Message in a bottle Spectacle Recycling Community Support Projects Youth projects Charitable Donations
Each year since 2015 we have had a Wenceslas Appeal to aleviate crisis poverty in our area. The appeal runs from late November to early January. Donations can be made via our Just Giving account, alternatively a cheque can be paid to 'Knutsford Lions Charity Account' (marked 'Project Wenceslas') If the cheque is from a tax payer we can claim Gift Aid, which will increase the donation by 25% - a Gift Aid form available on request.
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ANNUAL CHRISTMAS HOUSE TO HOUSE & ENVELOPE APPEAL
Each December we have a House to House envelope collection, wonderfully aided by Knutsford Hosts, to raise funds for the Christmas Day Lunch and other Lions good causes.
Donation envelopes can be given to any Lions member, a 'drop off' point in town, or at Knutsford Lions street collection on Princess Street in early December.
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CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH FOR THOSE ON THEIR OWN
For over 30 years, Knutsford Lions have been providing lunch for between 30 and 40 people who would otherwise have been on their own on Christmas Day. Transport is provided and a traditional Christmas lunch served at a local community centre.
This year's Lunch (25/12/2023) will be at the Stanley Centre, Bexton Road, Knutsford.
The Town Mayor attends and chats to our guests, and there is a visit from a friendly Santa with gifts.
We end with some carol singing, after which guests are returned safely to their homes.
In 2020 however, due to Covid 19 restrictions, we joined up with the Welcome Centre and Hope Central to prepare and deliver Christmas Day Lunch – including soup, turkey and all the trimmings, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake and mince pie and ‘goodie bag’, to 60 people at their own home instead. We were supported by many local volunteers from Knutsford who helped cooking and delivering lunches.
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KNUTSFORD LIONS KNUTSFORD ACADEMY SIXTH FORM AWARD
Since 2021 we have presented a prize to an outstanding student at Knutsford Academy for acedemic achievement but also volunteering and helping in the community. The inaugural prize was awarded to Ella Senior who is now studying veterary science at Edinburough University. The 2022 prize was awarded to Amelia Key who is studying sociology.
MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
Message in a Bottle is a free scheme set up in the UK by Lions to help the emergency services by providing a known location for essential information in the event of an accident or sudden illness - particularly for people living on their own. The scheme in Knutsford is run in conjunction with the Knutsford Medical Partnership.
Each bottle is provided with a form to allow the essential information to be recorded (e.g. any key medical conditions, or medication issues and where tablets etc. are kept). This information is to be kept in the special bottle inside the fridge. Stickers are provided which should be displayed on the INSIDE of the front door (so that the emergency services know there is a bottle on the premises), and on the front of the fridge (so they know where to find it).
All four surgeries of the Knutsford Medical Partnership and Knutsford Community Hospital as well as Knutsford Lions hold a stock of bottles - if you would like one please contact us or Knutsford Medical Partnership directly.
SPECTACLE RECYCLING
With the help of opticians in Knutsford and members of the public, we collect used spectacles and send them to the Lions Club National HQ in Birmigham, where they are checked, sorted and then sent on to Medico France who supply them to Eye Camps in Africa, India and Eastern Europe. Currently used spectacles can be taken to Clare & Illingworth, Boots Opticians, Wendy Didhams in Knutsford, and Wheeldons in Wilmslow.
YOUNG LEADERS IN SERVICE AWARDS
Unfortunately this scheme has been halted, due to difficulties restarting in the years after the Pandemic
In November 2014 Knutsford Lions, in collaboration with the Knutsford Town Council, launched a Lions Young Leaders in Service Award Scheme. The Awards recognise young people between the ages of 11 and 18 giving service to the local community within a 12 month period. Each individual is issued with a small Log Book in which to record their activities. Certificates (Silver for 50 hours, Gold for 100 hours) are presented jointly by the Town Council and Knutsford Lions at an Awards Ceremony each year.
A recent GOLD ward was made to Misha ,,,, who completed over 200 hours of service including looking after her sister who has cerebral palsy and baking cakes for the local NHS during the pandemic.
Help with marshalling at local events - In recent years we have often provided marshals at a number of local events, including the Christmas Lights Switch On and the Pumpkin Path event for Knutsford Town Council
OTHER YOUTH PROJECTS
We participate in the annual Town Council award of a MILLENIUM BURSARY, open to local undergraduates.
We make grants to young individuals who embark on organised overseas travel projects eg local scouts to the World Scout Jamboree.
REGULAR CHARITABLE DONATIONS
Around 80% of our donations go to local causes. We have an annual review of regular donations in February, and other donations are given throughout the year as a need arises. Note that this runs separately to our Wenceslas Scheme to help reduce hardship. Although our donations are mostly local, we also donate to various national and international global crises as they arise.
Here is a typical list of organisations receiving donations.
| Local Scouts and Guides | Citizen's Advice Cheshire North |
| Local Primary Schools | Knutsford Community First Responder Trust |
| Knutsford GROW | Crossroads Together |
| Town Council Millennium Bursary Awards | The Welcome, Knutsford |
| Claire House Children's Hospice | Hope House Children's Hospice |
| East Cheshire Hospice | Francis House Children's Hospice |
| Mid Cheshire Samaritans | Cheshire Young Carers |
| Local fuel poverty support | Lions Water Aid |
| Hope Central Food Bank | Lions Sight Savers |
| Stanley Centre | Lower Moss Wood Nature Reserve/Animal Rescue |
| Friendship Cafe | Cheshire Without Abuse |
| Knutsford GROW | Lions Measles Initiative Appeal |
| Age UK Cheshire East | Lions Disaster Committee Appeals |
| Knutsford Community Transport | Knutsford Heritage Centre |
| Abbeyfield (Knutsford) | Passion for Learning |
| Hearing Dogs for Deaf People (Cheshire) | Local Cerabal Palsy Charity |
