In 1925, Helen Keller challenged Lions to become ‘Knights of the Blind’. This enormous challenge was duly accepted and today the Lionistic movement is recognised as the leading organisation in the world for the prevention of blindness.
The Lions Club of Fairlop, based in Ilford, Essex have for many years also embraced Helen Keller’s words with their leading activity being two eye camps they hold in India every year. These camps are attended by several members of the club at their own cost and very much reflects the spirit of Lionism.
It all started in the mid-nineties under the banner of their mother club, Lions Club of London Seven Kings. In 2004, a branch club was formed and then in November 2006, the Lions Club of Fairlop received its charter and carried on with the eye camps which today represent their biggest service activity.
In collaboration with the Jagriti Club in India, the first eye camp was organised in Jalander, Punjab. The Jagriti club made it their responsibility to make all the physical arrangements and put together a medical team to perform the cataract operations. All the helpers and medical staff give their services voluntarily over a period of 3-5 days. The camp attracts thousands of people hoping to have the operation but sadly many have to be turned away either on medical grounds or because the funding can only provide for a certain amount of operations. A second eye was set up in 2008 in Gujarat which is progressing in numbers every year.
The eye camps are staged in February and March every year and some of the club’s members have recently returned from another successful event. Between the two camps, approx 700 operations were performed at a cost of just under £20000 which was met in full by Fairlop Lions. The total contribution to the eye camps since their inception is around £130000.
The monies required to fund these operations is raised at the club’s annual Vaisakhi Dinner and Dance held in April each year. Vaisakhi is one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar. It is the Sikh new year festival and a long established harvest festival in the Punjab. It is celebrated on the 13th or 14th April. It also commemorates 1699, the year Sikhism was born as a collective faith.
This event attracts 450-500 guests who enjoy an evening of food, drink and entertainment but most of all generously donate their money to help those less fortunate. The event in recent years has raised an average of £30000 through pledges, raffles and auctions. Several of the club’s members work tirelessly over many months to ensure that our guests have a memorable evening including many family members who help out on the day itself.
Eye sight is something we all take for granted but for the many thousands of poor people in India it is a dream. However, with a simple cataract operation that dream can become a reality. There is only so much we can do in a couple of weeks and it is with great sadness that we have to turn away those people who have come to fulfill their dream and who perhaps may have a chance the following year.
The club wishes to acknowledge the important contribution made by London Seven Kings Lions club in setting up and funding the operations for many years where a few of our members were based before forming Fairlop Lions. In addition, to our partners in India, our loyal supporters who have donated over the years and to several of the club’s members who year on year make their annual pilgrimage to India to help those less fortunate.
At Fairlop we are proud to be Lions. In addition to our eye camps we run many projects to serve all areas of need in the local, National and International community. We acknowledge and congratulate Lions Club International on the wonderful humanitarian work that it does and will continue to give our support to the foundation.
Below are some of the images from the most recent eye camps in 2010.
FREE HEALTH SCREENING @ THE MALL, ILFORD ON 16TH JANUARY 2010.
The free health screening camp was held by The Lions Club of Fairlop under the leadership of Lion President Surinder Singh Rooprai. This was the first of its kind organised by a Charity Club with its own funding and also money donated by individuals and some pharmaceutical companies.
Dr. Anurag Sinha (member of Lions Club) is a GP in London Borough of Newham help us set up his own team for this programme. The Health Screening started at 9.00am on Saturday with 2 doctors and 2 nurses working throughout the day non stop until 6.00pm. A total of 238 people were tested for Blood Glucose and Blood Pressure and a further 15 were tested for cholesterol.
Of the 238 tests carried out 8 were found to have a high blood glucose levels, 4 with high blood pressure and 1 with High Cholesterol level. Dr. Anurag feels that what we have achieved would be termed a very successful Health Screening Programme by any means.
The Mayor of London Borough of Redbridge Mr. Chan, Mr. Lee Scott MP , Mr. Mike Gapes MP, Councillor Keith Prince were all present to support the event and were well impressed the way the whole event was organised and run.
Members of The Lions Club of Fairlop were present for the whole day helping with leaflet distribution, helping recruiting people for check ups and also helping the doctors and nurses.
Finally Dr. Anurag Sinha considered the event to be very highly successful and praised the Club Programme Committee Chairman Harbinder Manku for handling the whole thing in a very professional manner. Harbinder has promised that the club will organise another programme during the Diabetes Week UK & hold similar programmes in future to create awareness of these ailments amongst the community.
KWA LUMA BOREHOLE – 23RD. SEPTEMBER 2012
IN CONJUNCTION WITH SIKH UNION COVENTRY (UK) , SIKH UNION NAIROBI , LIONS CLUB OF FAIRLOP (UK) & RAMGARHIA YOUTH ASSOCIATION
The Ramgarhia Youth Association (RYA) and affiliated body of the East African Ramgarhia Board (EARB) inaugurated yet another water borehole (generator operated) in Kwa Luma , Kibwezi , Makindu District on 23rd. September 2012. The first was in Kambu area , Makueni in 2007 and the second at Ngomano Secondary School , Kalii in Makindu in 2010.
The borehole was commissioned at a price of approximately Kshs. 1,500,000.00 and this would not have been possible without the assistance of its partners who had also travelled from the United Kingdom (UK) for the commissioning , they are Sikh Union of Coventry (UK) , Lions Club of Fairlop (UK) and Sikh Union Club of Nairobi , Kenya who contributed equally towards the Borehole.
The borehole has been connected to a 10,000L water reservoir which can be filled in 2hours and will serve almost 1,500 – 2,000 persons and livestock. Before the inception of the borehole , the residents used to travel for nearly 5 hours to fetch water and another 5 hours on the return journey , now they have access to clean drinking and cooking water. The borehole has now been handed over to a Committee which was formed for the maintenance and upkeep of the borehole.
All the four organizations have agreed to do a borehole every year in September and the next one will be commissioned on 15th. September 2013.
Alongside the borehole , a dental camp was also taking place on 23rd. September 2013 at the Makindu Sikh Hospital under the leadership of Dr. Parveen Jandu. Dr. Jandu holds Dental Clinics every fortnight on voluntary basis and an average 70-80 patients are treated. He relies on donations from institutions and well wishers to carry out the camps and on this note the Lions Club of Fairlop, UK took the lead role along with The Sikh Union of Coventry , UK to donate a cheque of Kshs. 140,000.00 for this worthy cause and now all the four organizations have pledged to raise money for the same.
We do extensive work with the youth in our society such as:
Supporting our Youth by sponsoring candidates in:
Youth Football
Peace Poster Competition
European Musical Competition
Young Ambassador Competition
Christmas party for special needs children
Educating youth on Juvenile Type 1 Diabetes
We believe we play a vital role in our community of Redbridge and do everything possible to help those less fortunate than ourselves
