A Good Day Out

We were delighted to be able to support Jessie May Trust and play a part in providing an enjoyable day out for these families. We hope to repeat this in future.

The weather was kind, the atmosphere relaxed and our equipment was put through its paces! Families were able to enjoy their day in whatever way was suitable for them. The reassurance of having a specialist team of four from the Jessie May Trust with a special support unit in a gazebo, was a major factor in this. Each family was able to decide what they wanted to do and it was very important to us not to intrude on this.

For many years, our Playground at Kingston Seymour has been used by literally hundreds of families who have children with special needs and by various organisations which support them. It has specially designed equipment and space for children to let off steam whilst other family members can relax.

As well as individual families, Yeo Valley Lions has encouraged other groups associated with children with special needs to use the Playground. Stay & Play Days, arranged by North Somerset Council’s SENDCAS Team in school holidays are very popular. Our latest venture was a family picnic organised by Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home helping families of terminally ill children.

No words can express this better than the picture of a young boy and his mum on our specially designed slide. He so desperately wanted to use it like his sister. We were able to make that happen and he laughed for the first time that day. There had to be repeat performances! There are countless other examples.

Our objective for the day was “to help create happy memories for families”. From the comments we received, that objective was achieved.

This is a bit like Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. Lots happening, a lot has happened and there is lots to come. Since we organised the Blackmore Vale Half Marathon back in February, we raised £3000.00 approximately, we have held a bucket collection on Easter Saturday outside a local shop which raised £233.00 and sold and raffled Easter Eggs which raised £1291.00 with a bit more still to come. Various other raffles have raised £150.00.

A major activity we have launched is called KLIPS, Keep the Lions in Public Sight. It’s partly of making local people, and visitors, more aware or Lions Club and partly a membership drive. Our aim is one newsworthy event a month which we hope will get prior notice and then a media release into local journals. We therefore do lots of things which are non-fund raising but increase publicity. These have included helping to marshal the North Dorset Village Marathon. Its run by Dorset Doddlers and you would think it’s a doddle. Stand on the crossroads and direct the runners and the traffic. Well, it is, but this being Dorset a herd of cows decided to join in and go the other way around the circuit. Quick thinking required by LIONS Simon and Gail Cullum!

The weekend of 9-10 June was very special to us. We held our first Charity Bingo session at Henstridge and then on the Saturday it was our Charter. With guests including DG LION Lesley Chudley, FDG LION Fred and Wendy Broom and President of Bridport Lions Club LION Sheila Greenaway with LION guests from Weymouth and

Portland, Dorchester and Gillingham Mere and Shaftesbury. All told 42 of us sat down to lunch at the Green Man at Kings Stag. Accompanied by music from The Beagles we had a good time basking in the sun before and after a convivial and satisfying lunch. Thank you to our guests for coming and to Lesley and Sheila for responding to the welcome and toasts.

We have recently made bequests and gifts to amongst others: a lady needing an electric mobility scooter, laptops to a charity helping educationally disadvantaged children, and allocated a grant to two scouts, from the group that never fails to support us at events, so they can travel to Iceland for some adventure training. We have applied for and received a grant to purchase trees to plant in the local area to commemorate King Charles’ Coronation. The more we do the more the value of “We Serve” becomes apparent. We are now busy preparing for the summer season. We are helping with the Marnhull Festival (MARFEST) on 7 July, marshalling, insurance permitting, the Stur Half Marathon (6 Aug) planning a bucket collection on August Bank Holiday and staffing an entrance and a stall at the Stuminster Newton Cheese Festival, (9-10th Sept). To miss quote the late, great, and very short Dudley Moore “We may be small, but we are ludicrously passionate!”

18,000 Un-sold face masks donated by ASDA Weymouth, a trip to the Emporium in Callington and then Trip 12B to Poland and back.

A busy two weeks is in store for Weymouth & Portland Lion Kevin Brookes. On Thursday 22nd June Kevin collected 18,000 un-sold face masks that have been kindly donated by ASDA Weymouth. (Thank you Jackie), These were delivered to the Emporium in

“sendinglovetoukraine” and l have heard so much about the Emporium that l took the first opportunity to visit”. It was a bit of a trek from Weymouth but a nice lunch on the way home in Tavistock made the journey worthwhile”. He also had the opportunity to meet volunteers on the day who were sorting, weighing and packing the aid. Kevin will be driving the 2500 mile round trip to Warsaw in Poland and back with Phil from Tavistock Lions Club.

They leave on Monday 26th June and will return on Friday 30th June.

Callington on Friday so that they could be loaded onto the vans ready for trip 12B to Poland leaving on Monday 26th June. Kevin Said, “Trip 12B will be my third trip to Poland with the group of Lions and volunteers, Cornwall and Devon