Newcastle Lions Club street collection targets defibrillator maintenance issue.

Photograph 1: Lion President Marian McGreevy with the current defib in need of repair.

Photograph 2: The temporary defib currently in use at the Maghera Inn.

On Saturday 12th June Newcastle Lions will hold their annual street collection. Last year during the worst of the pandemic, the Lions were able to have a successful street collection meeting all health and safety requirements due to Covid restrictions. This year the club will use the same procedures again, keeping everyone safe. Each year the Lions street collection raises a reasonable amount of money usually around £500.00 which 100% is then donated to charity.

This year Lion President Marian McGreevy has agreed to set aside part of the street collection to cover the continual maintenance cost of nine defibrillators located around Newcastle. The defibrillators came as a result of the death of Geoff Cartwright and the follow up hard work of the Geoff Cartwright Family, local business and Newcastle Lions Club. The defibrillators are inspected by the “guardians" of Newcastle Lions. Each month one of the guardians inspects each of the nine defibrillators and then has to log a report to the Circuit (British Heart Foundation) to confirm that the device is emergency ready.

In the past, many of the defibrillators have been used as a result of a 999 call to the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. The defibrillators that have saw use on more than one occasion, include those at Ireland Electrical, Base Coffee Shop, Ex AJC, Barbican Filling Station and Maghera Inn. After the defibrillator has been removed from its box and taken to the 999 incidents, there will be a follow up email from the Circuit to inform the guardian. The Lions will carry out a follow up inspection and a maintenance cost, which in all cases Newcastle Lions Club has met.

The most recent maintenance repair that was going to be more than £100.00, was for the defibrillator located at the Maghera Inn. Following the monthly inspection, a major repair to the defibrillator was indicated. Having been aware of the expected cost the Maghera Inn very generously told the Lions that they would meet 50% of the cost of repairs. This was in spite of the premises still closed to the public and only able to provide a carry out food service. In this case the good news for all was that the defibrillator was replaced free of charge by the manufacture when the Lions brought the device to them. The final word on defibrillators is that very shortly the guardians will have to begin inspections on the tenth GCDF defibrillator located at the Castlewellan Community Hall after the Lions have arranged to get this relocated to the front of the building.

On the 12th of June the Lions know the public of Newcastle will again show the generosity they have always given to them. If you are unable to donate on the day you can also donate by visiting the lions website at lionsnewcastlecodown.org and clicking on the donate indicator.

Dan

07725725932

Lions donate Easter Meals to Pantry Food bank

Volunteers at Newcastle Pantry Foodbank were pleased to be interrupted at their very busy work of preparing food parcels by Newcastle Lions, when the club members presented twelve Family Easter Dinners and also boxes of Easter Eggs.

Having made a smaller donation of six meals at Christmas the Lion Club members were please to double the donation this time. During the last months aided by the media of zoom , the club has kept up regular contact with each of the lion members and has used the facility to fund raise with a very successful night at the races. Lion President Marian Mc Greevy was pleased to report at the last zoom club meeting , that Newcastle Lions had received a very good review at the recent Ireland Lions Convention for the promotion work the club undertook for World Diabetes Awareness Day including the use by the club of Newcastle's Electronic Screen . The Lions Convention was by zoom and nearly three hundred Lions took part.

Lion John Mc Donagh, with Food Bank Volunteers Brian Mc Nulty, Manus O'Boyle and Terry Nelson and Lion President Marian Mc Greevy

Newcastle Lions - much like a snowball rolling down a hill that got bigger and bigger.

In looking back over the last four Covid months one would despair and say as a lion group we should just shut up shop and bunker down. Not so Newcastle lions, inspired by Lion President Marian Mc Greevy. In October a successful street collection was held and then in November Newcastle Lions used a very large electronic screen to highlight the club's participation in World Diabetes day. By December things were really looking black with all routes to Christmas fund raising at supermarkets and hotel parties closed to the lions. Acting on the buzz words, make your negative an opportunity, Newcastle members held a 12,000 steps over the 12 days of Christmas sponsored walk in aid of the Chest Heart & Stroke and Diabetes Research .With each Lion restricted to a maximum of 14 others taking part ,the public were encouraged to donate via a Paypal account on the club's website, www.lionsnewcastlecodown.org The sponsored walk was also mentioned by Lion Marian when interviewed on BBC Radio Ulster on the Rigby Show on Christmas Eve. The club topped Christmas off, with a donation of 6 Christmas Family size Hampers, containing, turkey, ham, sausages, stuffing and vegetables to Newcastle Foodbank Pantry. The value of the hampers ie £240.00 was also matched by the club with a donation of £240.00 cheque to the Pantry. The Foodbank in Newcastle cater for a large number of needy families from Attical - Newcastle and before Christmas the volunteers of the foodbank delivered 188 Christmas meals and 6 hampers. Newcastle Lions have roared and say bring on 2021 we are ready for you.