Presentation Evening February 2022 – Cheque Recipients
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 our volunteers and those who sponsor our fund-raising events. Without their help we could not raise these funds, or carry out our work in the community. We call them S.M.I.L.Es – Supporting Mersea Island Lions Efforts.
Our President, Lion Colin Kimble, led the proceedings and introduced our distinguished guests Lions International 105CE District Governor Lion David Pope, Past 105 CE District Governor, Lion Ujjal Kular, & his wife Lion Manjit, Zone Chairman Lion Paul Skilton, the West Mersea Town Council Mayor Cllr. Carl Powling and President Alan Mercer and members of Clacton-on-Sea Lions Club.
DONATIONS Despite our very limited opportunities to raise money during the past year due to Covid restrictions, we have been able to give to charities and deserving causes over £7,500.
Cheques of £500 each were presented to the following charities during the evening:
- Essex Air Ambulance
- Mersea Island First Responders
- Mersea Island RNLI
- Towards a replacement seat for the West Mersea Church Green
- Colchester Hospital Cancer Trust
- Young Carers Trust– District Governor’s Lady’s Charity
Other donations:
- Mersea Island Squash Club received £300
- The Colchester Hospital Stroke Unit and Colchester Hospital Critical Care Unit each received £250 from monies donated to Mersea Lions Club in memory of David Smith
Donations were made to clubs and individuals during the past year when the Club had been asked for financial help. Some of the ways in which we have helped this year are:-
- Children in Need
- RBL Poppy Appeal
- A family with a very sick parent
- Money towards a special wheelchair for a severely disabled teenager
- Christmas Day Home-Alone Christmas Meals – 55 this year
HOW WE HAVE RAISED THIS MONEY
Sadly, we have been unable to hold our big money-raisers such as the Round the Island Half Marathon and the 5 & 10 Mile Races, or the Summer Show, so we are most grateful to have been given the following opportunities:
- In thanks for our financial support for the making of the Strood Soldiers, which were then auctioned off, we received a very generous donation.
- Manning the gate at one of the Waldegraves Car Boot Sales.
- Manning the gate and parking cars at for the Artisan Fayres.
- Our own table at the Mersea Island Yard Sale.
- Car-parking for the Colchester and District Scooter Rally.
- The Christmas Street Collection for the Home-alone Christmas Dinners.
- Monies raised by letting out our Lions beach-hut which is available for use in the community.
- Donations from the users of the Lions Mini-bus, and in Memoriam.
- Also, monies received form our Ink Cartridge Recycling bins.
- Plus the Club’s Amazon Smile Charity arrangement
There was a surprise presentation of £200 from Clacton-on-Sea Lions Club from the re-sale of used spectacle cases which they kindly sell on our behalf.
We were especially delighted, and most grateful, to receive a donation of £1,000 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 Chris Parsons and Glen Pacey and all their staff who do so much to make the evening such a huge success.
Report provided by Lion Bridget Smith
