Who are the Lions? What do they do?
Lions Clubs International is world’s largest service club organization, and with 1.4 million members. In the British Isles and Ireland, over 18,000 members help to contribute millions of pounds each year. Lions are ordinary men and women who believe in community service and volunteer to give their time to their local and global communities for the benefit of others.
Kettering Lions club, formed in 1972, has over thirty members raising over £10,000 each year, and more than 90% is spent locally, helping organizations and individuals. Examples of donations are funding a dinghy for Rutland Water Sailability for the disabled, donating over £14,000 to the Air Ambulance, providing a defibrillator to the Cranford 1st. Responders, and distributing 450 food parcels at Christmas to elderly and disabled people. We provide Christmas parties for both adults and children with learning difficulties. Any money raised will help to continue this work in Kettering and area, as we pay all the costs and not take any expenses.
In the UK, Lions have launched an Eye Health and Diabetes awareness programme as over two million are affected by eye disease and need regular tests. Also, the launch of “The Message in a Bottle” project, simple, but effective, a plastic bottle containing important medical and personal details is stored in the person’s fridge, enabling the emergency services to inform the doctors of vital information. Lions Clubs throughout the country have organized this free life-saving scheme with doctor’s surgeries, chemists and local councils, and are also collecting spectacles for distribution in the Third World.
Lions Clubs International donated $5 million to tsunami victims in South Asia, and $3.3m to Haiti helping provide medical treatment and building 3,000 prefabricated homes in affected countries. This money was sent to the Lions clubs in the area, which ensures that it is spent on relief work, and not lost in bribes or theft. The recent disasters in Australia, New Zealand and Japan, have also received several millions of dollars, spent and administered by the local Lions in that area.
New members are always welcome; we meet twice each month and also have a varied social calendar. If you are interested in joining, or finding out more about us, please see the Contact Us section - you'll be very welcome.
