Lions celebrate fifty years

The Martinborough Lions Club is celebrating its 50th Birthday on Saturday 20th February with a Dinner and Dance at the Village Café.

The celebration is the acknowledgement of the Clubs Charter with Lions International on the 15th February 1966. Founded with 18 members, meetings were initially held in the Club Hotel. The foundation members were; GG Butler; HW Claughton; WCV Day; AH Green; HT Kershaw; AH Lake; C Longworth; EA Lord [President]; JF McAvoy; HD McMaster; DW Neild; W Roper; DS Ross; RMJ Smith; N Stanton; RW Stevens; WS Taylor; SH Ussher.

The Lions Club became homeless when the Club Hotel was demolished in 1977 by the new brewery owners to build the present Pukemanu Tavern. Fortunately the Manchester Unity Hall across the road had become vacant and with the leadership and direction of then Lions President, Noel Thomas, the Lions Club was able to buy the building for $2500.00. Some of the Club Hotel Chattels were acquired at a cost of $1200.00 to set up the Club.

The building was to be known as The Martinborough Lions Hall. It was not without some local opposition about zoning and the Club had to go to a Planning Tribunal in Wellington to complete the transaction.

Over the past 50 years the Club is estimated to have given $500,000.00 back to the community.
Martinborough Lions now have 37 members and meet twice a month and are always on the lookout for new members. If anyone would like to come along to see how we work, please contact any of the following members.

Max Stevens 3069 095; Jacquee Reid 3069 639; David Kershaw 3069 805; David Gibbs 3069 420; Mike Woolley 3068 861; Terry Blacktop 3068 568