Lions Peace Poster Competition

For over three decades Lions clubs around the world have proudly sponsored an International Peace poster competition and Newcastle and Ballynahinch Lions clubs sponsor the competition in the South Down area.

This art contest for young people encourages them to express their visions of peace and the theme for 2024/5 Peace Poster contest is “Peace without Limits”.

Each poster is judged on originality, artistic merit and expression of the theme and this year was judged at a local level by Cecelia Halloran and Alison Herron.  Our area winner’s poster will now go forward to Ireland District level by mid November. The all Ireland winners poster will then be forwarded to the International competition and the overall winner will be announced in February.

Thanks to the superb creative talents of our young people the judges had a difficult task as the ideas displayed were superb. The winner will be announced in due course.

Well done to the young people and Art Departments staff in Assumption School Ballynahinch, The High School Ballynahinch, St  Colmans High School and  Sixth Form College, Ballynahinch, Shimna Integrated College Newcastle ,St  Malachy’s High School Castlewellan and  St  Louis School Kilkeel.

Photo: Cecelia Halloran , Marion McGreevy Vice District Grosvenor and Alison Herron 

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.