Page 43 - Phonebox Magazine March 2016

Newport Pagnell and Olney Lions Club
Over £1300 donated in February
A busy Christmas (and pro table) fundraising period has let us support a wide range of causes last month – all of which have a close local link.
First in line to bene t was Charity Begins at Home, the Olney based organisation which supports local people in times of great need. Although we made a donation to the Christmas meal which they ran on Christmas Day, we heard that their Emergency Fund which is used to support people throughout the year had reduced somewhat, so we decided to give them a further donation speci cally for that account.
During the August Bank Holiday, hundreds of soldiers are set to re-enact some notable English Civil War battles in a major weekend of events in Newport Pagnell. A key element of this will be the setting up of a living history camp which will involve many of our local schools who will be learning about and experiencing the realities of times past. Supporting this local heritage event was felt to be a great opportunity to contribute to the community in a really unusual way and we were delighted to make a signi cant donation to the education project.
A local girl will shortly be going to India to provide vulnerable individuals with support, enabling them to do more with their life. Working on a range of projects supporting Home for Children without parents, a primary school and a hospice for HIV/AIDS and TB patients, she will be teaching english to the children and generally bringing a real bene t to the community.
Our club feels that this type of initiative is something which we should be encouraging amongst our youngsters and we were delighted to be able to help towards her trip. Local man James Whittle and his friend Tom Caul eld, two regular 25 year olds have just achieved something extraordinary. This, completely inexperienced, rowing pair have just successfully rowed across the Atlantic in
what is widely regarded as the hardest row on earth.
Together they make up The Tempest Two, and although only formed in Spring 2014, they decided to take on the challenge to raise funds for two excellent charities in Brain Tumour Research and the Make a Wish Foundation.
The club felt that their efforts really did exemplify a true commitment to helping others and as a result we have decided to add to their sponsorship pot.
Easter Egg Raf e
If you are visiting one of the local cafes or public houses in the area which are involved in our Giant Easter Egg Raf e, don’t forget to pick up a raf e ticket. They only cost £1 and the pro t from each egg will be split between the proprietors favourite charity and our clubs charity account. This is a major income generator for the club and we would like to thank everyone who supports it each year – if you are a chocoholic, nd one of our outlets and get a ticket.
Medical Detection Dogs
This local charity is based near Milton Keynes and is taking the medical world by storm thanks to the dogs it trains to detect certain cancers such as those affecting the prostate and breast.
A second arm of the charity provides dogs which are placed with people who suffer from
a range of illnesses and conditions which can suddenly put them into life threatening situations. The dogs however, can detect the onset of these critical threats, giving warning to their ‘partner’ and enabling them to take the appropriate medication.
We will be hosting an awareness event at the Carlton House Club on 29th March when the charity will be giving a presentation of their history, what they have achieved and what plans they have for the future. They will also give a demonstration of the dogs in action and we are sure that everyone will be amazed at what is being achieved so close to home.
The evening is completely free of charge and tickets are likely to be required. Please keep an eye open for our posters, yers and Facebook announcements for full details. Information will also be carried on our website but meanwhile, if you would like to ‘book’ a seat, you can do so by visiting our ‘Contact Us’ page and letting us know how many you would like to reserve.
Calendars
We may have finished selling our 2016 Calendars but already we are now planning our 2017 version – not forgetting our Christmas Cards.
We are again asking for anyone who has favourite photos of events, buildings or scenes from Olney and the surrounding villages to send them to us for possible inclusion in our next Calendar. We especially would like any wintery scenes which we can turn into Christmas Cards as these proved very popular.
Send your photo files to us at ourolneycalendar@gmail.com or actual photos can be handed into Wilsons – please make sure you give us your contact details. Full details can be found on our website.
Charter Night
Would you like to join the Lions Club at their annual Charter Dinner?
This will be taking place on 30th April in the Carlton House club and is effectively our ‘Birthday Party’ celebrating the founding of the club. More details next month.
And Finally
If you or anyone you know needs assistance from the club, please visit our website Contact Us page or drop a note to our Secretary, Bob Benbow, 43 Dinglederry, MK46 ES.
March 2016 | Phonebox Magazine 43