HARROGATE LIONS CLUB

HISTORY

Harrogate Lions club is one of over 700 clubs in the UK dedicated to providing a service to their local community. We are affiliated to Lions Clubs International , a world-wide organisation of Lions Clubs which began in 1917 and is both non-political and non-sectarian. More than 43,000 strong, these local clubs are part of the world's largest such organization, with 1.4 million members serving in more than 180 countries and areas.

Harrogate Lions Club was formed in 1954, and chartered on 1st November 1956. We were formed from Leeds Lions Club, and since that date many past members have moved on, forming Lions Clubs elsewhere.

AIMS

We Serve - Nearly 1.4 million Lions members in 193 countries and geographic areas answer the needs that challenge the communities of the world. Lions tackle tough problems like blindness, drug abuse prevention and diabetes awareness.

Lions, and other volunteers collect used spectacles for donation to Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centres that are located throughout the world. The used eyeglasses are cleaned, repaired and classified by prescription. The spectacles are then distributed to those in need by Lion volunteers and other organizations hosting optical missions in developing countries.

Global neighbours - Lions members—men and women—provide immediate and sustained relief in time of disaster and offer long-term assistance to those in need.

Immediately after the Tsunami disaster, Lions quickly sprang into action to provide immediate aid to survivors and worked with government officials on planning for long-term reconstruction. Thousands of Lions in many towns and villages fanned out to provide vital supplies and began to lay the groundwork for long-term rebuilding.

“The tsunami disaster in South Asia prompted a tremendous outpouring of support from Lions around the world, and Lions in the affected countries worked day and night to bring essential supplies to victims,” said LCIF Chairperson Dr. Tae-Sup Lee. “Thanks to Lions, victims are receiving necessary food and water and communities will be rebuilt“.

Community Leaders - Lions improve the quality of life in their local communities throughout the year to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves. It is to this end that the majority of our time is given.

For 85 years, whenever there is a need at home or around the world, Lions members are there to help.

ACTIVITIES

Some of the things that Lions do:

Providing outings and holidays for the aged, handicapped and deprived youth
Helping voluntary community organisations through purchase of minibuses, office equipment, furnishings etc.
Helping individuals with assistance where necessary with telephone, gas or electricity bills, through to painting and decorating after house fires, or tidying up gardens
Collecting, assembling and distributing food parcels at Christmas
Collecting and distributing childrens' toys at Christmas

Direct purchase of equipment for Hospitals and Hospices - the photo here shows members of Harrogate Lions handing over a cheque to Harrogate District Hospital in support of their MRI Scan Appeal.
We also deliver newspapers around the hospital wards at weekends, and provide emergency packs for patients who may have been admitted in an emergency and find themselves temporarily without toiletries. we also provide soft toys to admitted children.

Hospital visiting, Old Folks Parties, assistance to the blind and deaf
Sponsoring a Lions Youth Award Scheme for the recognition of community service by young people
Financing Eye Camps and Water Wells in the Third World
Collecting used spectacles for the visually disabled abroad
Marketing a system called Medic Alert for speedily identifying personal allergies and illnesses in the event of an emergency
Helping with emergency relief anywhere in the UK & the World, eg: the Bocastle flooding, Asian Tsunami disaster, Ethiopian famine, Somalia etc.
Being actively involved in diabetes awareness in conjunction with the British Diabetic Association
Financing Drug Awareness programmes with TACADE through school curricula.

We raise the money to fund these projects through many activities, and throughout the year Harrogate Lions are involved in a number of fund-raising activities, which include street collections, manning stalls at village fetes, singing carols around the houses, organising hospital raffles etc. However, welfare projects undertaken are not necessarily financial, and we have a number of service projects where money is not involved.

A few Lions enjoying themselves at an Easter Egg hunt

Message in a Bottle

Message in a Bottle, also know as DataLink, is a voluntary scheme for anyone living at home who would feel better knowing that essential information about them will be readily available to the Emergency Services should they suffer an accident or a sudden illness.

If you are vulnerable, you can fill in a simple form listing your medical needs and place it in a small plastic bottle, which is then stored in your fridge.

This will enable Emergency Services, if called to your house, to have instant access to information regarding medication you may be taking, where it is kept, allergies, contacts and any other information you may feel the need to pass on. Two small Green Cross labels - one inside the house door, one on the fridge door - will show the Emergency Services that you are in the scheme and where to find your bottle. It is all free, and is already giving peace of mind to many thousands of people in other parts of the country, often thanks to their local Lions Club.

All relevant authorities - Police, Fire, Ambulance Services, Doctors and Social Services etc - have been contacted and they fully support this scheme.

Bottles and forms are available from all Chemists and Doctors Surgeries in the Harrogate area. Anyone who is unable to obtain one of these bottles/forms can do so so by e-mailing Harrogate Lions, or calling:

Lion Ken Brunner - 01423 - 564117

MEETINGS
Harrogate Lions Club presently has 26 members, men and women, and are always looking for new members. If you wish to join, or to know more about our Club, you are welcome to attend any of our meetings, which are held on the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month at:
St Roberts Centre
Roberts Street
Harrogate

Alternatively, you can contact by phone or e-mail:

Lion Eric Wright - 01423 567505
or
Lion Ken Brunner - 01423 - 564117