Festive News 2017 by Hereford Lions Club | Page 25

rd Lions nity Action CASH FOR CHOPTERS LIONS TRANSPORT CLOCKS UP 50 FESTIVE NEWS • DECEMBER 2015 • PAGE 25 Hereford Lions Club bought their first minibus to launch a new community transport service in 1965 for £698. Now, the club is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the service with a top of the range Mercedes mini-bus which cost £48,000 when it was bought in 200 7 and now has 88,000 on the clock. Over those 50 years the service has clocked up half a million miles and carried an estimated 50,000 passengers on a free ride. Whilst the service is free Lions ask for a donation towards the fuel and running costs which in recent years has soared. Club members are volunteer drivers. The service is used primarily by the elderly and the handicapped. The transport manager is Ian Foster (01432 880816). BLACKSMITHING JENNY WINS BURSARY Hereford Lions Club’s annual £500 Bursary to help a young person achieve a personal goal has been won by 22 year old Jenny Tyrrell to aid her quest to become a craft blacksmith. Jenny is studying at the Hereford based School of Blacksmithing and needs the extra cash to pay for her use of a forge at The Making Centre in Harrow Road. She already has a degree in History and plans to make a career producing replicas of ancient armour, swords and artefacts for re-enactment societies and museums. But as well as struggling to raise the funds to complete her training in this highly specialised craft Jenny, a native of….. is also battling serious health problems which could eventually cripple her. Said Simon Swancott, Lions Club secretary, “Jenny has shown great determination and courage to achieve her own The region’s Air Ambulance service has been given a £5000 donation by Hereford Lions Club to help keep its life saving helicopters flying. The club’s president, Colin Smith is pictured with Susie Godwin of Midland Air Ambulance at the Lions annual charity golf tournament at Wormsley when he handed over the cheque. Lions Club has previously supported the vital service with Colin presenting £10,000 when he was president in 2003 and David Barrett also giving £10,000 during his term in office in 2003. Said Colin: “Air Ambulance is a life saving service which relies entirely on public donations and without which many lives would be at risk. I, and my fellow members firmly believe it is a charity we should support.” The service started in 1990 with one helicopter and now has three, one each based at RAF Cosford , Tattenhall, and at Strensham, which covers Herefordshire. To date it has flown over 44,000 mercy missions, 35% involving car accidents. Each mission costs £2,500. PARTY TIME WITH THE LIONS RECYCLING FOR THE HANDICAPPED Hereford Lions Club is launching a new project to help those handicapped by mobility problems. and unable to afford a wheelchair or mobility scooter. The club is asking families who might have one of these lying unused in the garage to consider donating it to be refurbished and passed on to someone in need of one. Said Mike Hughes, the club’s welfare officer. “We are occasionally offered one and find a good home for it, but now we believe we can help a lot more people with mobility problems and unable to afford the cost of either a wheelchair or mobility scooter by setting up a scheme on a more formal basis.” Mike can be contacted by donors– or applicants- on [email protected] VITAL INFO Lions ‘Message in a Bottle’ scheme is growing. The idea of the scheme is to help medical or emergency services called to a home have access to an individuals personal medical details, such as medicines, allergies a