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What we do
In common with all Lions Clubs our primary purpose is to serve our community. Our immediate community is Chelmsley Wood and Marston Green but we also serve the wider communities of Solihull, the Midlands, the UK and the World through a variety of activities.
During the last year we have undertaken the following service activities (click the linked items for more details)
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Battery recycling |
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| Lifeskills for young people | Supporting Social Supermarket, Around Again |
Supporting Social Supermarket, Around Again
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Around Again is a social supermarket supporting over 100 needy families in the Chelmsley Wood area. During the Coronavirus pandemic demand has increased and Marston Green Lions have stepped in providing donations of food and other essential supplies as well as providing a shopping service for the supermarket on a regular basis.
Spectacle Recycling
For a number of years now we have been collecting old or unwanted spectacles through our collecting bins in Marston Green and Chelmsley Wood libraries. The spectacles are parcelled up and sent to Chichester Lions Club, who then sort them, grade them and despatch them onto Third World countries, where most of the population cannot afford to have their eyes tested or buy glasses. Dedicated specialists, Lions volunteers and other organisations then hold clinics where they test eyes and prescribe a suitable pair of glasses from the ones received. For many of these people this is the first time they have been able to see properly in years and the difference it makes to their lives is remarkable. For some, it means that they are able to work again and support their families, while others can see their children and grandchildren clearly for the first time in years.
We have recently installed one of our bins in Specsavers in Chelmsley Wood, and have been overwhelmed by the fantastic response from the public. We would therefore like to thank Specsavers for allowing us to place our collecting bin in their shop, and also everyone who has donated their unwanted spectacles over the years, they really do make a difference to those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
Working with young people
Marston Green Lions are involved in a number of youth activities:
The peace poster competition is aimed at 11-13 year olds and is an annual competition where the entrants produce a picture on a theme related to peace. The competition is held with entrants from local schools and other youth organisations being judged by the Club and submitted to a District competition (there are currently 13 Lions Districts in the UK), the winners of the District competition go forward to a national competition and then, if successful, to an international competition where there is a top prize of $5,000
A recent UK winner from Balsall Common
For more information see-
http://www.lions105m.org.uk/peacepostercomp.htm
Young Leaders in Service is a scheme where young people can receive a gold or silver award for 100 or 50 hours of community service in ten different categories. We have been working with CTC Kingshurst Academy and have had many successful candidates as this presentation produced by the Academy shows. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9mzqPpjLa4
As the scheme has been very successful in encouraging young people to take part in service to the local community, we are hoping to expand the scheme to include another school in the area. The following video was produced by Kingshurst Academy to show the benfits of the programme.
The Young Ambassador competition is designed to recognise young people between the age of 15 and 18 who have made a significant contribution to their communities through service activities. Lions Clubs nominate candidates who compete in a ‘District’ competition (there are currently 13 Lions Districts in the UK) where the winner receives a £500 bursary to further their service activities. Winners of the District competition go forward to compete in a national competition. We take an active role in looking for candidates for this competition and have had two of the last three winners of the midlands award. Pic needed
Lions life skills for children – this provides learning resources for children / young adults aged from 3 up to 19 dealing with a range of issues affecting physical and emotional health such as substance and alcohol abuse, tobacco, personal, social and emotional development, citizenship and many others
Message in a bottle
The Lions Message In A Bottle scheme is a simple idea designed to encourage people to keep their personal and medical details on a standard form and in a common location - the Fridge. Whilst it is focused on the more vulnerable people in our community, anyone can have an accident at home, so this scheme can benefit anyone, including you.
As a minimum it will save the Emergency Services valuable time identifying you and your emergency contacts. By telling whether you have special medication or allergies or not, it is a potential lifesaver and provides peace of mind to users and their friends and families.
Paramedics, police, fire-fighters and social services support this life-saving initiative and know to look in the fridge when they see the Lions Message in a Bottle stickers.
For more information on Message in a bottle please visit the Lions MIAB website: http://www.lions.org.uk/health/miab/index.php
Senior Citizens Entertainment Nights
Twice a year we invite senior citizens from around the Marston Green and Chelmsley Wood area to join us for a night of entertainment in our social venue, kindly hosted at the Banbury Club, Chelmsley Wood which includes bingo, a quiz and a raffle all with prizes, an entertainer, usually a singer or comedian, and dancing, the whole evening provided free of charge as part of our service activities for the local community.
They are very well attended and extremely popular as the pictures show, so if you’re a senior please come along. We post details on Facebook and our website as well as flyers round the area and by word of mouth.
Litter Picking in Marston Green and Chelmsley Wood
Twice a year, we organise litter picks, usually one around Marston Green and the other in Chelmsley Wood, although due to the current rebuilding of the town centre, this was not possible last year. The litter picks are advertised in the local papers and parish magazine and as a result members of which the public often come along to give us a hand. The council supply us with black bags and "litter pickers" and we have filled many bags of rubbish over the years which they then collect. Please also see the website diary for the date of the next litter pick
If you would like to help us the next time that we do this, or if there is an area local to you that could benefit from a litter pick please call or text our mobile 07531769901, or email webmaster@marstongreenlions.org.uk
Aid to the Homeless
SIFA Fireside was formed in 2007 and works seven days a week with some of the most vulnerable adults in our society: those experiencing homelessness or who are vulnerably-housed. Many of these adults have complex mental and physical health problems, some have addictions, and all are socially excluded. They provide on average 3,404 meals, over 100 people given clothes and 429 showers each month.
The Club raises money for the homeless helped by SIFA Fireside through its collections at ASDA and through holding Race Nights as well as collecting clothes which can be donated directly to them
Health awareness
ASDA generously allow us to promote Lions health campaigns on four occasions throughout the year in their Chelmsley Wood store.
One of these is diabetes, an illness which affects a significant section of the population. We have played an active part in making people aware of the risks of the two types of Diabetes and how to spot the symptoms so they can get early medical help
We also campaign for a number of other health awareness issues, including:
Prostate Cancer – because it is the second largest cause of cancer death in the UK, we will be making men aware how important it is to catch this disease early working in conjunction with charities dedicated to this specific illness such as Prostate Cancer UK, a leading prostate cancer charity
We are also planning to hold a PSA screening event in 2019 which we hope will encourage local men of any age but particularly those over the age of 40 to be tested. The PSA test will help to indicate whether further medical advice is needed to help diagnose prostate problems
Sight Awareness – The Lions Eye Health Programme
Our aim is to promote the early detection and timely treatment of diabetic eye disease, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and the appropriate treatment for reduced vision. We look to educate people at risk of eye disease and encourage them to seek appropriate treatment by encouraging awareness of eye health and safety. These include distribution of eye health leaflets at appropriate locations (doctor’s surgeries, health clinics, schools, youth groups and other venues such as at ASDA Chelmsley Wood
UNICEF School in a box
The UNICEF school-in-a-box is designed to help at least 40 children continue their education in times of emergency and conflict. Materials for an entire classroom are packed into a large portable aluminium case, including a solar/wind-up radio and even an inflatable globe for geography lessons. The inside lid of the box doubles as a blackboard when coated with the special paint included in the kit. It also contains resources for teachers and allows for double-shifts for classes so that more children can benefit
UNICEF receives only voluntary funding so we purchase these boxes by contributing to a fund through our District (a regional grouping of local Lions Clubs) along with other clubs in the District
http://market.unicef.org.uk/inspired-gifts/school-in-box-to-help-40-children/S9935098/
Support for football team for disabled adults
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A local disabled football team, RT Rovers are based at North Solihull Sports Centre. We have provided support in the form of team shirts and funding to cover some of their pitch fees to enable them to continue playing and benefit from exercise, development of friendships in peer groups and helping each otherHi Vis jackets for Marston Green Junior School
Marston Green Junior School contacted us for help in sourcing some high visibility jackets to make sure the pupils are kept safe when being escorted outside the school grounds. 
We were rapidly able to provide 50 jackets to ensure that pupils could be seen in these smart jackets complete with the school’s initials and the Lions logo.
Seen here are Miss Weston-Smith and Miss Hall of Marston Green Junior School receiving the jackets with Lion President Simon Moss
Special Olympics Great Britain
Special Olympics GB is the largest provider of a year-round, all ability, sports programme in Great Britain and supports over 10,000 athletes with intellectual (learning) disabilities on a continued basis. In August 2017 they will be holding the National Summer Games to be held in Sheffield. Around 2,600 athletes of all ages with intellectual disabilities will come together from across the country. They will be supported over 4 days of competition by 800 coaches, 750 volunteers, 150 officials and over 5,000 family & friends.
We have supported this project by contributing to a fund through our District (a regional grouping of local Lions Clubs) along with other clubs in the District.
http://sheffield2017.org.uk/
https://youtu.be/9Cftm3DoafQ
Projects
Let’s get Izzy Walking
Isabelle Massey is a 10 year-old girl from Castle Vale who has cerebral palsy. She has difficulty walking and requires a spinal operation to help her walk. The operation has been recommended by a specialist but is not available on the NHS. The cost of the operation is around £9,000 and thanks to hard work by her family and the Lions and to donations from many individuals we raised over £11,000 and Izzy's operation is now scheduled for later this year. For more information please see our Club Projects
Support for CTC students to help a school in Zambia
A team of 6 students and two teachers at the CTC Kingshurst Academy will visit Zambia in July 2017 as part of a partnership project with Mungu Basic (primary) School. The students raise not only their own costs in travelling to Zambia but also £1,000 to support and improve the learning of the children at the school. The Club held a Race Night on March 31st, the proceeds from which will be used to contribute to the £1,000 target that the students are looking to achieve with their help
If you would like more information please e-mail webmaster@marstongreenlions.org.uk or telephone 0753 176 9901
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