Newcastle Lions help promote spectacle recycling at Collins Aerospace Kilkeel

Friday  5th of  June was World Environment Day. Having just finished an Environment Information afternoon at Newcastle Community Cinema, Lion President  Beth Cairnduff accompanied by  Lion Dan O'Reilly accepted an invite to Collins Aerospace to promote  spectacle  recycling. Recycling of glasses was only one  small part of the promotion by Collins for WED. Other events the  staff  were encourages to participate in were, volunteering to clean beaches, promoting the environment message through  taking  part in  a quiz and  donating unwanted  uniforms. Lion Beth was able to tell interested  staff, that  as  well as  donating  spectacles in  their  factory,  the  Lions had  collection  bins in  Newcastle library, the  GPs in Castlewellan and Newcastle,  as well as  bins in  McGloin's and  Specsexpress opticians.

From  talking to the staff, the Lions took home the core  message of Collins which was, Collins Aerospace specializes in advanced structures, avionics, interiors, mission systems and power and control systems that serve customers across the commercial, regional, business aviation and military sectors. Our Environment, Health & Safety policy establishes core tenets to help conserve natural resources across our business. Lion President Beth thanked the Environment staff for the great work they were doing to promote Environmental awareness and Recyling.

Newcastle  Lions Club  President Beth Cairnduff with James Cousins, Logistics Business Unit Manager and  Environment Health & safety  officer,  Joy  Cousins.

Newcastle Lions pleased with success of Environment information afternoon.

Newcastle Lions Club were pleased to have hosted a  fun Environment information afternoon at the Newcastle Centre on Wednesday. The goal of  the  afternoon  was to make the  audience aware of how in a small way we can help our environment by reducing carbon emissions . This is made possible by reducing  the amount of rubbish we dump and instead  recycle, reuse and restoring some of the 80% of peatlands in Ireland that are in a degraded state and  are  a source of  carbon emissions. The afternoon was made successful through the great help of Cinema manger Giles Conlon, with his  technical help of putting short films on the big screen and help with microphones. Thank  you also  for  the light  refreshments.

Presentations were make by Newcastle Lions on recycling  spectacles and showing a short  film on the work of Tullamore Lions Club, who restored part of Clonbeale More Bog. In helping to promote the story of  Tullamore  Lions, the audience  were invited to purchase a children's book, The  Lions, The  Bees and  The  Bogs. Declan Walsh then spoke  about the work of the Repair Cafe. The  next presentation was by Stephen  Woods of Tools For Solidarity, who had been  assisted in setting up his display stands by French Volunteer with TFS, Laure Dolisi. In trying to introduce humour  to the event, the spectacle talk was interrupted by a Panda who needed glasses, while  the  TFS presentation on providing restored tools and sewing machines to Tanzania and Malawi had to deal with a hungry Lion, who  wanted to learn how to use a sewing machine. This  was  enjoyed by the audience who also saw the importance of the message of all the groups .Following a short film about how Newcastle Lions recycle, and information about Ireland's Discovery  centre, the audience took part in a quiz. Prizes  were  awarded and  tea was then served. Lion President Beth Cairnduff, ended  the  afternoon by thanking our sponsors for the afternoon, the Northern Ireland Resource Network and the Lion team for their  help.

Participants  and audience  promote  Lion  Publication  at  Environment Information  Day ( in  photo Lion  President Beth Cairnduff, TFS staff, Laure  Dolisi and  Stephen  Woods Elizabeth McCann, Dan  O'Reilly, Edwina Parmar, Bill Patterson, Martha Murray & Angela Murray.

JACK MOONEY OF SHIMNA COLLEGE, NEWCASTLE NAMED AS MERIT WINNER IN LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL PEACE POSTER CONTEST

Jack Mooney, a year 9 student at Shimna College, Newcastle is one of 23 young artists selected from more than 600,000 participants worldwide as a merit winner in the Lions Club International Peace Poster Contest. Lions International sponsors the annual programme to give students ages 11-13 the opportunity to express their vision of peace. The poster was selected for its originality, artistic merit and portrayal of the contest theme, “Together as One.”

“Ballynahinch Lions Club peace poster coordinator Audrey Slater, said she was impressed by the expression and creativity of all the students from Shimna College, Assumption Grammar School, St. Colman’s in Ballynahinch, and St. Louis Grammar School in Kilkeel who submitted artwork. “It’s obvious that these young people have strong ideas about what peace means to them. Their talent and their vision of the world is truly inspiring.”

As a merit winner, Jack Mooney will receive a cash prize of $500. Newcastle Lions Club President Beth Cairnduff said “Our Lions club is so proud of Jack. We’re excited that his art is not just being recognized, it’s also being shared with others around the world,”. His winning entry, representing Ireland, was displayed in New York at the annual “UN meets the Lions Day” in New York. His certificate from the International Lions President will be presented to him this week by Ireland Lions District Governor Marian McGreevy. Jack will officially launch this year’s contest with the theme of "Harmony in Humanity".

Lion  President  Beth  Cairnduff, Ballynahinch  Lion Audrey Slater, Jack  Mooney - Shimna College, DG Marian  McGreevy  and Melanie Skelcher - Head  of  Art  &  Design  - Shimna College