50th Anniversary Golden Awards

Claire Revie – Share Wokingham:

Share Wokingham was founded during the pandemic in 2020 and Claire explained that Wokingham Lions had been generous with both funds and time. What had been expected to be a short-term project now has 15 sites, plus a service providing pre-loved furniture and houshold appliances to those in need and Wokingham Lions’ help has been invaluable.

Emma Cantrell – First Days Children’s Charity

Emma talked about the practical as well as financial help Wokingham Lions can give. She explained how Wokingham Lions have washed, ironed and where required repaired many items of school uniform, so that they are as good as new. At short notice Lions also helped put together a Winter Wonderland for Santa at The Winter Carnival. She also talked about having mad ideas, talking them through with members of her team and then thinking ‘I’m going to ask a Lion’; their advice and help has been so supportive.

Simon & Barbara Young – Ollie Young Foundation

Simon (Ollie’s Dad) and Barbara (Ollie’s Grandmother) talked emotionally about losing Ollie to a brain tumour 12 years ago. The Foundation set up in his name has now raised over £750,000 for research into childhood brain tumours. Wokingham Lions have helped raise their profile in the community and each year at the OYF fun day, Wokingham Lions run a stall for their benefit. OYF also help Wokingham Lions set-up and take-down the twice yearly ‘Wokingham Walk’, which of course leads to a thank you donation to the foundation.

Samantha Rosier – Camp Mohawk

Samantha said Camp Mohawk had been fortunate to work alongside Lions. They had been the recipients of funds from Wokingham May Fayre 2023, which had assisted them in expanding their facilities. Wokingham Lions are now helping them with their Enchanted Forest Ball in October, money from which will go towards accessible changing rooms and showers at their centre near Warfield.

CLASP is a self-advocacy group for adults with learning disabilities in Wokingham Borough, applied for funds for their project to showcase their members’ art and craft work and demonstrate what they are capable of. The funds will support the hire of a venue and fund the opening night.

The Barkham Hookers are a local crochet group, they have worked on many personal, charity and community projects over the last 10 years and raised over £70,000 for good causes. With the award they are planning something special for the Poppy Appeal in November, which will commemorate the 80^th Anniversary of D-Day this year. This display will be prominent in Wokingham and there will be decorated post boxes, which have been very popular in recent years. They also want to crochet hundreds of purple poppies and use them to cover saddles and bridles to decorate the beautiful Horse Sculptures at Arborfield.

Building for the Future is a charity supporting disabled children and young people. They have a centre in Wokingham, from which they run numerous services for the children and their families. They also run services for young disabled adults, offering social opportunities, work-related activities and learning workshops. Their Golden Award will help launch new workshops for these young adults, for which they need to rent space and buy materials and refreshments, as the existing centre is for children and is currently full!

Igniting Writing is based at Wokingham Library on Saturdays is for children aged 11-18. The children can share ideas, develop their writing skills and build friendships with other aspiring young writers in a fun relaxed atmosphere. The £500 will be used to organize regular speakers, which will encourage and aid literacy development and give opportunities to experience writing in different genres.

Hannah Tomsett is a successful para-athlete, who competes in watersking and wakeboarding. In 2023 she won two national titles including wakeboard adaptive trick champion, setting a new British record. Hannah also won a World Silver Medal in Slalom in California, a team Bronze Medal in the World Championships, a Bronze Medal at the British Nationals in slalom and fifth place in a non-disabled slalom competition. In 2024 Hannah aims to enter both National and European Championships as well as improving her slalom skiing, another of her passions. With this in mind, her Golden Award will be used to help fund a new ski seat which will be better fitted to her body and be transferable from her snow ski to her water ski, enabling Hannah to take her skills to the next level in both sports.

Wokingham Pride aims to promote equality, inclusion, reduce stigma and provide social networks and support for LGBTQ+ people and their families in Wokingham Borough. In 2023 they held a small Pride event, but they have bigger plans for 2024 with live bands, performers, stalls and a parade through Wokingham. The local bands are giving their time for free, but their Golden Award will assist with the cost of a sound engineer, materials to make Pride flags and basic first aid kits for their First Aiders to use. Wokingham Pride this year will be held on Saturday 13^th July.

Wokingham and District Association for the Elderly (WADE) promotes the welfare of the elderly within Wokingham Borough. They also exist to reduce isolation and loneliness and to provide a safe and supportive environment for their members, via their day-care centre. The Golden Award will allow WADE to fund some good quality art and craft supplies for their staff and trustees to use with members. Items made can then be sold at various fundraising events, raising funds to keep the initiative moving forward. Their first event will be Wokingham May Fayre, which is of course organised by Wokingham Lions Club.

Wokingham Repair Café has recently been set up and runs at All Saints Church on the second Saturday of each month. It is a repair and advice service for hand-portable damaged, broken and torn household and personal items. Delivered by a team of experienced and competent volunteers in a safe café environment, repairs (where possible) and advice are free of charge.

Our grant will buy: A portable Electric Appliance tester and the training for two volunteers in its use, task lighting for volunteer repairers to work safely and protective vinyl for the tables.

Wokingham Lions also donated two refurbished laptops from their ReTec project for use by the Repair Café.

Kaleidoscopic UK is a survivor led charity (by and for) children and adults subjected to domestic abuse. As well as the ongoing information, support and courses they provide, this year they have started their ‘Fun with Mum’ monthly group, where mums and children can enjoy fun, games, activities and crafts as well as a warm meal. They can also meet others in similar situations and gain advice and support. These new sessions are very well attended and so Wokingham Lions Golden Award will go towards the meals, art, craft and activity items for the ‘Fun with Mum’ sessions.

Girlguiding are the UK’s largest youth group dedicated completely to girls, offering fun, friendship, challenge and adventure, inspiring girls to discover their best selves and make a positive difference to their communities. Wokingham currently has 27 units for girls aged 4 to 18, with around 600 members. There are over 70 girls aged 10-14 who would love to become Guides, but sadly, there is no space for them at the moment. Each unit is self-financing and the good news is that they have a volunteer and a venue sorted for a new unit to take some of the girls. The Lions Golden Award will help this new unit to purchase the programme materials, general stationery and other items which are used each week.

Arts4Wokingham are a relatively new charity that aims to make art more accessible and public within Wokingham Borough. They believe that engaging and responding to public arts, has the ability to support mental health and wellbeing. Public art also invites the community to experience its benefits without the intimidation or limited access of formal galleries.

Arts4Wokingham are partnering with another charity called PACT in a series of local artist workshops, to create some community art, which Arts4Wokingham will show at an accessible exhibition during Wokingham Arts Trail in September 2024.

Their Lions Golden Awards will help fund a local artist’s skills to facilitate the workshops, material to create and display the art, support in creating and promoting the free exhibition to local people and the creation of video footage of the workshops to help promote the wellbeing benefits and powers of collaboration that this art form can bring to the Borough.