History of Our Club:
Our club was started back in 1977 and has continued to work in the Stafford and surrounding villages for more than 40 years. Each year we hold a Charter to celebrate the founding of our club.
Brief History of Lions Clubs International:
Lions Clubs International started back in 1917 as the dream of a Chicago businessman, Melvin Jones, who believed that people with expertise and enthusiasm could use their talents to improve their communities or even the world at large.
“What if these men,” Melvin Jones asked, “who are successful because of their drive, intelligence and ambition, were to put their talents to work improving their communities?”
Melvin was a member of the Business Circle of Chicago and they authorised him to develop the concept with other similar groups. Due to his efforts a first meeting of 12 was held in a local hotel on 7th June 1917.
Click on image for a video about the forming of Lions Clubs International
‘Lionism’, as it became known, came to Britain in 1950. During World War II the Lions of Canada had sent clothes and food parcels to the children in London who were affected by the Blitz. After the war was over the Queen Mother asked her equerry to go to Canada to thank the Lions for their efforts. He was so impressed by their work that he returned to London and setup the first Lions Club in England.
Clubs then flourished throughout Great Britain and are now open to men and women who donate some of their spare time to helping those in need.
Worldwide there are more than 1.4 million members in more than 46,000 Lion Clubs in over 208 countries and geographic areas all striving to fulfil the Lions motto of “We Serve”.
Past Presidents of Stafford Lions Club:
Sid Peplow/Charles Kelly 1977-1978
Percy Grero 1979–1980
Ian Sherratt 1980–1981 John Hughes 1981 – 1982
Rod Niven 1982–1983 Alun Jones 1983–1984
Bryan Jervis 1984–1985 Peter Dudley 1985–1986
Ken Gore 1986–1987 Geoff Lunn 1987–1988
Frank Finlay 1988–1989 Nick Oldfield 1989–1990
Steve Parrish 1990–1991 Chris Hilditch 1991–1992
Keith Thompson 1992–1993 Rolando Carrasco 1993 – 1994
Syd Birkin 1994–1995 Jeff Dixon 1995–1996
Ian Wrightson 1996–1997 Bill Bedford 1997–1998
Allan Howells 1998–1999 Mike Halstead 1999–2000
Paul Johnson 2000–2001 John Kemp 2001–2002
Ken Gore 2002–2003 Geoff Mackenzie 2003–2004
Jeff Dixon 2004–2005 Allan Howells 2006–2007
Rod Niven 2007–2008 Digby Gould 2008–2009
Dave Lewis 2009–2010 Maureen Gore 2010–2011
Geoff Mackenzie 2011–2012 Geoff Mackenzie 2012–2013
Roger Gay 2013–2014 Digby Gould 2014–2015
Jeff Dixon 2015–2016 Roger Gay 2016–2017
Glenda Chard 2017-2018 Ed Rule 2018-2019
Rose Cowley 2019 to 2020 Rose Cowley 2020 to 2021
Dave Lewis 2021 to 2022
Current President for 2022 to 2023 Dave Lewis
© Stafford Lions Club 2023.
Web design Lion Dave Lewis with a great deal of help and tuition from his eldest son, Simon.
