WESTBURY Lions Club recently discovered that, with 37 active members, they are the second biggest club in the central southern district – a vast area with nearly 70 Lions clubs covering from Windsor and Reading in the East to Blandford Forum and Shaftesbury in the West and down to Portsmouth and Southampton on the coast and over to the Channel Islands.
Only Jersey can boast a larger club.
Local councillor and Lion for 13 years, Horace Prickett, who recently made a radio appearance on BBC Wiltshire to talk about the club, said, “I was absolutely over the moon when I found out!
“There are clubs in the area being threatened with deregistration because they’re not big enough.
“The Lions are clearly popular in Westbury. Jersey has a population of around 99,000, while the Westbury area is more like 18,000 – coming second is quite something!
“I have also calculated that we raised 26p more per head of the town’s population than the club in Jersey. For that we can thank the generosity of people living in Westbury.”
Westbury Lions Club is an organisation that raises money for local causes and promotes community initiatives in the area. It is a member of the Lions’ 105D district, which includes much of Hampshire, Dorset, Berkshire, Wiltshire and the Channel Islands.
Last year’s president Nigel Coward is proud of the club’s popularity in the town.
Nigel said, “In terms of the growing size of the club, I think our secret is striving to appeal to all ages, and making sure people know that we are just a group of people with a shared goal.
“Our club social activities are flexible enough that anyone can come along and take part, while smaller groups have naturally formed within the club which in turn have allowed those members to enjoy activities that appeal specifically to each.
“I think Westbury Lions have been especially successful in our community as we have kept very visible with activities like the Donkey Derby, our 10k Run and the Christmas Float. These events keep us busy, of course, but also keep the community aware of us.
“Also, by sharing our successes via the pages of the White Horse News, we ensure that Westbury knows that we are here looking out for the interests of the town and not spending the generously donated funds outside of the community without good reason.”
Westbury Lions meet twice a month for business and committee meetings. The members are local people from all walks of life who have a common interest in helping their local community. They discuss a range of topics, including fundraising, welfare and social events.
Public donations provide a big percentage of the money they collect, but the club also conduct annual fundraising events which contribute to their welfare funds. The hugely popular Donkey Derby and 10K run are big events for the club.
To find out more, visit www.westburylions.org.uk.
