The evening of Friday 11th October saw approaching 100 Shirley Lions, partners, visiting Lions and friends descend on the Shirley Social Club for the annual charity Casino Night. This year the beneficiary of funds raised on the night was a local Solihull Group, The Ian Edwards Cancer Break Trust.
The Trust was set up by friends and relations in memory of Ian, a care worker and true metal fan whose 10 month fight against lymphoma ended just before Christmas 2010, when he was aged 29. It aims to help blood cancer sufferers who are hard up get a break or short holiday in between their treatment sessions.
As the cost of the company providing the tables was covered by sponsorship from local firms it meant that all monies taken from the sale of tickets and the evening’s tombola was profit. Furthermore as the punters were not that good at roulette, poker or blackjack they had to keep coming back to the Bank to buy more chips!
The evening raised a net £850 which was handed over to the Trust who said that it was touching and amazing that folk who never knew Ian can be so generous. Thanks were expressed to all who attended and lost at the tables.