2025 Cheque Presentation Evening Report

MERSEA ISLAND LIONS CLUB ANNUAL CHEQUE PRESENTATION

AND THANK-YOU EVENING

SATURDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2025

This is the evening when we make donations to local charities and deserving causes as a result of our fund-raising throughout the year.  It is also the occasion when we are able to publicly thank those who sponsor our fund-raising events – Mersea Life and Hunnable Funeral Directors.  Also, our volunteers.  We call them S.M.I.L.E.s – Supporting Mersea Island Lions Events.  Without their support and help, we could not raise these funds, or carry out our work in the community.      

 

President Lion Bridget Smith MJF led the proceedings and introduced our distinguished guests Lions International 105CE District Governor Lion Colin Talbot MJF and his wife Lynne, Zone Chairman Lion Paula Batchelor, Clacton-on-Sea Lions Club Vice President Lion Stephen Brown and his wife, and the West Mersea Town Council Mayor Cllr. Sophie Weaver.

 

The Club currently has 22 members, and Membership Officer Lion Carol Fountain, introduced those present, with apologies for several who were absent through sickness.  

 

DONATIONS WERE MADE ON THE EVENING TO

  • Essex Air Ambulance
  • Mersea Island First Responders
  • Refresh Mersea
  • Mersea Island Explorer Scouts
  • Mersea Island Scouts
  • W. Mersea Free Church
  • British Heart Foundation
  • Tom Bowdidge Cancer Foundation
  • CHAPS Prostate Cancer Screening
  • Motor Neuron Disease
  • N. Essex & S Suffolk Hospitals Butterfly Trust
  • SOS Bus
  • Mersea Island RNLI
  • Camp Jojo

The total amount given to charities and deserving causes during the past 12 months is almost £12,000.

 

Other than the cheques to be awarded this evening, donations were made to clubs and individuals when the Club has been asked for financial help during the year.  

 

Here are just some of the ways in which we have been able to help: 

  • Managing the road closure for the Remembrance Day Service
  • Christmas Day Home-Alone Christmas Meals – 72 this year (2024)
  • Donation to Children in Need
  • Donation to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal
  • Donation towards the Freedom Boat Appeal
  • Donation towards the porch repair of West Mersea Parish Church

  

How did we raise this money?

  • Our biggest money-raiser is the Lions Family Festival – this year Saturday 16 August.

We are most grateful to have been given the following opportunities to raise monies: –

  • Donations at the gate, and a stall, at a Waldegraves Car Boot Sale.
  • Our Community and Feet & Paws Walk – this year on Saturday 12 April
  • Our own table at the Mersea Island Yard Sales – this year Sunday 4 May & Sunday 7 September
  • Car-parking for the Colchester and District Scooter Rally.
  • Selling hot Mulled Wine, Sausage Rolls, Mince Pies, Stollen, etc at the Mersea Island Lights Up in the MICA.
  • The Christmas Street Collection for the Home-alone Christmas Day Meals.
  • Monies raised by letting out our Beach-hut which is available for use in the community.
  • Donations from the users of the Lions Mini-bus.
  • Monies received from our Ink Cartridge Recycling bins.
  • And our wonderful friends at Clacton Lions Club from selling our used designer spectacle cases for us on eBay.

 

None of this would be possible without the help of our volunteers. 

We wish to express a huge  “THANK-YOU”  to you all.

 

We were especially delighted, and most grateful, to receive a donation of £500 from Waldegraves Holiday and Leisure Park to “kick start” our fund-raising for this coming year. 

 

Once again, we are most grateful to David Lord of Waldegraves Holiday and Leisure Park for enabling us to hold this annual event in the Wheatsheaf. We are particularly indebted to Head Chef John Meney and Entertainments Manager Glen Brown and all their staff who do so much to make the evening such a huge success.