Serving the community
If you are new to Lionism, through these pages you will be able to find out about the work of the international organisation of Lions and our Lions Club in particular.
If you are a Lion, and perhaps planning to visit our area, we hope that the information on our website will encourage you to visit us.
Meetings
The club meets to discuss business matters on the second Monday of each month at
The Wyke Down Country Pub, Andover
We also hold dinner meetings on the fourth Monday of each month at the same venue.
Have you some time to spare?
Please join Friends of Lions and help us with some of our other projects:
Fundraising
- Teddy Tent
- Regular street collections
- Race Night
- Quiz
- Clay pigeon shoot
- Treasure hunt
- Christmas collection
or maybe join us for a social evening.
Any help is gratefully received - and hopefully you will enjoy the activity!
Recent Events
Visit by a South African Lion
While staying with friends in Grateley, near Andover, Lion John Snyders discovered our newly-launched website and arranged for him and his wife to attend our August meeting.
John and Diane live in Benoni, a former gold-mining town east of Johannesburg. The town boasts three Lions Clubs, Benoni Hosts being the oldest, the Van Rhyn Club, of which John is a member, while Diane belongs to the Lady Lionesses.
Having been to visit the Normandy beaches, they moved on to Grateley and are following up with a trip to Amsterdam, before returning to South Africa.
John gave the Andover Lions a brief description of the Van Rhyn Club, their fund-raising events and community projects and said that he was taking away some new ideas. He also commented on what a "sociable bunch" the Andover Lions are!
At the end of the meeting John and Andover President John Whalley exchanged pennants and good wishes.
Christmas Collection
Andover Lions made their annual collection at The Range superstore in Andover, over the three-day weekend before.Christmas.
Volunteer "Santas" did shifts at the door, giving sweets to children and chatting to their parents. As always, even in these days of financial difficulties, the generosity shown was amazing.
From the total raised by the collection we have donated £500 to the Countess of Brecknock Hospice, and would like to thank sincerely all those who dug deep into their pockets.
Race Night
At the beginning of March we held a very successful Pig Race Night at the Weyhill Fairground Hall. Over 100 people turned up to bet on their selections and encourage the porkers along the racetrack.
From the proceeds we were able to give £500 to the Countess of Brecknock Hospice and a very enjoyable evening to all who attended.
Connor Bestford
At the beginning of June Connor Bestford, aged 17, suffered a massive stroke. Surgeons at Southampton General Hospital removed part of his skull to relieve the pressure on his swollen brain. Connor is still paralysed on one side and has limited 
speech.
A member of Andover Lions Club heard that Connor, a football fanatic, desperately wanted to see England play in the World Cup so, without more ado, the Lions bought him aTV set and took it to him in hospital, along with various items of England supporters' gear. Connor was over the moon at being able to watch the games - even though England didn't come up to scratch!
B
y Bus to the Brewery
Andover Lions decided to treat themselves to a day out and top of the suggestions was a visit to a brewery - what a surprise!
To give a kick start to the day the transport was an old red double-decker London bus, which made its stately way across the Wiltshire countryside to Devizes and Wadworth's Brewery. Here a tour of the brewery included all the beer-making equipment and a meeting with the Shire horses which still pull drays delivering to the local pubs. A few of the beers were sampled, of course!
The company moved on to a Wadworth pub for a good lunch, followed by an hour's drive back to Andover in the bus. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day out, and some suggested that it should become an annual event!
Contributing to Cancer Care 
The February 2011 meeting of Andover Lions was attended by representatives of Macmillan Cancer Care Nurses.
President Gail Hurlock handed over a cheque for £500, which was raised mainly by a Pig Race Night held the previous November.
Ne
w Presidential Year
Andover Lions Club held their Charter Dinner at their home venue, Wyke Down Country Pub, and combined the event with the handover to their new President.
After an excellent dinner, retiring President Gail Hurlock thanked everyone for their efforts during her year, and then invested 
Martin Benet with the presidential regalia. Martin reviewed some of the events which had taken place and the number of local individuals who had been given much-needed help by the Lions.
He expressed a hope that, during his year, the club would send representatives to other Lions clubs and forge stronger links with them.
Christmas collection
Our three-day Christmas collection was at The Range store in Andover.
Despite the current economic climate everyone was very generous
and, from the money collected £500 was given to help the
Andover Young Carers.
A Helping Hand 
We were approached by the Lock family of Tidworth, whose small son has multiple health problems.
He is soothed by sensory lighting and it was proposed, subject to funding, to build a cabin in the garden,
fitted out to help with his condition. The Lions contributed a donation to cover the cost of levelling the site and constructing a base for the cabin, construction mainly being done by his father. The cabin contains a ball pond and several sensory lighting units. It is heated and carpeted and has proved to be a very relaxing room for the little boy and his siblings.
