News from the District Governor
Welcome to this, the fifth DG Newsletter of this Lionistic Year. I guess the highlight for me in the last month has been attending the Council of Governors and the International Board meeting held in Edinburgh at the end of September/beginning of October. The organising committee have worked hard over the last 18 months to ensure that the Board enjoyed their visit to these isles whilst giving Lions in MD105 the opportunity to showcase to the general public in Edinburgh what we can do for those in need. Following the close of Council on the Saturday, all the District Governors and partners went to Festival Square to see the display that had been laid on for the public by the Lions of MD105 and then, as Lions, help members of the host committee take down all the gazebos and display stands.
Picture on left by the new MD Membership Chairman - PCC Rod Weale from 105SE - suggesting that the District Governors were practicing for a square dance!!
During the celebration dinner, which was attended by all the International Board dressed in kilts (!!!) it was odd having International President Sid Scruggs and his wife Judy going around the tables just sitting and talking to fellow Lions as you would at a club meeting and it demonstrated to me that despite the fact we do have a hierarchy in Lions, we do all have a common denominator and that is the badge that we all wear with pride (or should do).
Then in the middle of the month was the District Service held in Douai Abbey hosted in magnificent style by the Lions Club of Reading led by PDG Patrick Hamblin. Mike and I went to a great deal of trouble to ensure that the hymns, choir pieces and readings reflected the mood of the event - the choir and organist supported the event in magnificent style and the service, led by Father Oliver Holt, the Bursar of the Abbey, went without a hitch.
I have received many letters and emails of congratulations from attendees including the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire who had the opportunity to see Lions in a reflective mood and re-dedicating themselves to serve others without reward for another year. Those who were still around at the very end were treated to a tour of the new £2million library by Father Oliver which had been formally opened by the Archbishop of Canterbury earlier that month.
Just as last year, I am aware there have been ‘murmurings' about "doesn't that clash with our Lions Purposes" that state ‘partisan politics and sectarian religion shall not be debated by club members' - this occasion is not an occasion for debate, it is an opportunity to re-dedicate ourselves to service. The fact that it is held in a church is purely because of the English weather at that time of the year, it could be held in the open air if we could guarantee the weather. In November we take part in Remembrance Services all over Britain to honour the war dead and ‘formally' remember them. These occasions take place partly in churches and partly in the open air at the local war memorial - this year as your District Governor I will be present at the Cenotaph in Whitehall representing Lions who cannot be there and remembering those who have died in the service of their country, and, whilst this service will be conducted by a man in Holy Orders in no way will it be an occasion to debate ‘sectarian religion'. I do know that there were very positive comments made by visiting dignitaries who were not of the Christian faith about how they felt inspired by the format of what was designed to be a non-denominational service which just happened to be held in a venue that was able to accommodate our needs.
On the 24th October, I held the 2nd Cabinet Meeting of the year in a new venue at Sparsholt College in Winchester. At this meeting we agreed the proposed budget which will be presented to members at Convention in March and also agreed those resolutions and nominations going forward for Convention 2011.
Membership
We are still on the negative side since the start of the year - unfortunately we lost Wincanton Branch Club a month or so ago. We do however have positive shoots coming through - eight potential members of a Club Branch at Trowbridge (plus a couple for the mother club, the nucleus of a club branch at Alton, the potential formation of an Alpha Leo Club at Blandford and the presentation at Cabinet by 1st VDG Ron of a three year plan for club growth in each of the Regions. This has now been handed down to Zone Chairs for them to discuss with their clubs at Zone Meetings and feedback to the extension team. In this case local knowledge is best - whilst the team may have made some suggestions of possible areas of growth your local knowledge will be invaluable to making this a firm plan for the future which will help us to survive and grow. I give my thanks to VDG Ron and his team for all their hard work in putting this plan together. Let us not forget also membership growth in individual clubs with Woolmer Forest having inducted seven new members in just two months; a truly magnificent effort and largely as a result of a leaflet drop in IPDG Judith's year.
New members in August 2010
- Tim McGonagle - Cosham
- Susan Barringer - Meon Valley
- Judith Salmon - Windsor
- Jean Hopkins - Woodley and Earley
- Raymond Payne, Brian and Flo Woods, Nigel and Pat Gray - Woolmer
Forest
New members in September 2010
- Robert Fordham and Hugh McKelvie - Henley on Thames
- Leslie Robinson - Reading
- Stephen Sherring - Ringwood & Fordingbridge
- Sajad Niaz - Slough
- Andrew Robinson - Warminster
- James & Andrea Hay - Woolmer Forest
My personal welcome to all of you new members and may you enjoy Lionism as much as I do.
Hendy's Haunts - November
| Date | Where | Why |
| Nov 2nd | Warminster | O/V |
| Nov 5th | Windsor | C/A |
| Nov 6th | Guernsey | C/A |
| Nov 10th | Ringwood | Zone E meeting |
| Nov 11th | Hayling Island | O/V |
| Nov 13th | Lord Mayors Show, London | |
| Nov 13th | Wimbourne & Ferndown | C/A |
| Nov 14th | Cenotaph, Whitehall | Remembrance Day Service |
| Nov 15th | Pangbourne | O/V |
| Nov 18th | New Forest | O/V |
| Nov 20/21 | Wokefield Park | District Institute |
| Nov 20th | Woodley & Earley | C/A |
| Nov 24th | Farnborough | O/V |
| Nov 25th | Newbury | O/V |
| Nov 28th | Wokingham | Winter Carnival Club Duties |
Key: (O/V = Official Visit C/A = Charter Anniversary)
District Convention 2011
Don't forget to get your booking and payment in before 31st December for a chance to win a free convention weekend. This will also negate the need to pay the surcharge for bookings we will have to levy for the increase in VAT due to come into being at the beginning of January.
Enjoy the Celtic Experience!!!
And finally
My personal thanks to all Lions within the District who are really extending the warm hand of friendship, and continuing to be Beacons of Hope to all whom they serve. As the economy cuts begin to bite there is an ever increasing need to offer the hand of service and increase our efforts to reach out to our local and global communities. Remember serving together, our light is shining brighter than ever. Let us all continue to strive to make a difference to the lives that we meet along life's journey and remember these words "To make a difference is not a matter of accident, a matter of casual occurrence of the tides. People choose to make a difference."
Kind regards
Brigid and Mike
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