Lions Club In busy run up to Christmas 
Teesdale and District Lions Club have enjoyed an incredibly busy run up to Christmas. On Friday November 18th, members of the club joined with Lions from other clubs in the area, to collect for Children in Need, on behalf of the site management at Teesside Park. A superb total of over £1300 was collected in just a few hours to add to the fantastic amount raised by the campaign nationwide.
Later that day, Teesdale members Nick and Sue Barron, Steve and Fiona Doyle and Jeff Dobson, together with his wife Glynis, travelled down to Huby, near York, for the weekend long District Convention. This annual business and social event is for Lions from all over the North East of England and the whole of Scotland. Most of the money raised by Lions is used for local charities. However, at the Saturday Business session, the delegates were addressed by a charity concerned with planting trees in Africa and Asia, in order to create sustainable villages. The conference donated an immediate £1000, to be converted into £5000 by the United Bank of Carbon. A further £1000 was pledged to be raised by all of the clubs in the district, again to be converted. In total, Lions from this area will be responsible for planting 1200 new trees in Tamil Nadu, India and Kagera, Tanzania.
Later, the Conference was addressed by Alex Doyle of Startforth, who was the winner of the District Young Ambassador award, and also the National Lions Ship Shape youth award, which enabled him to take part in a Jubilee Sailing Trust event earlier this summer.
Whilst the District Convention was in full swing, Teesdale members Paul and Jackie Beere were busy running the highly prestigious two day Brass in Concert event at the Sage Centre in Gateshead. This year’s event, as in previous years, was a complete sell out, with 12 of the top brass bands in the world competing for a number of trophies. Teesdale Lions members assisted the two organisers, together with members of Barnard Castle Band.
A week later, and the club transported the newly renovated Santa Sleigh and Reindeer to Sainsbury’s at West Auckland and then to Tesco at Catterick Garrison for two days collecting for the Christmas Appeal.
On Friday 2nd December, the Club provided the main man and helpers for the turn on of Barnard Castle tree lights and the issuing of presents in the Grotto. A week later and it was time for the club to relax at their Christmas Dinner, held at the Crown in Mickleton. After a splendid meal, Nick and Lion Sue Barron received a very important phone call to say that their daughter, club member Lion Tammy Emery had just given birth to a baby girl, Charlotte Beatrice – cause for wild celebrations!
On the evening of Sunday 11th December, it was time to open the doors of the GlaxoSmithKline Sports and Social Club to over 120 local senior citizens for the Annual free Christmas music concert. The first half of Barnard Castle Band’s superb programme consisted of an adaptation of Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”, narrated by Allan Jones and Barry Wilmot, suitably interspersed with the appropriate seasonal music. During the interval, the audience were treated to wine and mince pies and over 40 prizes were issued during the drawing of the raffle. Just before the festivities recommenced, Club President Steve Doyle presented Band Conductor, Ian Symonds with a cheque for £200, for their funds. The second half of the evening was taken up with Community Singing of the traditional carols, ably led by members of Barnard Castle Choral Society. At the end of the programme, Lion Bob Garton thanked the Band for their fabulous evening of seasonal entertainment and also staff of the Club for their usual support for this legendary event.
During the next few days, a number of Lions Christmas Hampers were distributed to some people in the area. The Club would like to take this opportunity to thank the Hayloft and Citizens Advice for their significant help in this project.
A few nights later and several Club members visited Charles Dickens Lodge, to provide an evening’s entertainment for the residents. A Christmas Quiz was interspersed with a few games of bingo and yet more seasonal refreshments!
Finally, members of club were up and about early in the freezing cold, on Saturday 17th December, with Santa and his sleigh and reindeer, for a day’s “promotional work”, outside Morrison’s store. A considerable amount of sweets were given out and in return, a substantial amount of money was very generously donated by the public of Teesdale, to help pay for some of the above mentioned activities.
So, at the end of a very busy period, and a highly successful year, Teesdale and District Lions Club believe that they have fulfilled the International Organisations remit, in serving their community.
Happy New Year to everyone in Teesdale and especially to our many friends and supporters.
