Lions come to the aid of small animals

Lions helping small animals might sound a bit unusual , but on  Friday, Newcastle Lions  Club were pleased to confirm a donation of  £250.00 to help with the running costs that helps small animals and injured  birds. The Centre called  Newcastle Wildlife  Rescue is managed by  Majella  Rooney and she is helped by four volunteers, also working alongside the Doolittle, Wildlife  Rescue (Crumlin) and the Dooletter Wildlife  Rescue ( Enniskillen).

Majella explained how the group had purchased a retired ambulance and upgraded this to help treat  injured birds and animals that the public had left in their care. She said that on annual basis, she would care for  over 200 injured  birds and 80 hedgehogs . A lot of the animals were poisoned  or has suspicious deaths and these were reported to the PSNI who have a dedicated wild life crime team. Majella thanked  Newcastle Lions Club for the donation and interest shown. She said her biggest challenge was to source future funds to help with feeding costs and in the new year increase the number of volunteer helpers.

A rescued hedgehog.

Newcastle Lion Liz Murphy and Lion President  John McDonagh being shown the adapted ambulance by  NWR manger Majella  Rooney.

Newcastle Lion is awarded the Melvin Jones Award

The Melvin Jones Award which is named after the founder of Lions Club International Melvin Jones, was created in 1973, and is the highest form of honour and recognition made by Lions Club International. It recognises outstanding commitment to humanitarian work made by an individual and Melvin Jones Fellows receive a lapel pin and a personalised wall plaque. At their monthly meeting on Tuesday last Newcastle Lions president John McDonagh and Vice District Grosvenor Marian McGreevy presented the award to Dan O’Reilly. Over a number of years Dan has been involved in club projects such as looking after the ten defibrators in Newcastle, Maghera and Castlewellan, organising the collection of glasses which are sorted and sent to Lions Medico France where they are refurbished and graded before being dispatched to Africa, Asia and South America through the network of Lions Clubs as well as organising the Annual recycling day when donations of bicycles both rusty and good, as well as sewing machines, treadle or electrical and tools- broken or good are collected and after refurbishment are sent to Malawi, Tanzania and Madagascar. District Governor of Ireland Lions District 133 James O 'Loughlin stated he could not think of a more deserving Lion to receive the award and he reflected on Dan's quiet but effective work which is an inspiration to us all. He sent his warmest congratulations to Dan and his family on this superb achievement.  Dan's wife Eilish, sons Dominic and Daniel, daughters Jane and Aoife and Jane's 3 sons were all present for the occasion.

New Lion President John accept donation to club.

Barely one week since receiving his chain of office Newcastle Lions  President  John  McDonagh, was pleased to join with other members of the club, in taking delivery of numerous spectacles  from  Northern Ireland  Resource Network Centre manager  Helen  Tomb.

These spectacles will be despatched to Lions  Medico  France ,where they will  then be sent all over the world to help people in need. The  Newcastle Lions  Club have found NIRN a great organisation to work with as it has helped the club with their recycle ,reuse policy also it has sign posted the club to grants that are available and through networking with other NIRN members this has helped promote the work of Lions. 

Newcastle Lions are the only Lion members of  NIRN and are encouraging other  Lion  Clubs to join them. The vision of  NIRN is to promote sustainable reuse and repair,  NIRN is the representative body for reuse and repair organisations. Their aim is to promote sustainable reuse and repair as a practical and effective way of tackling Northern Ireland’s waste generation and develop opportunities in the Circular Economy. Other members include every council in  Northern  Ireland alongside Habitat for  Humanity, Friends of the Earth and Hope 365  Ethiopia. 

Newcastle Lions  members including new President  John McDonagh accept a donation of spectacles from  Helen  Tomb NIRN Centre  Manager (Helen at end holding box of glasses).