The Lions Club of Clacton on Sea

Old Stories from 2011

Clacton Lions are hosting a Coffee Morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support as part of the attempt at the World's Largest Coffee Morning.  This is being held in the Trinity Methodist Church, Pier Avenue, Clacton on Saturday 1st October between 10 am and 12noon. 

There is no charge for entry but there will be a charge for coffee, plus there will be a cake stall, tombola and raffle

25 YEARS OF SUCCESS

Back in 1986, current President of the Lions Club of Clacton on Sea, Lion Terry Lilley, then working in the print industry and other members of the Club put together a plan to produce a new Programme for Clacton Carnival Week which could be produced at no cost to the Clacton Carnival Association and yet would raise funds for both organisations.

They proposed a newspaper format delivered door to door across the area in the same way as the free local newspapers that were popular at the time.  The cost of the Programme and distribution was to be covered by the sale of advertising with any profit left over to be shared between the two organisations for passing on to other local charities.

The first issue was produced with 32,000 copies for the 1987 Carnival and raised £3,357 and although financial returns have varied over the years, this year’s issue is a print run of 30,000 copies and a profit in excess of £4,000.

The first issue comes off the presses in July 1987 with L to R: former Lion Keith Knott, Alan Wiggins, Chairman of the Carnival Association, and Lion Terry Lilley.

2011 sees the production of the 25th issue of this Programme and is the first to be produced with all the advertising in colour which has created a record uptake of advertising space.

Over the 25 issues, this project has raised over £67,000 for distribution to local charitable organisations.

July 2011: Lion President Terry Lilley with the first ever issue of the programme flanked by the current co-editors (L) Lion Adrian Robinson, Clacton Lions Communications Officer  and (R) Nicky Freeman, Press Officer for Clacton Carnival Association holding the latest issue

TWO PRESIDENTS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE

At a recent event, members of the Lions Club of Clacton on Sea and their Brightlingsea branch celebrated the end of their last Club year and the start of a new one with the induction of two new Presidents, one for the Clacton Club and one for the Brightlingsea Branch, who coincidentally are both Yorkshiremen by birth.

Clacton’s new President Lion Terry Lilley is taking over for the second time in the almost thirty years that he has been a Lion.  Although he was born in Leeds, he spent most of his life in the local area. Married to Theresa with two children and one grandson, his main interests include community work with the Lions, CAMRA, and cycling.  During his year as President he aims to support various local charities along with Essex and Herts Air Ambulance, EACH and Combat Stress the armed forces charity.

Brightlingsea Branch’s new President Lion Fred Holmes is well known in the area as the genial proprietor of the Fir Tree Café at Thorrington, a popular refreshment stop for workers on the move.  He was also born in Leeds and joined the Territorial Army and later the regular Army ending up as a Tank Transporter  driver with tours in Cyprus and Germany.

He has been married to Pat for 40 years and has two children and two grandchildren and was one of the first members of the new Brightlingsea Branch when it was formed in 2009 becoming the fund raising officer.

                                                                                        Lion President Terry is seated on the right

DASHED IF SHE DIDN’T WIN IT BIG!

Local shopper, Mrs L Bailey from Little Clacton was amazed to hear that she had won the Spring Trolley Dash recently drawn run by the Clacton Lions Club.

However, Mrs Bailey felt that perhaps such a rash venture was beyond her advanced years so she asked her neighbour Bob Cooper to take up the challenge on her behalf and be let loose for two minutes within the Morrison’s Superstore at Little Clacton this Sunday morning.  In total, he collected goods to the value of £319 on her behalf. 

Mrs Bailey was presented with a bouquet of flowers at the end of the dash by the Lions and a souvenir tin of Royal Wedding Biscuits by Morrisons. 

3 other lucky people won Morrison’s vouchers worth £20 each.  They were Mrs Byford of Tendring,  Mrs McIntosh of Brightlingsea and a Miss Skinner of Clacton on Sea.

Clacton Lions’ Fund Raising Chairman, Colin Hawkins, said that the Draw had raised over £1,200 for Lions charities and the Club were delighted with the result.  He also thanked the management and staff at Morrison’s at the store in Little Clacton for all their assistance.

DASHED IF SHE DIDN’T WIN IT!

Local shopper, Mrs Jean Swinton from Clacton,  was amazed to hear recently that she had won the Spring Trolley Dash Draw run by the Lions Club of Clacton on Sea.

Mrs Swinton did not feel able to do the Dash herself so asked her nephew, Michael, to do it in her place.  Guided by his aunt, he was let loose within the Morrison’s Superstore at Little Clacton on Sunday morning for two minutes.  In total, goods to the value of £218.93 were collected in the two minutes and Mrs Swinton was also presented with a bouquet of flowers at the end of the dash. 

 2 other lucky people won Morrison’s vouchers worth £20 each.  They were Mrs Mandara and a Mr Curtis of  Clacton on Sea.  

Clacton Lions’ Fund Raising Chairman, Dave Pattinson, said that the Draw had raised over £700 for Lions charities and the Club were delighted with the result.  He also thanked the management and staff at Morrison’s at the store in Little Clacton for all their assistance.