Teesdale and District Lions Club
THE club has enjoyed a busy and successful time, either side of the Christmas period.
In November, the club took part in a Lions International Environmental Education Project.
A package of children’s literature was commissioned by the parent organisation under the banner of Wild Tribe Heroes and comprises a number of early learning books aimed at primary children.
These books were specially written for the Lions movement and highlight the effects of pollution, and particularly, plastic, on wildlife and the environment.
As a classroom tool, they promote discussion among youngsters about what they and their families can do to minimise this impact. Teesdale Lions club members visited every primary school in our area with a pack.
The club signed up to have a tree at the Christmas Tree Festival in St Mary’s Church. In keeping with the literary theme of this year’s festival, the club chose the environmental literature theme and used bad examples of polluting plastic, to re-inforce this key message.
A club Christmas meal was enjoyed at The Brownlow Arms, in Caldwell, followed the next night by the annual senior citizens’ free Christmas Concert, with Barnard Castle Band.
More than 150 people crammed into the GSK club to be entertained by the band and of course conductor Andrew Nicholson. Guests were treated to mince pies and wine at halftime.
The club’s 25th annual charity Burns’ Night was held at the end of January in the GSK club and attracted another full house.
After the customary Burns Meal, ceremonials and speeches, the tables were cleared to allow Scottish country dancing to Newcastle’s Ceilidh Knights band. More than £400 was raised at the event for club charitable funds.
A week later, many Teesdale Club members were involved in the running of the annual district convention at the Scotch Corner Hotel.
This event takes place over three days and together with social events, is effectively the annual general meeting of all Lions Clubs stretching from South Yorkshire, through the North East of England and the whole of Scotland.
As well as all of the district officers, other key guests in attendance were international director Dr Patty Hill, from Edmonton, Canada, who will be international president in two years’ time, and legendary BBC presenter Harry Gration, who opened the event.
Teesdale Lions Club has served the community since 1984.
We continue to meet on the first Wednesday of each month at 7.30pm, in the GSK club.
If you are interested in community service together with various social activities, come and meet us to see what we do.
Bob Garton
