Launceston Lion’s Club have been busy doing their bit to help others with a variety of charitable programmes. 

The club has been working to help others recently through a number of projects. Peter and Christine Rowe drove to the Lions National HQ in Birmingham with more than 2,500 pairs of unwanted spectacles. 

The spectacles have been collected by the club with collection bins at SpecSavers, Vision Express, the hospital and medical centre. 

Following this, pairs are sorted by volunteers, packed and sent to Medio-France for washing and re-grading, before being sent to countries throughout the world, currently Gambia, Nigeria, Chad, Bangladesh, and Mali. These are then given to those in need by trained ophthalmologists who use the grading of the spectacles for their needs.

As well as glasses the club also collects used hearing aids. The collected devices are checked and distributed to those in need in the developing countries.

Hearing aid batteries made from which silver can also be extracted and used to finance sight related projects.

During their recent projects, the club has also collected used, trimmed postage stamps. These go to Children’s Hospice South West to aid in the effort to raise funds for them.

It’s not just collections which the club carries out for a good cause, they have also been putting their creative flare to use, knitting ‘Trauma Teds’. Small teddy bears for children to use as a comfort and distraction therapy. These little friendly bears have been distributed to the Launceston Minor Injuries Unit, while some also go to help give comfort to dementia patients in the hospital and local care homes.

With knitting on the agenda, knitted baby hats and blankets are also being distributed to the neo-natal units at Derriford, Treliske, Torbay, Exeter and Barnstaple.  

A spokesperson from the club said: “These are very well received by the units.

“We send these to hospitals as many local families have their babies and grandchildren there. 

“They also use knitted squares, which are put on mum’s chest and body and then put into the incubators and cribs, so that baby gets used to mum’s smell.”

With a desire to do their bit to help others, the group will also hold a coffee morning at the Central Methodist Hall on Tuesday, November 21 and a Christmas Cash Bingo on Sunday, December 10 at Launceston Football Club.

A spokesperson continued: “Launceston Lions Club is made up of members who endeavour to make life better for those in need. 

“This is done by fundraising to enable funds to be available to help local appeals, as well as being able to assist by volunteering their time to help local events, such as Launceston in Bloom, litter picking, marshalling at various events, as well as helping those individuals in need.

“We would welcome any service minded people to help us to achieve even more!”