Who are we

Paignton club’s first recorded event to raise funds, 26th April 1972, was a Fashion Show, in association with Torquay Lions and sponsored by Marks & Spencer. The proceeds were donated to the Torbay Society for Mentally Handicapped Children. Programmes were sold for 20 pence and a total of £1000 was raised – a substantial sum in the 1970’s. The publicity quoted the club’s object to “assist those who are in need in our community” and “the emphasis is on personal service”.  

On the 13th January 1974, Paignton Lions Club formally registered a “Declaration of Trust”, establishing and applying an account exclusively for charitable purposes. In other words an account registered with the Charity Commission – No. 269745. The Lions Club itself is not a charity. Our Trustees are Lions James Devonport, Alan Tozer and Alan Walker.

 

4th August 1978. Members of the Club formally entered in to a thirty-year lease from Torbay Council, for The Old Monastery Chapel, Berry Drive, Paignton. Their goal? to build and maintain a Community Centre. Some members at that time expressed concern that the project was too ambitious and resigned from the club. The majority grasped the opportunity; put in many hours of work and for the major portion of the lease successfully maintained and ran the premises as a Community Centre. Lack of community support, high maintenance costs and apathy from Torbay Council cumulated in the surrender of the lease on the 1st April 2000.

 

Over the years members have shown their commitment to help and at the same time been mindful of the need for fun and fellowship. Many of our events have included a strong fun factor – It’s a Knockout, “The Great Paignton Knit-in”, Charity Variety Show, Pirate and Vikings Invasions of the local beach, Pantomime Horse Races, Roman Chariots, Floats in various town carnivals, etc.

 

Hands-on service has been provided to benefit individuals and local groups in need of help. To assist in this work substantial sums of money have been raised and distributed within the community. Administrative costs are minimal and we are able to maximise the financial support we receive from the general public.

 

The Club has made contributions to major projects within the South-West, e.g. Rowcroft Hospice, the Plymouth Cavitron Appeal, Children’s Hospice South-West, breathing monitors for babies in the care of Torbay Hospital Paediatric Unit, the Psoriasis Unit at Paignton Hospital,  The Chestnut Appeal and Heart Appeal for facilities at the local hospital, etc.

 

Local groups such as Cheshire Homes, RNIB, Red Cross, YMCA, Mencap, Fosnec, and many others have been beneficiaries from our work.

 

We have also made donations to Lions’ initiatives, e.g. Lions International Blood Research Appeal (LIBRA), Medic-Alert Foundation, Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), The Gift for Living Appeal, Student Education in Malawi and Water Well projects.

 

Following the Asian Tsunami Disaster 26th December 2004 we made an immediate club grant to the Disaster Emergency Committee. We became aware of a Bristol based charity targeting the need to build schools on the island of Sri Lanka; it’s eastern coast ravaged by the tidal wave. We agreed to provide the funds to build a new school at Kasthuripa, in the Ampara Region.  Within six weeks of our donation the school was built and now has 35 pupils.

 

A number of our “service” (meeting a need) projects have a high profile and attract publicity which aids members’ efforts. However there have been a great many smaller projects, just as worthwhile, which have been handled with empathy and discretion.

 

In addition to the day-to-day work, the Club has provided many members during its 30 years to assist the Associations administration requirements at Zone, District and National levels.

 

Ordinary People
Amazing Things