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After a Foundation Meeting in October 2006, the Inaugural Charter Dinner of the Club took place at Westminster on 28 March 2007.
The Palace of Westminster Lions Club, an exciting new Club, has been co-sponsored by District 105A and the Lions Club of South Woodhams Ferrers.
Charter President Mark Francois MP and Secretary/Treasurer Stephen Hammond MP have been joined by 20 other MPs to found the first Lions Club in the Mother of Parliaments – the first in the Northern Hemisphere (the only other Parliamentary Clubs are in New Zealand and Australia).
Among the new members from District 105SE are Stephen Hammond MP (Wimbledon), Laura Moffatt MP (Crawley), the Rt. Hon. Ann Widdecombe MP, (Maidstone & the Weald), and Derek Wyatt MP (Sittingbourne & Sheppey). There are a number of other MP’s from our District who are members of the cross-party Lions Group within the Palace of Westminster whilst remaining members of their own Local Lions Clubs. The Cross-party Lions Group includes well in excess of 30 MP’s in its ranks.
This is a truly cross party group of men and women committed to the ideals and philosophy of Lions Clubs International, and the practical hands-on commitment needed to fundraise and effectively target many welfare actions.
Lions respond to local needs in the British Isles and Ireland, and work through local Lions Clubs in other parts of the world responding to global disasters and helping with medium - and longer- term initiatives.
Since Helen Keller energised Lions to think about sight problems, these initiatives have included the prevention of blindness and restoration of eyesight in millions of people, help with speech and hearing impairment, education about diabetes and glaucoma, breast cancer prevention, dental aid programmes and the provision of clean water. Building of schools and clinics, providing ambulances for young babies, and street children support programmes, young people life skills education and service centres for older people have been some of Lions’ many achievements.
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