Category: News

Lions clubs from Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk got together and delivered over 500 boxes of unwanted spectacles and hearing aids to the Lions recycling centre in Birmingham on 8th  November 2023. It was an amazing team effort.

Due to the pandemic getting the spectacles to the recycling centre has been a challenge and Mersea Lions alone had collected over 16,000 pairs of spectacles so, we are delighted that they can now be sorted, cleaned and graded for use.

Lions clubs throughout the British Isles collect and process tens of thousands of unwanted spectacles and hearing aids each year. Working with partner organisations, spectacles and hearing aids are recycled to support the work of eye and hearing clinics around the world.

Clear out your drawers of old unused spectacles and donate them at one of our collection points. Collections bins on Mersea Island can be found at Patrick & Menzies and Boots the Chemist.

 

The Mersea Lions Club Red Bus delivered 75 boxes containing spectacles and hearing aids.

 

 

Following the success of the 2023 Family Festival we are delighted to announce that next year the festival will be held on Saturday 17th August 2024 at Waldegraves Holiday Park

For more information, visit our Family Festival 2024 Information Page

Transport Display: Booking for vehicle owners wishing to display their vehicles is now open. For further information visit our Transport Display information page.

To book a stall please contact Lion Bridget Smith by email mersealions1978@gmail.com

The Mersea Island Lions Club wish to thank everyone who was involved in the Mersea Lions Family Festival on 12 August 2023.

The event would not have been possible without the help, support and amazing teamwork of many before, during and after the event. 

This truly was a community event.

Thank you All!

 

We regret to inform you that due to unforseen circumstances we will be unable to host the Running Races 2023.

We will be working hard to bring it back summer 2024 and look forward to see you next year.

Yep, it’s that Transport Display time again! And there’s a bit of re-branding gone on. So this year, on Saturday the 12th of August, we welcome you to the Mersea Lions Family Festival.

If you’re booking in as an individual, brilliant. Clubs are also always welcome, let us know if you want a block booking.

However, this year, it’s just not those wonderful “Classics” that we hope to see again. We’re also looking for Modern “Interesting” “Unusual” “Wacky” (my personal favourite) modes of transport. If you have or know anyone who owns something in those categories, get it there on the 12th! (Please).

Now the boring stuff!!!

Exhibitors enter free, and to make it easier for our preparations, we ask you to register online first. Which can be done by clicking here…..

• Spaces may be available on the day, however this cannot be guaranteed.
• Location Waldegraves Holiday Park: CO5 8SE w3w.co/parading.funded.pens
• Exhibitors to arrive between 8:30 and 10:30
• Only the display vehicles are allowed to stay on the site during the show, any other cars to park on the field allocated for the public.

And a plea for help!

In the past, we have had a number of Vintage Buses traveling around the Island, picking up and dropping off visitors to our shows. However these are not available to us this year. If anyone has a solution to this problem, please contact Lion Les Snow by email at les.snow@btinternet.com

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 (we call them S.M.I.L.E.s – Supporting Mersea Island Lions Efforts) and those who sponsor our fund-raising events – Mersea Life and Blackwater Estates. Without their help we could not raise these funds, or carry out our work in the community.

You can find the full report and photos of the evening on our website here.

Mersea Island Lions Club are delighted to be able to introduce you to our new BLUE BUS which has now replaced the white bus that gave us and the Mersea Island community many years of faithful service.

We were able to purchase the community bus just before Christmas with the help of a grant from Essex Community Foundation / East of England Co-op Community Cares Fund. Each year this fund gives away grants to charities and good causes and we are very grateful to them for including Mersea Island Lions Club last year.

 

The annual Christmas Tree Festival is now on at the Free Church on Mersea Island.  There is an amazing amount of talent on this island and we recommend that you go along and have a look at the trees decorated by a number of local groups. 

The opening times are:

Friday 9 December  6pm to 9pm

Saturday 10 December 10am to 5pm

Sunday 11 December 1pm to 4pm

The Mersea Lions Club entry this year is a bit unusual but you could call it

‘Spectacular’

 

 

Thank you to everyone who turned out on a very cold day to support all the stall holders on Saturday for Mersea Lights Up. A massive thank you also to our SMILE’s who helped out on the day behind the scenes in the kitchen and serving customers in the hall.  It was a long day and we appreciate the time you gave to us.

Those of us who were brewing up the mulled wine in the kitchen had the warmest spot…

Thank you for your support 

It was a bit of a damp and misty day on Saturday 12 November but that didn’t stop many of you paying a visit to the Artisan Craft Market at Waldegraves and warming yourselves up with our mulled wine.  Thank you again for your support and generously filling the collection buckets at the gate. The money raised at this year’s events will go to a number of causes within the community which will be announced in the new year.