Merry Christmas

Feeds:: Posts; Comments

Merry Christmas

December 23, 2013 by Lion Simon Moss

Oh dear where has the time gone. I promised you a post in October about Autumn Forum and suddenly it’s almost Christmas Day and apart from a plug for the district advent calendar I’ve not managed to post anything.

So much has happened since the last post that the best thing to do to catch up is to read my newsletters for November and December. In the meantime here are the highlights.

Since my own club Marston Green and District Lions Club’s charter anniversary dinner on 12th October I have visited 8 club’s business meetings, attended 4 charter anniversary dinners and the charter presentation night of new club Coventry Mercia. I have attended my second Council of Governors meeting as DG and held my second district cabinet meeting. I enjoyed every one of these events but for me the real high spots were:

Autumn Forum – an event that provides an opportubnity for Lions throughout the district to come together and learn and discuss some of the things happening in Lions Clubs International. This was a well attended, and by all reports well received, event that went exactly according to plan. A very big thank you goes to the Lions who put together interesting and interactive workshops and who organised the accommodation and food. The theme for my presentation was Achieving our Potential and included my Seven Cs for a healthy club (Community, Communication, Cooperation, Collaboration, Commonality, Contribution and Celebration)

Malvern Hills Lions Club’s It’s a Knock Out – a fun event staged for a number of physical and learning disabilities clubs in the area. Great to see the smiles on the competitors’ and spectators’ faces.

Remembrance Day Parade at the Cenotaph – I was very proud to be representing 105M in the annual Remembrance Day parade through Whitehall. It was a moving and humbling experience.

105NE Convention – The district representing the whole of Scotland and the North East of England hold their convention early in the Lions’ year so mid-November saw Christine and I driving up to Malton in North Yorkshire to attend their host night, A Victorian themed evening, and the first half of the business session before a long drive back to attend…

Coventry Mercia Lions Club’s charter presentation evening – It is always special as a district governor to be able to welcome a new club into the district. This was a great evening with plenty of fun and fellowship and I wish Lion President Sundeep and his club every success.

Young Ambassador District Final – The Young Ambassador for the 21st Century is a Lions competition which seeks to recognise some of the amazing things that young people do to help others. This year’s district final was held immediately after the district cabinet meeting giving quite a few of us the opportunity to listen to the four candidates. This year’s winner was Abigail sponsored by the Lions Club of Shirley but all the candidates would have been excellent representatives for the district in the multiple district final to be held in February.

A visit to the Mayor’s Parlour in Solihull – arranged for the seven clubs in the Solihull Borough this was another opportunity for me to meet Councillor Joe Tildesley the excellent Mayor of Solihull and to sit in the Mayor’s seat for a photo.

A charity dinner in aid of the Philippines Distaster Appeal – A great event organised at short notice in response to the disaster which raised over £3,000. Lions response to the disaster has been fantastic with district 105M raising well over £20,000 towards Lifesaver water bottles.

And finally Christmas collections with my own club – We spent eight nights collecting door to door in Chelmsley Wood and Marston Green and raised over £3,000 thanks to the unbelievable generosity of the local population. For me it was great to be back doing some club activities.