Author: ben

The December meeting was opened by Lion Peter just after 8pm as Lion Chris had yet to turn up. After a quick call to see where he was the meeting started without him. Lion Tom was asked to take minutes in the mean time. Before anything serious happened Lion Chris did indeed rock up. He found the minutes Tom had started to write were in some kind of code. The Ambleside lights Committee wrote two letters to the club, one to Lion Peter and another to Lion Chris. Both thanked the club for making the event happen. Particular thanks was given to Lion Anthony and the letters stressed that Windermere and Ambleside Lions is such an important partner for the event. Lions provide crowd control. Thank you was also received…

The November meeting had the pleasure of being in the "Fish Tank" room at its regular location of the Hydro Hotel. Letters were received from St John's Hospice thanking the club for the £2000 that was donated from the Lakes Classic Car Show. A card and letter also came from Will Clarke to let the club know how good a season he had had and thanked the club for their support. A report from the treasurer was made and all was well. The club continues to be in good financial footing. Under fundraising the club discussed the Lakes Classic Car Show and wether it should continue. Last year it raised a surplus of £4868.58 which was given to good causes. The organising commitment is massive, but the club felt it…

The October meeting opened with the jubilant news that Lion Tom had a new watch. He purchased the Austrian made timepiece from Aldi for £6 and spoke of its fine features. The meeting soon found that no one had minutes after an aparent email mix up on Lion Secretary Chris Amos' computer. Ronnie, having his minutes hand delivered each month, was the only member with minutes. Chris proposed the minutes were correct and Ronnie seconded it. Thanks were received from the Evergreen group for providing transport to Stavely opera. The group particularly enjoyed Lion Keith's driving skills. A note arrived from Wendy Ellwood who successfully ran the great north run in Newcastle and with a donation from Lakes Lions raised a total of £9606 for diamond blackfan anaemia. Cumbria Partnership…

  Windermere and Ambleside Lions had a relatively brief September meeting at the Hydro Hotel on Tuesday 2nd September. They were joined by fellow Lions Tony and Kathleen from Kendal which resulted in a full table of friends. The club, as always, received several pieces of correspondence thanking them for their work. This included one from Alice's Escapes who thanked all Lions in the region for their kind donations which helped pay for a caravan for family holidays. Lions were invited to go and view the caravan and many intend to go. In the finance report it was noted that money was raised at Grasmere sports after three Lions worked their socks off and donated their pay. Also noted was a £100 donation from last months meeting to Diamond Black Fan…

Windermere and Ambleside Lions received a heart felt thanks from Nicola Rudge at their August monthly meeting. Nicola Rudge had benefited from a sizeable donation for a specialist machine called a Dexicon Glucose monitor. Nicola told the club how she had struggled for much of her life with type 1 diabetes which included fits caused by blood sugar levels. The club heard new machine has changed her life. It works by monitoring her blood sugar level through a "beetle" stuck onto the body which reads sugar levels through a small sensor that is imbedded into body fat. Nicola said the monitor has improved her quality "off the scale" and thanked the club emphatically. It's always nice to hear back from people who have received help from the club. Also at…

  Two summer fun fairs are coming to Bowness to help raise funds for local charities and community good causes.   The Bowness-on-Windermere Festival of Fun will see a ‘days gone by’ fair set up on the Glebe from this Friday, 25 July, until Sunday, 27 July, complete with traditional fairground rides including a carousel, swing boats and a helter skelter.   There will be an emphasis on family fun, with children’s activities between 1pm and 5pm including story-telling, traditional craft activities and games.   Then from Thursday, 31 July, to Sunday, 10 August, the fair will be brought up-to-date with rides and attractions offering all the fun and thrills of the modern funfair, with face-painting, a ‘Kids’ Olympics’ and a children’s talent contest for younger visitors at the weekends.…

Windermere and Ambleside Lions had a jubilent changeover lunch at the Ambleside Salutation hotel today (Sunday 29th June 2014). It's the social meeting that happens every year to formally pass over the running of the club to the next executive team. Lion Anthony Harrison made a short address thanking members for their help throughout the year and how proud he was to be passing it to Peter Irving. For reasons beyond my(Lion Ben) comprehension Peter was then dressed as a thunderbird and handed over the chain.  The chain has names of all former Presidents including Peter's name twice, the first being in 1982. It was joked that at this rate Peter is scheduled for another changeover lunch in 2029 although someone mentioned that Lion Keith might have to use a…

The April meeting was at the regular venue of the Hydro Hotel in Bowness on Windermere on the 1st of the month. Skydiving Lions was not an April Fools joke but a member of Lions club raising funds for blood bikes, a volunteer service delivering blood and organs out of hours. Windermere and Ambleside Lions were thanked for a previous donation to Medic Aid. The club were also thanked by a couple in Ambleside who have benefited from a battery that aids a wheelchairs power. The club discussed accessing match funding for Alice Escapes, to match funds given for the purchase and furbishment of a caravan. Members were invited and told to invite others to a performance by Anney Mawson' s sunbeam music on 25th April at the County Harvest,…

Sunbeams wasreminded of the power of friendship this year, when Founder and Chief Executive, Annie Mawson attended the memorial of the much loved Michael Jenkins (or Mr J as he was affectionately known by his pupils). Mr J was Headmaster of St Anne’s school in Windermerein the 1970’s (and the early 1990’s). Annie, who was then the Head of Geography, was invited to play at the memorial service back in May, and there got talking to formerdeputy head-teacher Miss Gunning, and Michael and Vicki Robinson whose daughter attended the school. Together, they decided it would be a wonderful way to honour Michael’s memory by supporting Sunbeams, and Mike and Vicki offered to host a charity dinner at their charming hotel – The Burn How Garden Hotel http://www.burnhow.co.uk/) The beautiful lunch…