Friday, 25 April 2008 - St Georges Day Lions

There are hundreds of voluntary bodies in Bristol that do untold amounts of good work. Amongst them is the Bristol Brunel Lions Club and the Bradley Stoke Lions club. I would like to congratulate both on their superb work in together raising over £1000 to give children with special educational needs at Kingsweston Special School the chance to go on holiday. The cheque was presented to Richard Yandell, the deputy head of Kingsweston School at The Lions' special St.George's Day dinner, last Thursday. I have visited Kingsweston Special school and seen first hand the extraordinary care and education they give to children who have special needs, and the ground breaking work they are doing with inclusion classes in six separate mainstream schools in the area. They are national leaders in giving children with SEN the chance to go to a mainstream school, with the support and backing of special school expertise and facilities where children need it. So congratulations to Kingsweston Special School and the Lions. No political system can replicate the energy of the good-will I saw at the Lions' St.George's Day dinner. A political system can only help people like the members of the Lions Clubs to do their good work by removing bureaucratic obstacles from their path. As a city and as a country we should be proud of the army of voluntary workers who do so much, unpaid and unsung, to keep our country up and running.So what better way to celebrate our national day of Englishness than roast beef, treacle sponge, and the presentation of a fat cheque to a very, very good cause? Well done to the Lions and to all at Kingsweston School. A lot of your work might go unsung, but it's mostly people like you who've made our country great.

Saturday, 5 July 2008 - Lions hand-over a roaring evening

That's an appalling pun - but I'm afraid it was a roaring evening. Bristol Brunel Lions ( with Bradley Stoke Lions) had their annual hand-over dinner. Lion John Taylor handed over his chairmanship to Lion Bill o'Neill, and I was inducted as a member - and as promised, it didn't hurt a bit.

It's hard to grasp the extent of the Lions Club international and the work it does. Amongst its achievements:

Thousands being able to see better by way of our used spectacle collections.

Many children having a holiday for the first time.

Parents of terminally ill children receiving respite.

Hundreds of children learning to read/write via "Schools in a Box" sponsored.

Enabling local children to learn with specially adapted computers.

Thousands feeling more secure due to their "Message in a Bottle" scheme.

Many smiling faces, children and parents, due to our Carol Float.

Great social events with shedloads of fun and fellowship.

Bristol Brunel Lions are in their 39th year. They've done huge amounts of work in that time- but you know what they say... life begins at 40. Roar-on.

Friday, 25 January 2008 Lions' Grand effort for Jessie May Trust

At their January dinner on Wednesday, the Brunel Lions Club presented the Jessie May Trust with a cheque for £1000.

The Jessie May Trust was set up to care for children who due to terminal illness will not have a long life. It also provides crucial support and care for their families.

Andrew Shaw, a Trustee of the Jessie May Trust gave an inspiring account of the Trust's work, before being presented with a cheque by John Taylor, from Brunel Lions.


The Lions Club supports many local and national charities. To get involved call John on 0117 9501511 or Bill on 0117 9420242

To donate to the Jessie May Trust go to www.jessiemaytrust.org.uk , call 0117 961 6840 , or email info@jessiemaytrust.org.uk