These are the current club projects. Click on the link for more information:
- Defibrillator at Central Cross
- Seaside Holiday Caravan
- Recycling spectacles
- Message in a Bottle
- Fuel Poverty
Caravan
The club owns a caravan in Burnham-on-Sea which is made available free of charge to the disadvantaged and those in need in Cheltenham who would not otherwise be able to have a holiday.
The caravan is fully fitted with facilities for disabled guests including a hoist and roll in shower.
This year, 22 weeks of holiday have been booked giving holidays to disabled adults and children with their parents and carers. Guests include children from the local Acorns Hospice and the James Hopkins Trust.
This is the third caravan that the club has provided at Burnham. The current one costs £30,000 which was raised single handed by one of our members.
Eyeglass recycling
In just about any home, one can find a pair of eyeglasses that are no longer being used. That same pair of eyeglasses can change another person's life.
That's why Lions started the Recycle for Sight program. Everyone can help.
Throughout the year, we collect used eyeglasses and deliver them to regional Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers (LERCs). LERC volunteers clean, sort by prescription strength and package the glasses. Recycled glasses are distributed to people in need in low and middle income communities where they will have the greatest impact.
Are we keeping the Winter Fuel Allowance?
On behalf of The Lions Club of Cheltenham, The Mayor of Cheltenham, Councillor Klara Sudbury, launched Wenceslas Heating on Monday 23 October 2017.
Wenceslas Heating is so named because in the carol, Good King Wenceslas looked out when the frost was cruel and he saw a poor man gathering winter fuel.
Wenceslas Heating gathers Winter Fuel Allowances to pass to the poor.
If anyone feels that they can manage without their Winter Fuel Allowance, Cheltenham Lions provide a direct bridge to those in Cheltenham with insufficient money to pay their fuel bills.
The Lions Club of Cheltenham will pass money raised to caring for communities and people (ccp), who will distribute to those in need in Cheltenham.
Nothing will be taken for administration or overheads by Cheltenham Lions.
The project is running successfully by Lions in a few other English towns.
It is calculated that around 6925 households in Cheltenham need to spend 10% or more of their income to achieve adequate warmth.
To give just £30 to each of these households, we would need over £200,000.
Please give generously. Remember you can boost your donation by 25p of Gift Aid for every £1 you donate.
Donations can be sent by cheque made payable to “'Cheltenham Lions Club Charitable Trust Fund” and endorsed “Wenceslas Heating” on the back to our ‘Treasurer, Lions Club of Cheltenham, 39 Rivelands Road Cheltenham GL51 9RF’
Alternatively, pay via mydonate (BT online free-to-use service)
For advice about receiving money for fuel bills, contact ccp by e-mail at winterfuel@ccp.org.uk
More information and a Gift Aid form can be found by clicking here.
