Lions Club international
The International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of Chicago businessman Melvin Jones. He believed that local business clubs should expand their horizons from purely professional concerns to the betterment of their communities and the world at large.
Jones' group, the Business Circle of Chicago, agreed. After contacting similar groups around the United States, an organizational meeting was held on June 7, 1917 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The new group took the name of one of the invited groups, the "Association of Lions Clubs," and a national convention was held in Dallas, Texas, USA in October of that year. A constitution, by-laws, objects and code of ethics were approved.
Among the objects adopted in those early years was one that read, "No club shall hold out the financial betterment of its members as its object." This call for unselfish service to others remains one of the association's main tenets.
Just three years after its formation, the association became international when the first club in Canada was established in 1920. Major international expansion continued as clubs were established, particularly throughout Europe, Asia and Africa during the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions international convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, USA. She challenged Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness." From this time, Lions clubs have been actively involved in service to the blind and visually impaired.
Broadening its international role, Lions Clubs International helped the United Nations form the Non-Governmental Organizations sections in 1945 and continues to hold consultative status with the U.N.
Since its formation in America in 1917, the organisation has grown and in April 1950 Lions International arrived in the UK. During the Second World War Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother organised the distribution of funds sent by the Canadian Lions Clubs for the relief of the children of this country who were suffering from a lack of food, clothing and poor housing as a result of the war. After the war she sent her Equerry to Canada to thank the Lions for their help. He was so impressed with what he saw that on his return he formed the first Lions Club in this country.
Lions Club of Plymouth
60 years ago a young aspiring Lawyer visited a friend in the wilds of the deepest Hertfordshire. This friend happened to be a member of the newly formed Hemel Hempstead Lions Club, and who into the young legal mind sowed the idea of forming a Lions Club in Plymouth.
Having made several attemps our young Hero finally persuaded 18 other young businessmen to join him in his endeavours, and in May 1964 a formation dinner was held at the Continental Hotel. The club charter was presented on 16th January 1965 with 19 members.
In order to survive all species must propagate. So a few seeds were scattered over the border which were carefully nurtured and in 1966 the first Lions Club in Cornwall was formed at Looe. Spurred on by this success, and at later dates, the Lions Club of Plym Valley and Plymouth Tamar were encouraged and assisted to become members of our association
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