Northern Ireland sewing machines bound for Malawi and Tanzania

During  the last  few  weeks,  Newcastle  Lions  Club along  with  five other  Northern  Ireland Clubs, Banbridge ,Limavady, Newry, Downpatrick  and  Antrim  Coast held  a recycling day for  tools  and  sewing  machines.  The day  was  a great  success and  numerous  sewing  machines  and  tools were donated  by  the  public. The  Lions  then brought these to Belfast  and Downpatrick  based Tools For Solidarity, where  they  were  serviced and  the  tools  then  made  into kits.

Having  now  achieved   the  requested  number of  sewing  machines and tools,  TFS, arranged  a container  lorry  to load the  sewing  machines into, and also  the  tool kits. Volunteers  from  TFS   dusted off  passports and  then travelled with the donations to Malawi and  Tanzania. When they  arrived  at  the  TFS  training  schools in  Africa, over  a period  of  the next  three months they will teach a group of students how to use the  sewing  machines.  To help finance  the  training  school, the students  purchase the  sewing  machines. The  money  paid  for the machines goes  back into the  training  school to pay  for  electricity  and staff costs. It promotes empowerment through skills training rather than dependency and  helps  the  environment  by  reducing  waste.

Following  on  from their  recycling  day, Newcastle Lions  President  Beth Cairnduff  is asking  the public  to support a pub quiz, which  the Lions  are holding on  Thursday 16th  April  at  9pm in the  Anchor  bar Newcastle in  aid  of  Dementia  N.I.

Some of  the  recent  Northern  Ireland sewing  machines  being  loaded for  Africa.

Lions thank public for great response to glasses appeal

On  Wednesday  Newcastle  Lion  members  gathered  to sort and  box  donated  glasses. With  strong  cardboard  boxes  courtesy of  Saltrock  Newcastle, the  Lions boxed 3,805  pairs  of  glasses and  955 cases in  twelve  large  boxes. The  glasses  will be  despatched  to France and  then distributed  all over  the world  to help people in  need. The  glasses  came  from  a variety of  places, including  donations  from Newcastle  Library, local  GPs and our opticians.  The  glasses  were also collected from recycling  centres managed  by  Belfast  City  Council as  well as collections  by the  Lions recycling partner  Northern Ireland Resource  Network and 1847 from Limavady  Lion  Club who had  passed  glasses  to the  Newcastle  Club. A  fantastic  team effort  by the  Lions  and the  public has  helped  provide improved  sight to people in  need all over  the  world.

Photograph, Newcastle  Lion  members  sorting  glasses ( in  photo  Lion  President  Beth Cairnduff, DG Marian  Mc Greevy, Lions Frank  Mc Greevy, Graham  Dickson and  Michael  Niblett)

On Thursday Newcastle Lion members visited MYMY Newcastle to present a cheque for £1000.00 to CEO Deborah Boden

The  group MYMY offer confidential counselling services to individuals aged 18+ experiencing difficulties with a range of issues including: anxiety, bereavement, low mood, relationship issues, workplace stress, and trauma. The  donation came  about  about as  a result of  fund  raising  by the  Lions  at  Christmas and  a pub  quiz 

Newcastle  Lion Club  members  were very  busy on  Saturday  when they  joined  with other five other Northern  Ireland  Lion  Clubs  who held  a recycling  day in  aid  of  Tools  For  Solidarity, with  donations of  numerous  tools, fourteen  sewing  machines and  hundreds of pairs of  glasses being  left off by the public.

As  one  event finishes,  Newcastle  Lions continue  preparing  to fund  raise  for the  Northern  Ireland, Children  and  adult hospice.  Local artists  are  asked  to consider donating  a piece of  art, which  will be  sold  by the  club during  9-16th  May. Please  phone  Lions  on 07725725932  if you would like to donate  art.