branch, including the DG’s Team, those at MDHQ, Callington, and Tavistock Lions. DG Elect Lion Richard Allen said, "This achievement would not have been possible without the invaluable support and guidance of Tavistock Lions Club, who have generously stepped in as the Parent Lions Club. Their encouragement and support are very much appreciated and has played a vital role in helping this new club branch become established."
He then presented Tavistock Lion President Alan Wroath with a certificate of Appreciation.
The new Club Branch has already undertaken its first activity, Continued on Page 2
Saltash & Tamar Club Branch
running the car park at another first, Devon Deaf Rugby Vs Cornwall Deaf Rugby, at Tavistock Rugby Club. A good match, a good atmosphere, and the winners were definitely Rugby and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community (oh, and Cornwall won so it's cream on top tonight in all its manifestations!)
With an open meeting planned and a further seven potential new members already identified, Saltash Tamar Lions hope to have enough Lions to become a Club soon. In the meantime, plans are already in place to attend Saltash May Fair and Regatta, and to hold quizzes, bingo nights, a horse racing evening, to run a Peace Poster competition, and some social nights as well.
A warm welcome awaits any visitors, but as we do not have a permanent home, please contact Presi0345 83395 for details of our next home for the night.
Hosted by Okehampton Lions Club, Zone E gathered for a pleasant evening of socialising and a few ends of Pub Skittles on Friday 25th April, with 40 Lions, partners and guests at the Conservative Social Club in Okehampton.
The eventual winners were ..................... Lions, as the teams were mixed from across Okehampton, Tavistock, Launceston, Callington and Saltash Tamar Lions. We even managed a few "9's" and 1 spare!
Retiring Zone Chairperson Don Berry (Callington) leading the way with a magnificent “2” - thanks Don for allowing everyone else to beat you!, and thank you to the staff at the Social Club for a warm welcome and a great buffet,.
Tavistock Lions Club
Back on a chilly Saturday in early March, members of Tavistock Lions, supported by members of the Ukrainian community living in the town were out in force on Tavistock's Bedford Square collecting donations for its next trip to Warsaw taking humanitarian aid for the people of Ukraine. As usual, all the collectors were amazed at the generosity of the people of Tavistock with £670 being collected in just a few hours. The date for the next trip has not yet been decided but, in the meantime, anyone wishing to donate items for Ukraine was advised to contact Lion Ken Shield and he would confirm what is needed and arrange for any goods to go on the next shipment from Callington organised by Cornwall & Devon Sending Love to Ukraine. The Club also organised a fund raising quiz in April in Tavistock Parish Rooms and this raised a further £490 with all of the money raised for Ukraine being "ring fenced" in the Club accounts ensuring that it is used to finance further trips to Poland.
out a number of members for special mention and presented them with medals of appreciation.
These were Lion Angela Hill who organises the barbecue team, spending hours on food preparation and also oversees the team when attending events, Lion Ken Shield for all his work in fund raising and deliveries into Poland for Ukraine, Lion John Dawson for his superb work and organisation as Activities Chair and Lion Paul Congo for overseeing our Health and Safety, writing the necessary risk assess-
insurance cover for all our activities.
Apart from the above and a couple of sessions managing car parking for two local football tournaments, the first six months of the year are fairly quiet activity wise but behind the scenes, planning continues apace for this year's Tavistock Carnival which will run from Friday 11th to Sunday 20th July and include music, entertainment and fun for all the family culminating in the grand procession through the town. But before that, Club members will be joining with Tavistock Town Council to provide a beer and wine bar and BBQ at the 80th celebrations of VE day that will be held in the Town Centre on Thursday 8th May so pictures of that in next month's South West Post!
The Club recently celebrated its 49th birthday with a relaxed dinner and dance at the Bedford Hotel. After the excellent meal, Lion President Alan Wroath thanked all Club members for their support and work over the last 12 months and he singled
However the highlight of the evening was the presentation of two Melvin Jones Fellowships to Lion Lyn Roberts and Lion Richard Jones. Both were long service members of the Club, had served in various positions including as President and had shown great dedication and leadership within the Club.
serving and well respected members of the Lions Club of Tavistock.
The photo shows Lions Phil Volz, Bill Mann, David Inman and Ken Shield
Left to right DGE Richard Allen, Lion Paul Congo, Lion Angela Hill, Lion President Alan Wroath, Lion John Dawson and Lion Ken Shield.
Calling All Lions: Step Up for District Officer Roles!
Dear Lions of MD105SW,
As Lions, we are united by our passion for service and making a difference in our communities. Our district thrives because of the dedication, talent, and leadership of members like you. To continue our success and growth, we are looking for enthusiastic Lions to step up and take on district officer roles and positions and become part of the district team for the upcoming Lions year 2025-26.
Why Consider a District Role?
Becoming a district officer is a unique opportunity to:
Make a Greater Impact: Shape the vision and direction of our district’s service initiatives.
Develop Leadership Skills: Gain valuable experience in leadership, organisation, and teamwork.
Network and Collaborate: Work alongside inspiring Lions across our district, multiple district and beyond.
Inspire and Support: Empower clubs and members to help them achieve their full potential.
Help our District Grow: By helping to revitalise clubs with new members and re-motivating existing members with fellowship and exciting service opportunities
Positions Include (but not limited to):
• Zone Chairpersons – (must have served as a club president).
• Global Membership Team members – helping the Global Membership and Global Extension District Coordinators increase membership
• Global Leadership Team members – identifying training and leadership development opportunities, helping to organise and/or facilitate local district and club learning events
• New Voices Officers - to promote the New Voices initiative of diversity and inclusion and support for Lions who have been members less than 5 years
• Grants Research Officer
• District Officers for -
Mental Health & Well-being,
Hunger,
Childhood Cancer,
Deaf Awareness,
Dementia Awareness,
Youth Exchange and others!
PR & Marketing team members to help with the district website, Facebook, poster design etc
Whatever your background or experience level, there is a role for you! Training and support will be provided to ensure you feel confident and equipped to succeed.
How to Express Interest
If you are ready to take the next step in your Lions journey, we’d love to hear from you! Please send an email to District Governor Elect Richard Allen (racdm13@gmail.com) with the following:
1. Your name and club.
2. The position(s) you are interested in.
3. A brief statement about why you’d like to serve in a district role.
If you’re unsure which role suits you best, feel free to reach out for guidance we’ll help match your interests and skills to the right opportunity.
We Serve Together
This is your chance to help shape the future of our district and expand your impact as a Lion. Let’s work together to ensure our district continues to grow and thrive.
Thank you for your service and dedication to our mission. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Truro Lions Club
Truro Lions Club celebrated their 54th Charter Anniversary Lunch at the Greenbank Hotel in Falmouth, on Sunday the 6th of April 2025
President Mike Kalis and his wife Jane hosted the Lunch with Distinguished Guests 2nd Vice District Governor Lion Phil Bunt and his Wife Lion Jill, Mayor of Truro Carol Swain and Mayoress Sarah Douglas Martin , and Immediate Past District Governor Lion James Mathers and his wife Lion President Gail ,together with a great representation from other local clubs including , Newquay Towan Blystra, Penzance , St. Austell and Newquay Clubs.
The event was very successful with excellent food and service, provided by the Greenbank Hotel.
President Mike thanked all members and partners for their support during his year and gave special thanks to Lions Julian Collinson, Richard Moore and Geoff Kaye for organising the lunch , Lion Sue Gibbs for an excellent Tombola, and to all our guests who came along to celebrate with us.
Lion Richard Lewis then gave the toast to all our Guests and finally Mayor Carol Swain responded on
Special mention was made to our guests Truro Town Crier Lionel Knight and his wife Carol who do sterling service in the town welcoming our many visitors to Truro.
All the speeches were well received , with a good sprinkling of humour.
Lion Vice President Julian Collinson did an excellent
He also described the activities for fundraising , donations and service carried out in his year , and thanked Alisha and her Team from the Greenbank for all their hard work with the room presentation and service for the meals.
The President's speech was followed by a response from 2nd Vice District Governor Lion Phil Bunt on behalf of Lions Club International , who at the end if his speech presented Truro Lion Cornelius Hutchinson with his 35 Year Service Certificate .
Plymouth Lions Club
The Lions Club of Plymouth have donated £400 to the 2174 (North Plymouth) Squadron of the RAF Air Cadets.
Lions vice president elect George Poad, who formerly served in the RAF, and club secretary Ian Hill visited the cadets to make the presentation.
Lion Ian gave a talk on the Lion young leaders in service scheme and he and Lion George were given a tour of the facility, which they described as “very interesting.”
The Air Cadets offer many fun and exciting opportunities such as flying, gliding, adventure training and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme along with visits to RAF stations, sports and much more.
They do not directly recruit for the Royal Air Force but are an integral part of it, providing exceptional training that is recognised by the RAF. The transferable skills that are learnt will also help in many civilian jobs and in day-to-day situations.
Lions Club vice president elect George Poad presents a £400 cheque to Sargent Amelia Holt, watched by members of 2174 (North Plymouth) Squadron RAF Air Cadets.
Yeo Valley Lions Club
On Saturday morning12th April Yeo Valley Lions Club, in conjunction with Somerset Prostate Support Association (SPSA), held a free Prostate Cancer Testing event at the Hangstones Pavilion in Yatton, North Somerset.
This was our first such event and had only been in the planning stages for a couple of months, so we did not quite know what to expect. SPSA supplied the expertise and services of three phlebotomists, we supplied staffing on the day and the all-important funding (each test cost £28) - helped by some long-time local business supporters of our club.
The morning was limited to 150 men (aged 40 and over). We were fully booked three weeks beforehand, and could only take appointments in advance.
From this example there seems to be a pent up demand for such an event, so it's almost inevitable we'll hold another. Watch this space!
On the morning itself, everything went off very smoothly (we only had seven 'no shows' ie 4%, which SPSA told us was average), no one fainted or was otherwise ill or indisposed and the tea, coffee and biscuits went down well!
Blackmore Vale Lions Club
Blackmore Vale is a Small Club but always has a Lot of Socialising and Preparation Going On
After last month’s excitement at the races and collection of a goodly sum of cash this month has been about a fair amount of social activity and quite a lot of preparation for other future activity plus a valiant effort to enable help for another charitable activity.
Firstly, the social activity. We held a very pleasant supper evening at a new club venue for us, The Plough at Manston. We are trying to spread our presence around the area to become more known and visible as part of KLIPS. Whilst there we met up with some potential new members and took the chance to witness our Easter Egg Collection programme in action. The rest of the Egg Programme is doing well with 18 more eggs out in the community being raffled by publicans and business owners. A group of us headed to the Bridport Club’s Charter Lunch and had a great lunch and social event. Our thanks to the members of the Bridport Club for inviting us. Any excuse to go to West Bay is a good one and this is a pretty good excuse!
Whilst at The Charter we took the chance to discuss the sort of project LIONS are good at. A runner called Eliott Spencer, a generous donor to Lions, is undertaking a sponsored run to all the Premier League Football Clubs in England. He is running North to South from Newcastle to Bournemouth. Nowhere near our patch but we noticed the last leg to Bournemouth went through the area formerly occupied by the Christchurch and Bournemouth Club. Unfortunately, they have disbanded so no Lions were available to support him. Local clubs were busy. It seemed like a task that a group brought together from Zone J clubs might take on even though it was a fair way away. We all got busy getting volunteers. In the event the New Milton club who are much closer took on the role, but it does show what Lions are prepared to have a go at and
that social events have a role in enabling activity. A valiant effort.
Having used a social event to recruit and another to support a worthwhile cause it was the turn of recruiting again. Our President, Tim Otter, gave a 15 minute interview to the local radio station, Yeovil based Radio Ninesprings, about Lions, who we are, what we do and stand for. It was great publicity as he was able to cover activities by several Zone J Clubs. Those who would like to listen will find the interview online at radioninesprings.com and then retrieve from archive Community Programme from 19.00 Thu 3 Apr”.
Continuing on the recruiting theme Lion Julie Otter has been promoting the ROAR programme. After Easter visits to the two most interested schools will hopefully be followed up with visits by the ROAR Team.
In the meantime, Lion Peter Oswick had been dealing with the planning our own charter on 28th Jun. Our chosen charter venue recently closed to allow for a change of ownership. Change of ownership over its time to do a food sampling as a quality check. Concurrently we are preparing for our “Thank You“ reception on 24th April at Dike’s Café for people who have helped and supported Blackmore Vale Lions over the past few years.
To continue this part of the theme Peter has also been arranging a Choral Concert in Henstridge Village Church on the 10th May. Tickets will be sold in aid of a group of singers, The Songbirds, who frequently entertain and support us, and a Charity called Future Roots who provide educational and emotional support to youngster the education system has passed by. Ticket are on sale for the event on 10th May details via Peter at peter.oswick@btinternet.com.
Peace Poster Presentations at Convention
It was a pleasure to welcome the Peace Poster winners and members of their families to 105SW Convention on Saturday 29th March. Saoirse and Mykola were pleased to see their posters on display along with the other Clubs’ winning posters and were amazed at the variety of ways in which the theme of “PEACE WITHOUT LIMITS” had been interpreted.
Mykola and Saoirse were presented with a certificate and a much-coveted DG Kevin Pen! As overall winner, Saoirse also received the Peace Poster Trophy, which she will keep for the year. Monty’s certificate was accepted on his behalf by Lion President Graham Rossiter – Lions Club of Sidmouth. Prize money is paid directly to the winning students’ bank accounts.
Many thanks to all Clubs who took part in the Peace Poster Contest 2024-25 and congratulations to Cheddar Vale Lions Club who sponsored the District winner. Congratulations also to Crediton & District and Lions Club of Sidmouth who sponsored the 2nd and 3 placed posters.
The theme for the next Peace Poster Contest 2025-26 is “TOGETHER AS ONE”. Peace Poster packs are now available from MDHQ (£14 + postage) or can be downloaded from lionsclubs.org website (currently $11.95 - automatic sterling conversion) Be aware you will need to print the “Official Winner Sticker” and certificates yourself if you opt for the download version.
The Peace Poster Contest is a good way of creating
links with a school or youth group and can lead to more youth projects, such as ROAR, being introduced. What better topic to discuss than PEACE? I am delighted that several Clubs have already bought Peace Poster Packs, ready to approach schools and youth groups in the Summer Term, which is an excellent time to get the project started.
If you are interested in running a Peace Poster Contest or would like to know more about this long running International Lions youth project, please do not hesitate to contact me. It would be great to have more Clubs involved in the coming year.
Lion Theresa Warrell District 105SW Peace Poster Officer
Tiverton Lions Club
Since the death of Lion Peter Drew,40years ago, The Tiverton Lions Club and Peter's widow, Lion Margaret, have managed the Peter Drew Bursary. This is aimed at Youth related projects.
In recent years it has taken the form of a £200 grant to local youth entering on foreign travel, especially in relation to High School and Scouting projects.
This year two young ladies, Sophie and Celeste, received the grant. The presentation photos are attached. Our Young Ambassador winner also received £200.
Grow Your Club, Grow Your Impact: Just Ask!
As Lions, we are united by a shared commitment to serve. From building stronger communities to supporting those in need, our reach is only as strong as our membership. That’s why growing our clubs is not about numbers it’s about expanding our capacity to serve and make a difference.
One of the simplest and most effective tools for membership growth is the 'Just Ask!' method. It’s exactly what it sounds like: inviting others to serve by simply starting a conversation. Whether it’s a relative, a neighbour, a colleague at work, a friend, or fellow community volunteer there are people all around you who would make great Lions. They’re just waiting for someone to ask.
Why 'Just
Ask!' Works
1. It’s Personal People respond best to genuine, personal invitations. When you ask someone directly, you’re not just offering membership you’re offering purpose, friendship, and the opportunity to change lives.
2. It Breaks the Ice Many people don’t join service
organisations because they’ve never been invited.
The 'Just Ask!' approach helps break that invisible barrier by opening the door to a meaningful conversation about service and values.
3. It’s Proven Clubs around the world have seen real growth and revitalisation using 'Just Ask!'. It empowers every member to become an ambassador for the club no special training required, just sincerity and passion.
How to 'Just Ask!'
• Start with a Story: Share what being a Lion means to you. Talk about a project you loved or a moment that inspired you.
• Explain the Impact: Let them know how Lions are making a difference locally and globally.
• Make It Easy: Invite them to a service project or a community event or a Lions social occasion. Let them experience the spirit of Lionism firsthand.
• Follow Up: Keep the connection alive. Sometimes all it takes is a little encouragement.
Remember: You Are the Key
Every Lion has the power to grow our legacy. If each member brings in just one new Lion, imagine how many more lives we could touch.
So take a moment today, look around your circle, and 'Just Ask!'. You might be surprised who says yes and how far that “yes” can go.
Together, we serve. Together, we grow. Together, we are Lions. Who will you ask?!
You can find a downloadable copy of the 'Just Ask!' guide here:
We commenced April by welcoming our newest recruits, Sue Babey and Louise Layzell.
Sue moved to the area some time ago and is very much involved in the community, she volunteers in her village community shop as well as the local Timebank, helps with events and is involved with a dog charity. She loves travelling and is a keen cyclist. Lion Pat has sponsored Sue, she said “Sue has helped us fundraise and attended some social events since becoming involved with the club. I am very pleased that she has decided to join as she will be a great asset, bringing enthusiasm and humour to the table!”
Louise has lived in the area all her life and is a much respected ‘local.’ Her sponsor, Lion President Shirley, has known Louise for some time, she said, “I am delighted that Louise has decided to join us, I am very aware of her aptitude to fundraising and empathy with others – she will fit in well.”
Both Sue and Louise feel that they have been made to feel most welcome by all of the Lions and they are looking forward to working with them for the benefit of others.
The Joy of Giving
Two of our giant cheques have been presented this month.
Max, from Love Musgrove, was pleased to receive a cheque as part of our continued support for The Beacon Centre. He said “We are always very appreciative of Ilminster and District Lions for their support over the years. The difference the donations
The donation was made possible as a result of the Christmas Hamper draw. President Lion Shirley thanked Bonners, Cottage Flowers, Ilminster Warehouse, Mark Hebron and Tesco for their sponsorship and those who bought tickets.
Clinton Bonner, Chairman of the Ilminster Christmas Lights, was also pleased to receive a cheque to support their next display. Clinton said, "I would like to thank the Ilminster Lions for their fantastic support of the Ilminster Christmas Lights, they have done so for many years, and it is this continued generosity that allows us to put on a great show every Christmas". Lion President Shirley acknowledged the demanding work that goes into planning the displays, which are renowned and bring people into the
Ilminster Lions Club
Following the success of the Christmas Hamper Draw, we ran Easter Hamper Draws. We are very grateful to Bonners Butchers; Bradfords Building Supplies; Ilminster Warehouse; Mark Hebron; The Flying Fish and Tesco for allowing sales on their premises and to Cottage Flowers for arranging the hampers. Also, to everyone who ‘had a go’! The proceeds will go to the Children’s Hospice South West and local charities.
mal Sanctuary. We are looking forward to next year but have requested that the station be moved a few yards to a sunny spot!
AND WE ATE, AND WE ATE, AND WE ATE!
As the year moves on, it is much warmer outside of Tesco when we help with the monthly Food Bank collection. When you consider the size of Ilminster and the fact that twenty families regularly make use of the Food Bank, it makes you think. We are pleased to be able to support those in need.
Whilst it was still quite cold, we spent a most enjoyable morning managing the water station for the Minster Milers 10k run which raised funds for both the
And, finally, a fabulous Sunday carvery at the Flying
Diabetes Awareness
Easter will have come and gone by the time you receive this, but this months recipe is Easter Biscuits taken from the DiabetesUK website, where you will find a whole range of healthy recipes. If you have diabetes or look after someone with diabetes and need help/advice, you can contact DiabetesUK on their Helpline 0345 123 2399, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.
The Easter biscuit is associated with the West Country, the Sedgemoor biscuit being a traditional recipe. This spicy biscuit originally used cinnamon flavoured oil of Cassia as a spice. Cassia oil is thought to have been used to embalm the body of Christ.
The biscuits would be baked and tied into bundles of three to represent the Holy Trinity, then given as gifts on Easter Sunday.
It is an easy biscuit to make, uses oil rather than butter and Stevia reduces the sugar by half. For a 19g biscuit, there are 9.3g carbs.
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons rapeseed oil
1 ½ teaspoons Stevia (sweetener
50g soft brown sugar
Finely grated zest from 1 lemon
Juice from ½ lemon
200g wholemeal flour
1 rounded teaspoon mixed spice
40g currants
10g chopped mixed citrus peel
1 tbsp plain flour for rolling
1 egg
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 170deg C/ gas 3
2. In a large bowl beat oil, egg, sugar, Stevia, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
3. Add flour, spice, currants, and peel. Mix well to
form a ball.
4. Turn out dough onto a well floured surface and roll to 3-4mm thick.
5. Cut out biscuits with a 5cm fluted pastry cutter and place on a lightly oiled baking tray.
6. Bake for 7-9 mins until the edges of the biscuits start to turn brown. Cool on wire rack.
June 9th to June 14th is Diabetes Awareness Week.
Finally, good luck to those Lions running the London Marathon on April 27th. Especially Budleigh
Lion Colin Rowland who has Type 1 diabetes. It’s not easy to run a marathon at the best of times but to run one with diabetes is extra hard having to carefully monitor insulin control while managing energy intake. I hope it goes well.
Radstock & Midsomer Norton Lions & South West UK Lions
Radstock & Midsomer Norton Lions arranged a Race Night with the help of the Westfield Sports and Social club to raise money for Dorothy House our local hospice based in Winsley. Apart from a few technical hitches on the night it was an enjoyable and fun event. Paul Hewitt a volunteer with Dorothy House attended and gave us a moving talk about the fantastic work that the hospice provides. Terry and Annette at the Westfield Sports Club were fantastic hosts and provided a tasty buffet and refreshments at the bar. The virtual horse racing and raffle raised £1,000. Lions are very grateful for the support of Terry and Annette and everyone who came along to the event making it a success and raising funds for a local charity. Our Lions Branch club known as South West UK Lions have also raised funds for Dorothy House to the sum of £700 from a Christmas collection at Tesco in Keynsham. The two clubs went over to Dorothy House to present the cheques at the Winsley headquarters.
The Dorothy House charity is here for anyone in our community who’s facing a life-limiting illness. Using a full breadth of service’s to create individual care journeys which start at diagnosis and continue with bereavement support for family, carers and children.
Thanks to the generosity of Westfield and Keynsham residents these funds will be put to good use.
Congratulations
At a recent Tavistock Lions Club meeting District Governor Elect Lion Richard Allen was delighted to make a presentation to club member Lion Steve Grummitt.
Steve was presented with a certificate for 'Best Photograph' in the category of 'Weather and Landscapes' and a certificate and a shield for being the overall winner in Lions Clubs International Environmental Photographic Competition 2024-2025.
Well done Steve!
L to R Paul Frampton (Branch club) Sally Marsh (Branch Club President) Shula Dennard DH Community & Events Fundraiser. Paul Hewitt DH Volunteer Derek Livsey Colin Marsh (Branch Club)
Cheddar Vale Lions
Party Time for Cheddar Vale Seniors
On 5 April Cheddar Vale Lions Club held a tea party for Senior Citizens in the community. They were collected from the residential homes and returned safely home from all over the Cheddar Vale area. Individuals are welcomed too; we arrange pickup points for those without transport. We thank all the minibus drivers for their assistance and getting the participants to Shipham Village hall on time.
They enjoy meeting up with friends, taking part in the quizzes, Bingo and listening to the entertainment that was provided by the Somerset Crooner. We provided an afternoon tea with l00 scones that were baked by local Café Gorge in their bakery, they were delicious. Our members and helpers from our Friends Group set up
cutting up the homemade cakes and filling up the teapots, enough to cater for 89 participants. We must also thank the St Johns Ambulance officers and cadets that attended for their assistance.
What an amazing day enjoyed, not only by the participants who left with smiling faces, but very rewarding for our members and helpers.
BECOMING A DEMENTIA FRIENDLY CLUB
In March the Club launched a new project for our community aiming to help those suffering from Dementia or Alzheimer’s and their Carers. There was nothing similar available in the area and the Club identified how these diseases can affect families. The event was a success, and it is intended to keep going with a monthly Café.
The Memory Café is now listed on the Dementia UK Directory, plus we are grateful for the help they gave us in providing a Guide to setting up the event. They were also a source of much information that we have made available at our Memory Café for the attendees.
The Club is also planning to hold a fundraising event for Dementia UK in May, “Join our Time for a cup-
Budleigh Salterton Lions
Easter raffle gets cracking result
also raised chocolatey cheer with prizes of baskets loaded with Easter goodies. These were delivered direct to the doors of the lucky winners on Easter Saturday by local Lions.
Budleigh Lions join fantastic plastic initiative
In the weeks prior to Easter, Budleigh Salterton Lions Club members were busy selling Easter raffle tickets in the High Street. The draw raised money for the Lions to donate to
Lion Sue Glover, the local plastic-free organiser, has partnered with Plastic Free Budleigh to help reduce single-use plastic use in the ar-
Budleigh in Bloom recycle the containers their plants arrive in and use empty compost bags for weeds. Plastic Free Budleigh is eager to sign up more community allies and businesses to further the cause.
Lions’ environmental activity picking up for spring
Improving the environment is a large part of the Lions mission, and Budleigh Lions have been dealing directly with one the most obvious environmental issues in the area – litter. Earlier this month the Budleigh Lions were joined by Devon Clinton estate staff and volunteers from Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust, who swapped the gorse and brambles
on the commons, to help collect litter from the hedges and green spaces between the units at Liverton Business Park. McDonald's, The Range, Bradfords Building Supplies, Exmouth Tyre & Exhaust Centre and Wolseley Plumb Centre supported the clean-up by taking and disposing of 12 bags of general waste safely and helping with a number of fly tipped items.
The club also joined forces with Clean Beach Budleigh Salterton for a special beach clean in memory of Lion Jim Jefferson, who passed away recently. On the day, words and thoughts were shared about Jim, who was always happy to help with cleanups. He even introduced using a metal detector to search for nails on the beach left over from pallets being burnt on fires – much needed as the image shows.
Clean Beach
Budleigh Salterton has pledged to repeat the memorial beach clean annually at Easter to honour Jim for all the support they received from him.
A lucky winner takes delivery of their basket of Easter treats
Budleigh Salterton Lions at the raffle draw on Easter Saturday
Budleigh in Bloom and Budleigh Lions' members working together to reduce single-use plastics
Fowey River Lions
On Sunday 27th April Fowey River Lions held their 48th Charter Anniversary Lunch at the Fowey Harbour Hotel where they were addressed by Lion President Steve Jones as he proposed a toast to Lions Club International. He warned the gathering that his speech consisted of seven pages. Fortunately, for the attendees the words were in a very large font so no one nodded off in the process. He paid tribute to several members who had distin-
guished themselves in the course of the year and persuaded the District Governor to hand out a number of rewards in recognition of their efforts, mainly consisting of alcohol and flowers including Lion Lynn
Responding District Governor Lion Kevin Moore championed their growth in Membership. Only twelve months earlier they stood at eight members but they had managed to double their numbers during that period and are much stronger with sixteen. He also focused on the Lions Eye Screening Camera where an application has recently been submitted to
LCI for a matching grant and if successful would equip the District with ten such cameras to be used in screening for potential eyesight problems in young children when they are young enough to be corrected.
With a final flourish DG Kevin was asked to hand out more flowers, including to his wife Catherine but without the ignominy of it being repayment of some misdemeanour on his part.
Secretary.
Gould who was stepping down from her position as Club
A very successful Charter Lunch
L R Lions Chris Jones, Martyn Crowle, Ruth Rouse, Lynn Goold, Malcolm Trethowan and Lion President Steve Jones
