My Life as a Lion

So I started the year with every intention of providing regular updates to the blog but suddenly it’s February and it’s been nearly a month since my last post.

I‘ve not been idle during this time I just keep forgetting to blog about it. Must be an age thing. So what have I been up to?

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Or if you are a Lion happy second half of the Lions’ year. If you are not a Lion why not make helping your local Lions Club help your community one of your resolutions. This could range from supporting events run by your local Lions to becoming a member but Lions Clubs can only serve with your support. To find your nearest club go to the LCI website.

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Last night, 20th December, was our last night out with Santa for this year. We were collecting in the last bit of Marston Green, the Maple Leaf Avenue estate, and what a generous bunch they were.

As a result of a great weekend, not to mention a wonderful week before, we needed £93 to break through the £3,000 mark. We had a good turnout of collectors and had finished the estate by 8:10pm, just as it started to rain, but had seen lots of children and received a lot of nice comments from the adults. As it turns out we had received a lot of money as well with the count for the night being a magnificent £320 taking our total collected to £3,227!
We traditionally have a small apres sleigh party on the last night with mulled wine, port and various sweet and savoury nibbles. We were able to celebrate a record collection, despite the current hard times, and to look forward to our own Christmases.
It has been a pleasure going out this year with only one night of rain, very little illness and no trouble (we have had eggs and rocks thrown at us in the past). I would like to publicly thank all the club members and supporters who turned out and did such a professional job. We also had a couple of enquiries about membership and I really hope that we can attract some new members next year.
Finally can I wish my small but growing band of readers of this blog a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Lion Simon Moss

@simonhmoss @MarstonGnLions @lions105m @lionsclubsorg

640 miles travelled so far as 2nd VDG

235 hours since 1 July 2011 on Lions’ activities

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An amazing turnout for our Sunday collection around Marston Green with 8 Lions and 6 supporters out with the sleigh and three Lions counting the money. A fairly tricky route with quite a few turns and some busy roads to collect on. Nevertheless we were finished by our target time of 6:30 so well done everyone!

Our totals for the two days were very good too with £856 collected on Saturday and £741 on Sunday making a total for the weekend £1,597 and a £2,907 total for the whole collection with one day to go. Thank you very much Chelmsley Wood and Marston Green.
For anyone who missed us while we were coming round you can still donate via BT MyDonate. I’ll be back on Wednesday to let you know how the final night went and to give you the overal total for the year.

Lion Simon Moss

@simonhmoss @MarstonGnLions @lions105m @lionsclubsorg

640 miles travelled so far as 2nd VDG

230 hours since 1 July 2011 on Lions’ activities

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Although there was a bit of rain or sleet in the air, the Saturday Christmas Collection around Marston Green was so much better than last year when we had to cope with 6 inches of snow and about half the normal number of collectors. By comparison this year went really well and we completed the route before 6:30.

As well as collecting the previously delivered envelopes we also deliver Christmas cakes to some of the local elderly and young people with special needs. The collection seemed to go well although a children’s party at the Marston Green Club meant several people were out. We don’t count the money on the Saturday so I won’t have a total to report until tomorrow.
This evening we continue our journey round Marston Green, collecting the envelopes from Coleshill Road, Station Road, Chelmsley Lane, Alcott Drive, The Orchard, Holly Lane, Moseley Drive, Martin Rise, Marston Croft, Elm Farm Avenue and Wayside. We start at 3pm and go on until about 6:30.

Lion Simon Moss

@simonhmoss @MarstonGnLions @lions105m @lionsclubsorg

640 miles travelled so far as 2nd VDG

225 hours since 1 July 2011 on Lions’ activities

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Five nights completed in Chelmsley Wood and another fantastic effort by the collecting team. A fairly short route which raised another £198 taking our total to £1,310.

Considering times are hard we can only stand and applaud the generosity of the people of Chelmsley Wood who have made this a record Christmas. Thank you one and all.
This evening we start our journey round Marston Green, collecting the envelopes that have been left last week. Our route includes Elmdon Lane, Canterbury Drive, The Greenway, Digby Drive, Elmdon Road, Somerton Drive, Wolverton Road, Rotherby Grove, Farndon Avenue, Hidcote Grove, St Leonards Close, Land Lane, Hall Drive, Aylesford Drive, Bickenhill Road, Mowe Croft, Brook Croft and Lyndon Croft. We start at 3pm and go on until about 6:30.

Lion Simon Moss

@simonhmoss @MarstonGnLions @lions105m @lionsclubsorg

640 miles travelled so far as 2nd VDG

220 hours since 1 July 2011 on Lions’ business

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Our fourth night out on the sleigh was another successful one. Thursday is the longest route of our scehdule and we finished it with five minutes to spare thanks to some sterling work by our collectors. We were joined by Lucy and Nicky from Marston Green Cricket Club on their first sleigh experience.

The people of Chelmsley Wood were very generous again and we managed a record £339 collection taking our total for so far through the £1,000 mark to reach £1,112.
Tonight we will be visiting the fishes, Pike Drive, Bream Close and Graylings Walk as well as Chilham Drive, Ludlow Close, Wardour Drive, Penrith Grove and Drummond Way.

Lion Simon Moss

@simonhmoss @MarstonGnLions @lions105m @lionsclubsorg

640 miles travelled so far as 2nd VDG

215hours since 1 July 2011 on Lions’ business

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Wednesday 14th December and our third night out with Santa. Also our third different Santa of the week. Collecting this time was done in two different parts of Chelmsley Wood with a short drive in between.

Out with us last night we had 6 collectors as well as the usual Santa, driver, back man (or woman) and front man, me. Big thanks to Lynn for doing the ferrying of those who couldn’t fit in the Land Rover
While we travel round we play a variety of Christmas music and, thanks to PRS for Music’s charity discount scheme we are able to play it without a licence fee. Last night’s efforts raised just over £290.
Tonight we will be visiting Bluebell Drive, Yorkminster Drive, Lyecroft Avenue, Foxland Close, Waterson Croft, Ryeclose Croft, Wheaton Close, Hawksworth Road, Drake Croft, Kitegreen Close, Heathgreen Close and Partridge Close.

Lion Simon Moss

@simonhmoss @MarstonGnLions @lions105m @lionsclubsorg

640 miles travelled so far as 2nd VDG

210 hours since 1 July 2011 on Lions’ business

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Tuesday 13th December was a much better evening weather wise for collecting. It was cold but dry. After the previous day’s problems with the sound system our handyman, David, had reattached the speakers to the sleigh and this time they stayed on.

We had 11 people in total out collecting, driver, Santa, back man, front man and 7 collectors, which presents a logistics problem as the Land Rover only holds 7 people. One of our members, Heather, volunteered to transport the other collectors to the start and pick them up from the end. I’m not sure she was two happy squeezing 4 people into her small car and I don’t think the car was too happy carrying them. Thanks to Heather and her car.
The evening passed without incident and we raised around £265. Well done everyone!
I‘ll be back tomorrow to let you know how tonight’s collection around Chelmsley Wood went. We will be in Clopton Crescent, Newby Grove, Tyne Close, Runcorn Close, Tay Croft, Rowan Way, Box Road and Whitebeam Road.

Lion Simon Moss

@simonhmoss @MarstonGnLions @lions105m @lionsclubsorg

640 miles travelled so far as 2nd VDG

205 hours since 1 July 2011 on Lions’ business

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Not the best of starts weather wise to our Christmas collections. High winds and driving rain meant that everyone, except Christine who was driving, ended up cold and wet. To make matters worse the speakers fell off the sleigh reducing our music output.

Nevertheless several children still braved the weather to come out and say hello to Santa and we raised just over £200. Tonight we are out again with the possibility of high winds. We will be visiting Perch Avenue, Grantley Drive, Pendrell Close, Conway Road, Stapleton Drive, Fencote Avenue, Elmore Close, Hadfield Way and Anstey Croft in Chelmsley Wood. I’ll let you know how we got on tomorrow.

Lion Simon Moss

@simonhmoss @MarstonGnLions @lions105m @lionsclubsorg

640 miles travelled so far as 2nd VDG

200 hours since 1 July 2011 on Lions’ business

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