Groups' roaring success (From Gazette Series)

Groups' roaring success

LIONS and Lionesses in Dursley have pumped more than £16,000 into the National Health Service in the past three years.

The figures were compiled as part of a nationwide assessment of the contributions Lions and Lionesses in the South West and South Wales make to public health services.

Dursley Lions contributed £12,000 to the NHS while donations from the Lionesses totalled more than £4,000.

"The figures do not include donations in cash and kind to local doctors' surgeries," said Lions' welfare committee chairman, Dave Butterfield.

Last year Dursley Lions gave away more than £42,000 to causes local, national and international.

The latest large Lions' donation is to Rednock School towards the £4,850 cost of providing new cricket nets. Of the total, Frocester Cricket Club and Dursley Lions each contributed £1,000 from the profits of this year's Frocester Beer Festival. In addition Dursley Lions' Club donated £2,850 to make up the £4,850 total.

Weekly sales of donated furniture at the Lions' May Lane store make a major contribution to the club's fund-raising efforts, augmented by the annual August bank holiday beer festival.

The annual Lions' Christmas dance at the Lister Hall was enjoyed by 160 Lions and guests which resulted in a contribution of more than £200 to Lions' charities.

In March, Dursley Lions' Club will host the annual convention of the District 105W which covers nearly 70 clubs in the South West and South Wales. More than 400 delegates are expected at the three-day event based at Cattle Country, near Berkeley.

Dursley Lions have 36 members while the Lionesses have 14.

Recently the Lionesses have been busy selling tickets for their annual Christmas hamper raffle the proceeds of which this year will go to the Cotswold Care Hospice.

"We have a high profile in the community and in addition to the hamper raffle, events include tombola stalls, jumble sales, plant and cake stalls," said Lioness president Ann Roedling.

"Our recent larger donations have included £750 to Berkeley Hospital, £500 to Bristol Childrens' Hospital, £700 to Standish Hospital, £550 to the Air Ambulance, £1,120 for a defibrillator for the local doctors' surgery, £500 to the ORBIS eye project, £265 to Send a Cow project, £200 to Crossroads, £200 for the new Bristol Childrens' Hospice, £500 to Farm Aid, £300 to the Willow Trust and £250 towards a third world eye camp.

"We recently visited the Bristol Childrens' Hospital to present them with a Coagucheck machine and play therapy toys."

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