Lions as an organisation is world wide and this year I had the privilege of meeting members from a club on the other side of the world when on a holiday in Australia. Oxley & Sherwood Lions club in Brisbane was surprisingly similar to Crewkerne,  Age profile, numbers of members and the various fundraising events were all very similar. The other very strange thing was that many of their families originated from or had a link back to Somerset.

Lions clubs are about service to the community both locally and world wide and through it's international arm the Lions Clubs International Foundation clubs around the world have assisted and supported community's devastated by natural disaster. As I write this Lions as an organisation is providing funding and resources to the Pakistan Flood disaster and is still working in Haiti following the devastating earthquakes earlier this year.

On a more local point Crewkerne Lions are supporting the Alzheimer's Society, Yeovil Freewheelers, free Diabetic testing events and  NOMA disease a flesh eating bug that attacks the face  of it's victims. Once prevalent worldwide in area's of poor hygiene and nutrition this disease that destroys the tissue's of the mouth and face is usually found now in the poorest countries. The disease is associated with high morbidity and mortality and mainly affects children under the age of twelve in the poorest countries of Africa. Children in Asia and some countries of South America are also affected. Most children who get the disease are between the ages of two and six years old. It is estimated that 500,000 people are affected, and that 140,000 new cases are reported each year. Estimates claim that 80 - 90% of noma cases die. If caught early enough it is easily treated with antibiotics but it leaves it's victims requiring reconstructive surgery.

Lions clubs are often in your local community unseen, you don't see big signs advertising their existence, this is something that we are hoping to change. Not because we want to blow our own trumpet but because we owe it to the people who spend a great deal of their time serving the communities in which they live and have done so for many years. We are trying to attract younger members for without them the clubs will die and this valuable resource will be lost to the world for ever. Crewkerne's youngest member is 22 and we have interest from several others who hopefully will join and continue the service provided by our club to the people of Crewkerne for the past 29 years for many years to come.