Lions continue helping the young with annual schools programme

The programme for the year ahead is discussed and agreed with the ten head teachers at an annual meeting. It is then run through the next three terms by the school and a liaison Lion assigned to each school.

Over the last four years many different ideas have been acted upon. The children enter the Lions ‘Poster for Peace’ regional art competition every spring term and we receive over 300 entries every year. The schools have ordered many free Lions Lifeskills lesson plans. The children and parents support our appeal to help the children of Gomel in Belarus by donating clothes or packing a shoebox with useful products and gifts.

In 2012, and again in 2015, the Lions gave all 2,500 children a book from their charity book shop and supported the schools to improve literacy by funding the purchase of electronic books and story sacks for each school. This has been followed up by an annual Lions literacy prize being awarded in the schools.

Other projects that the Lions have help to fund in the schools include : maths kits, outdoor learning equipment, musical instruments and book bags. The book bags have the school’s crest and the Lions logo on.

Finally, when possible, the Lions will help raise funds for the PTAs by running quiz nights or helping at school fetes.

We all work together, the Lions supporting the schools and the schools supporting the Lions.

The Lions club spends an average of £5,000 per annum on all of these projects. Most of the money is raised in our bookshop in Jengers Mead, Billingshurst and without the generous books’ donations from members of the public this would be impossible.

Therefore, the club wishes to thank all of you that support us and please continue to do so.

For further information about any of the schools’ projects contact Mr. Viv Diggens on 01403 752968.

Report and picture contributed by Billingshurst and District Lions.