SERVICE ACTIVITIES - GENERAL
Here are just some of the of the regular and 'one off' events that we stage to benefit the LOCAL COMMUNITY.
Disabled 'Its a Special Knockout'
A very popular annual event the Zone Disabled 'Its a Special Knockout' involves Lions clubs from our 'Zone' eg. Battle & Villages, Bexhill, Eastbourne, Hailsham, Hastings, Rye and Uckfield. The event is put on as a 'fun day' and closely follows the format of the popular TV show 'Its a Knockout'. People with different disabilities enter as teams and come from various parts of the south east. The Community Centre at Heathfield is a popular venue where the games are played with great enthusiasm and are concluded with a snack lunch followed by presentation of the trophy and medals. Our picture shows one of the entrants 'The Special Olympics Team Eastbourne' with Past President Lion Sue Durham.
Tenerife Holiday for Disabled Youngsters and their Carers
Our own club have joined forces with the Hove Lions Club, the Tenerife Sur Lions Club, Barnado's and the Eastbourne Charity Lark in the Park to provide a total of 14 youngsters, parents and carers with a spring holiday in Tenerife. The youngsters with various disabilities will spend their time at the Alondras Park Hotel in the south of Tenerife on a fun packed adventure.
In thanking the Lions, Lisa Giles, Barnardo's Link Plus Children's Services Manager said: " This is a great opportunity for Barnardo's families. They each have a disabled child and will truly benefit from this wonderful experience, without this they probably would not get the opportunity to go abroad"
San Miquel Castle in Tenerife and was one of the many holiday activities arranged during their two week holiday. Others included a Whale and Dolphin Boat Trip, Ten Pin Bowling, Snorkelling and a visit to Loro Park.
The Tenerife Sur Lions Club have provided accommodation and outings for people in other parts of the UK for the past 15 years but this is a first for the people of the South East. Lions Clubs in the South East will be reciprocating and will be hosting youngsters and their carers from Tenerife later this year. Outings such as a trip to Drusillas Park are planned.
Senior Citizens Tea, Outing and Entertainment
Generally, once or twice a year, our club acts as hosts to Senior Citizens by providing a car or minibus drive into the surrounding countryside. We start in the early part of the afternoon and finish up at a local church hall where our guests are provided with a high tea and entrance to a free raffle. During and after tea musical entertainment is provided by a suitable entertainer and with the option of joining in a 'sing - along'.
The picture above was taken at the 2009 event held on Saturday 18th April
Disabled Swimming Gala
The Sovereign Disabled Swimming Club, in conjunction with Eastbourne Lions Club, recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of their Annual Swimming Gala with a fun filled event at The Motcombe Pool. Fun and Games were enjoyed by a record number of participants and visitors, thanks to the organising by Bob and Rowena Gausden of The Sovereign Swimming Club for Disabled People. After the event the swimmers enjoyed a picnic lunch provided by The Lions. Medals, courtesy of The Lions, were presented to all swimmers taking part by Eastbourne's Mayor Councillor Greg Szanto, Mayoress Mrs Clare Szanto and Lions President Nigel Windibank. The 'winning' team were presented with the Anne Gray Memorial Cup by Anne's niece Mrs Kate Smith who travels down from London every year to attend the gala.
Disabled Swimmers Meet The Mayor
Help to The Chaseley Home for the Severely Disabled
The club's long standing support of The Chaseley Home includes the provision of a kitchen to allow residents and their families to cater for themselves. This was followed by our help in the installation of complex lighting equipment in the Art Recreation Centre and more recently, as part of an appeal of £500,000 by His Grace The Duke of Devonshire, an oven and hob for the Activities Department Kitchen.
The Duke formally opened the new state of the art facilities and is pictured below with Eastbourne Lions President Phil and a small number of club members and partners.
Here are just some of the of our ongoing LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL projects.
Used Spectacles and Hearing Aids Collections
Lions collecting bins can be seen at many local Opticians, Chemists, Medical Centres etc. The bins are regularly emptied and sent, courtesy of Parcel Force, to The Chichester Lions Club. There they are sorted and forwarded on to Medico France where they are graded and sent on to third world countries to be gratefully received by their new owners.
On average our club sends between 10,000 and 12,000 pairs of spectacles away each year.
Message in a Bottle
A simple yet effective scheme, where a bottle containing important medical and personal information is stored in ones fridge.
A distinctive green cross sticker is displayed on the door of the fridge to show that this valuable and potentially life saving information is instantly available to the emergenct services. 
