RECORD FUN RUN  

RECORD FUN RUN

 

Knowle and Dorridge Lions Club celebrated yet another successful year last month, when the club held its annual presentation evening for sponsors at the Greswolde Hotel in Knowle.

Welcoming all the guests and sponsors Lions President Noel Kinahan said how indebted his Lions Club is to all the sponsors and local supporters who make their fundraising events so successful. ‘Our year started with our Festive Walk after Christmas from Baddesley Clinton House and we were delighted when over 1000 walkers donated over £6,000 for our nominated charities Marie Curie Big Build, AgeUK Solihull, St Basil’s and other local causes. The 30th Knowle Fun Run smashed all records raising over £46,000 for charity with superb support from sponsors and advertisers alike.’

Noel then presented a cheque for £8,000 raised at the Heart of England Bike Ride. Donna Stokes, BHF Community Fundraising Manager said ‘This is the second year the British Heart Foundation has been the beneficiary of the Bike Ride and we are really grateful to Knowle and Dorridge Lions for organizing the event. The money raised goes to our Mending Broken Hearts Appeal which aims to fund research into preventing heart failure and giving hope to thousands of heart patients. We are looking forward to next July’s Ride and hope it will be even more successful than ever.’

Noel announced that the club had raised over £76,000 in total for charity over the past 12 months and thanked all the sponsors saying, ‘It’s great for our club of 31 volunteer Lions to celebrate such success again, but without the help from companies like yourselves our events would never realise so much for charity.’

He went on to present cheques totalling over £36,600 to their 3 nominated charities – Marie Curie Big Build, AgeUK Solihull and St Basil’s who in turn thanked the Lions for their tremendous achievements.

Community Service Chairman Sue Owen explained that the Club retain 30% of the funds they raise for locally determined causes and once again it had spent all the monies it had raised the previous year, having responded to requests for funding from many local organisations, and had successfully organised coach outings and tea parties for older people and provided travel bursaries for local youths.

She went on to introduce the charities the Lions are nominating as beneficiaries for the coming 21st Festive Walk on Sunday 29 December and Knowle Fun Run on Sunday 18 May 2014 – The Brain Tumor Charity – formerly Joseph Foote, Vision Care – for homeless people, and Northleigh House School – for bullied children  


(back) Tracy Finnegan, Marie Curie; President Noel; Lucy Hackett, St Basil’s; Donna Stokes, BHF; Emily Cooper, AgeUk Solihull