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Mayor James Tinsley in
Thompson House where the Lisburn Lions presented
tour cheques to Thompson House, Leo and The
South Eastern Health and social services.
US4607-527C0
ONE of Lisburn's best known service groups, .
the Lions Club, has closed after 42 years of working for the
community.
' Eddie Boyle and Hugh Moore, who were Lions
members for almost three decades, explained there had been a
decline in membership in recent years.
"This problem came to a head with the death
of two long serving members Liam Boyle and Bill Richer who
together had given over 70 years of service," Mr. Moore
H explained. "The
remaining membership was faced with either
allowing the Club to wither away or grasp the nettle and close.
"The unanimous decision favoured the latter and the Club
officially closed on June 30." Mr. Moore said the Club had been
part of Lions Club International, a worldwide organisation with
1.3 million members. He explained there was a total of around
100 such clubs in Ireland and concluded: "Against this
background it is indeed a pity a city the size of Lisburn no
longer has a Lions Club."
Mayor Councillor James Tinsley
paid a warm tribute to the work of the Lisburn : Lions.
Mr. Tinsley said the club would be a great
loss as it had done 'a tremendous amount' on behalf of the
people of the city.
He recalled how its members had 'worked
selflessly' to provide festive meals for the elderly on
Christmas Day.
He also spoke of the popularity of the club's
annual fireworks display in Wallace Park which was an important
date in the Lisburn calendar for many years.
"I cannot praise the work of Lisburn Lions
Club enough. It will be sadly missed," he added.
The Club officially closed on June 30 but its
work did not end until last Wednesday when its remaining funds
were split between Thompson House, the South Eastern Health and
Social Services Trust, Lisburn Gateway
Club and LEO, the talking newspaper for people with sight
impairment.
The cheques were handed over at a ceremony in
Thompson House last Wednesday evening during which the
hospital's former Matron Mrs. Marie McStay said the club's
demise was 'a great loss' to the City.
She spoke of Thompson House's longstanding
relationship with the Lions which began with the donation of a
minibus and included financial support as well as an annual bus
run and carol concert.
"This was enjoyed by many others from
residential homes across the city as the Lions provided the
transport to and from Thompson House," she added.
Her sentiments were echoed by Reggie Barr
from LEO, Janice Colligan from the South Eastern Trust and
Stephen Lenaghan from the Gateway Club.
They said the weekly transport service
provided by the Lions for more than 30 years would be a
particular loss.
Among other work which the Lions were well known for were
'meals on wheels', personal security alarms for vulnerable
people, an annual holiday to Mosney for the elderly and lonely,
diabetic screening, helping the 'Sight First' programme under
which countless thousands of people in the developing world have
had their sight restored through cataract operations costing
less than �10 each and support for 'Water Aid
Ulster Star
23/11/2007
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