Presidents Club Lions Review 2025-2026

This year has been another busy and rewarding one. Thanks to the incredible support of our members, volunteers, and the local community, we have distributed almost £47,000 in grants and charitable support.

This included:

• £11,600…….supporting young people and youth projects.
• £8,000………towards Lions Clubs International humanitarian appeals.
• £19,000…….meeting local community needs.
• £5,400………in Christmas vouchers for elderly residents.
• £3,000+……towards the Highworth Town Council Defibrillator Project.

These figures represent real help for real people.

Among the many organisations we have supported are Barra Close Playground, Highworth Football Club, the Lions Ladies Football Team, youth football teams, Warneford School, Blunsdon Community Shop and Café, Swindon 105.5 Radio, the 18th Swindon Scouts, CAP, Best Mates, Riding for the Disabled, the Roshni Community Support Group in India, CHAPS PSA Testing, and Bags of Hope for local schools. We also arranged a memorable day out to Marwell Zoo for more than 20 people with special needs.

Our support extends far beyond financial grants. Over the past year, we have continued to make our 14‑seat minibus available for community groups, schools, and elderly outings; provided our Luton van for use by local organisations; supported the Bob Cook Games; participated in the May Day and Christmas Fayres; maintained our spectacles recycling and Green Bottles initiatives; updated and developed our club website; and trained eight members in vision screening, enabling us to launch this valuable new service.

I am also pleased to welcome five new members to our club: Iolie Perie, Marion Cook, Colin Reed, Ian Matteson, and David Hazell. Thank you for joining us; we look forward to your contributions as we continue to grow and serve our community.

We send our warmest good wishes to friends of the club who have experienced illness or difficult times during the year. You remain a valued part of our Lions family, and our thoughts are with you.

None of these achievements would have been possible without the tremendous support we receive.

A big thank you to the residents of Highworth and the surrounding district for your continued support of our Charity Shop. Your donations and purchases allow us to make a meaningful difference year after year. To our dedicated volunteers and club members: thank you for your commitment, enthusiasm, and countless hours of service. You are the heart of this organisation, and you truly embody our motto: “We Serve.”

We also thank our fellow Lions and guests for their friendship and encouragement, the team at Wrag Barn for our 53rd charter dinner and hospitality, and Kerenza McSweeney , in particular, for her hard work in organising the celebrations.

Finally, I am extremely proud of everything our club has accomplished over the past twelve months. Through teamwork, friendship, and a shared commitment to helping others, we continue to create a positive impact both locally and further afield.

Thank you all for your support, your friendship, and your loyalty to Highworth and District Lions Club. I look forward to another successful year of service together.