MAJOR FUND RAISING EVENTS
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BOOKSHOP
Darlington Lions Club has had a charity book shop in the town for over forty years and has occupied the current premises in Blackwellgate for the past twenty three years.
Recently a friend and supporter of the club has donated some new units of shelving enabling
the display of hundreds more good quality books.
There is a vast range of fiction and non fiction topics available including murder - mystery - romance - cookery - gardening - travel - sporting and children's books.
All of the books are donated by local people and are generally sold at £1.00 each - children's books at only fifty pence each.
The shop is run entirely by Darlington Lions volunteers and in the past forty years has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for local charities.
This year the main club charity is the Darlington Branch of Marie Curie. The bookshop is open Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 10am - 4pm.
The club is always on the lookout for books so if you wish to donate just telephone us or send an e-mail and we will collect.
Use the "Contact Us" link above
LIONS ANNUAL CRAFT FAIR
November once again saw Darlington lions holding their annual craft fair.
On this occasion £1,600 was raided for the local Marie Curie nurses.
The photographs show customers at the fair stalls, Lion Marian Wilson seling tombola tickets, Lion Fred Thomson explaining one of his MECANNO models to a visitor and the handover the of the cheque to the local branch of Marie Curie.
24th June saw the club hold a musical concert in All Saints Church Darlington. The public were entertained by two groups of singers firstly Sans Pareil & secondly Two's Company.
One light hearted moment at the end of the evening saw two Lions (Robert Hillary & Denis Pinnegar) cajoled on to the stage to join in the singing of "Give me Sunshine "
BOOKSTALL AT SATURDAY MARKET
Darlington Lions club joined into the spirit of the Darlington Summer Market Festival on Saturday when they had a bookstall on the High Row .
Hundreds of books were sold and the proceeds will be added to future donations by the club to other local charities and worthwhile causes.
Darlington Lions Club president Ian Barnes thanked the shoppers in Darlington for their extreme generosity and support of the bookstall and also of the Lions Bookshop in Blackwellgate Mews Arcade.
The shop is open Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays 10am until 4pm.
Fund Raising in 2015
LIONS ANNUAL CRAFT FAIR
The Annual Christmas Craft Fair of Darlington Lions Club took place on Sunday 15th November at the Blackwell Grange Hotel.
The proceeds are to be donated to the Education Centre for Children with Down Syndrome (ECCDS).
Mrs Pat De Martino who last year was the first lady president of Darlington Lions Club has organised the Christmas
Craft Fair for over twenty years and ECCDS was her main chosen charity in her year of office as the club president.
With the proceeds of this Christmas Fair the club has been able to donate over £6500 to ECCDS in the past twelve months.
Mrs De Martino thanked the 30 stallholders for their quality support of the event , Blackwell Grange Hotel for their courtesy and
attention and most importantly the many shoppers for their generosity and continued support of the event.
NEXT CRAFT FAIR - SUNDAY 27TH NOVEMER 2016 - APPLY NOW FOR A STALL
Photograph left to right -
Darlington Lion Pat De Martino. Maggie Hart founder of ECCDS with her son Alexander Hart.
"ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR"
Darlington Lions Club joined into the fun of Hurworth Country Fair on Saturday in bright sunshine in the grounds of Hurworth Grange Community Centre.
A luxury food hamper which had been donated by members of the club was raffled raising more funds for this years main charity which is the Darlington Branch of Marie Curie. The winning raffle ticket was drawn by Peter Allan of the Hurworth Grange committee and the winners were the Lawrence family.
Darlington Lions Club president Denis Pinnegar said how much the Lions had enjoyed their day at the fair meeting many
new people and he also thanked everyone for their continued and most generous support of the various Lions club fundraising ventures and of their bookshop which is situated in Blackwellgate, Darlington.
Attached photograph Left to right -
Lions Robert Hillary , Jenny Lumley ,club president Denis Pinnegar , & Lion Sandy Duncan.
FUND RAISING CONCERT
Darlington Lions Club annual charity concert - "An evening with Flossie Malavialle" - took place at the Liddiard Theatre Polam Hall School on Friday evening.
Ten year old Darlington cello player Joshua Connor opened the concert when he played three pieces - he was accompanied on the piano by his father Ben Connor .
Darlington Lions have pledged support towards Joshua's Summer school tuition and the Lions were delighted when he was able to play at their concert.
The French singer Flossie Malavialle then enthralled the audience when she entertained the audience in her usual style with her guitar, Franglais patter and songs from a wide genre including Edith Piaf - jazz and modern classics.
The proceeds of the concert are to be donated to the Education centre for children with down syndrome which is based at Newton Aycliffe and serves the Darlington district and the northern counties and serves children and young people with down syndrome..
Darlington Lions Club president Pat De Martino thanked the audience for their very generous support of the evening and also
thanked Joshua for his wonderful cello playing and wished him every success with his future career and she hoped that he would be able to return to play in their future concerts.
Attached photograph - left to right
Pat De Martino, president of Darlington Lions Club.
Ben Connor.
Joshua Connor.
Flossie Malavialle.
Sandy King, ECCDS.
Fund Raising in 2014
ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL CRAFT FAIR.
The Lions Club held another very successful craft fair on November 23rd 2014.
Some 30 stalls were selling their wares such as cards, jewellery, paintings and novelty gift items.
The Lions used the event to publicise their local project " Message in a Bottle " and around 40 bottles were handed out.
Lion Fred Thompson, a keen Meccano aficionado, built a working model of a "Big Wheel" fair ride.
Over £1,400 was raised which will be presented to St. Teresa's hospice in Darlington.
The photographs show - Lion Fred's Meccano, a stall selling paintings and the display promoting the " Message in a Bottle "
BOOKSTALL FUNDRAISING.
The club had a very busy day on Saturday 13th September when they held a successful book sale from a market stall on High Row Darlington. Hundreds of books were sold to raise funds in aid of the Educational Centre for Children with Down Syndrome. ( ECCDS ). The centre is based at Newton Aycliffe & serves the Darlington district & North East counties.
The Lions Club president Pat De Martino thanked Darlington shoppers for their wonderful support and generosity and said that this was to be her main charity in her year of office and that there would be many more events this year to raise funds for the centre and also that the Lions Bookshop would be raising funds for the centre.
The photograph shows - from left to right -Fred Thompson ( Chairman of the bookshop ) Pat De Martino ( President Darlington Lions Club ) Lion Peter Key.
CHARITY CONCERT
Darlington Lions Club held a Charity Concert in aid of St. Teresa's Hospice on 16th May when Northern Voices entertained the audience at The Liddiard Theatre , Polam Hall School, Darlington.
Darlington Lions Club president Robert Hillary was delighted on behalf of the club to present a further cheque of four thousand pounds to Jane Bradshaw the Chief Executive of St. Teresa's Hospice. The Darlington Lions have been supporters of the Hospice for many years.
Photograph - Darlington Lions Club president Robert Hillary presenting the cheque to Jane Bradshaw of St Teresa's Hospice.
BIRTHDAY IN BOOKSHOP
In March Mike Amos, a local journalist, and keen supporter of the bookshop attended a celebration to mark the shop's 20 years in its present location in Blackwell Mews. Mike congratulated the club on its excellent fund raising efforts and he joined members in cuting a cakes and toasting the continued success of the venture.
Fund Raising in 2013
Annual Craft Fayre
Photo left to right
Pat DeMartino - Darlington Lions Club, Vice President
John DeMartino - Darlington Lions Club, Treasurer
Amanda Tweedy - Development & Fundraising Officer.
Darlington Lions Club, Christmas Craft Fayre raises £1392 for a North East Children's Charity. A most successful Craft Fayre was held at Blackwell Grange Hotel, Darlington on Sunday 17th November 2013.
A total of thirty stalls were selling various Craft and Christmas items and a meccano exhibition featuring numerous items including an amazing self-winding meccano clock.
All money raised, almost £1400, from the Craft Fayre will be going to the Heel & Toe a North East children's charity, helping children with Cerebral Palsy and Dyspraxia. The main office is in Durham but they have an outreach centre in Darlington where a number of children go each week.
For more information log on to http://www.heelandtoe.org.uk/
Robert Hillary, Darlington Lions, President said that a huge thank you must go to Pat & John DeMartino for their hard work and organisation and the rest of the Lions who assisted with this annual event.
NEW BOOKSHOP SHELVES.
Darlington Lions Bookshop, Blackwellgate Mews, Darlington.(Opposite Binns and between Boyes and Guru) has recently been refurbished with excellent new shelving.
The photo shows left to right David Smith, and Roy Johnson, Friends of Lions and Katie Johnson, Jeff Kemp and Robert Hillary all of Darlington Lions Club.
Robert Hillary President of Darlington Lions said "Many thanks must go to Darlington Timber of Barton Street, Darlington for generously discounting the timber and to Friends of Lions for their donation, valuable assistance and time in the fitting of the new shelving"
The refit will enable several more 100s of books to be displayed and the books are generously given by the residents of Darlington and surrounding districts. The money taken is then donated to local and some to International charities.
Fund raising Concert - May 2013.
The photo shows the Allen Miller, Dave Smith and Jim Jack from Fourum all holding musical instruments. Alison Rundle and Kirsty Liddle of Heel & Toe and finally Tony Gent, Darlington Lion President.
An excellent concert by Fourum Folk, founded in 1972 was held in May at Polam Hall raising £986 for the Darlington Lions Club Charity Account.
Mr Jim Jack of the Fourum group said " Last night's performance marked the start of a busy period for Fourum who are appearing at the Swaledale Festival on 26th May and also due to feature in editions of ITV's nationally broadcast series 'The Dales' in late June and July"
Tony Gent, President of Darlington Lions said "This evening had been one of the highlights of his year in office and he thanked the group for a thoroughly entertaining evening, Tony also thanked Alan Watson and other members of the Lions club for organising this successful event".
Fourum are best known of course for their songs of the Dales, and indeed the characters and incidents, the legends, and the places themselves which make up the rich heritage of life in the Dales, The mixture of music last Friday night was representative of the group's range - mixing traditional and modern folk music with their own unique songs and characters of our area.
A donation of £836 will be made to Heel and Toe, Lion Tony's President nominated charity in his year of office.This charity is based in Durham with an outreach centre in Darlington. Heel & Toe is a Children's Charity provides free Conductive Education therapy to children with Cerebral Palsy and other physical disabilities research.
£150 will be given to Kidney Cancer research. Bob Hattersley a founder member of the Fourum Folk group died in 2010 with this illness.
Book Stall on Market Day - June 2013
The photo shows Darlington Lions Club, Lion Katie Johnson and Lion Robert Hillary, chairman of the bookshop at a recent market stall book sale.
The money raised will go to the children's local North East charity 'Heel & Toe' which is Lion President Tony Gent's main charity in his year of office and the total amount donated to this charity has now reached over £3000.
Heel & Toe children's charity provides free therapy and conductive education which improves mobility to children with cerebral palsy, dyspraxia and other motor disorders in the North East.
For further information telephone 0191 386 8606 or log on to www.heelandtoe.org.uk
Fund Raising in 2012
Craft Fair November 2012
Sylvia Western - Darlington Lions Club & MS Society.
Liz Blackman - MS Society & Ned = Dogs for the Disabled
Pat DeMartino - Darlington Lions Club
John DeMartino - Darlington Lions Club
Christmas Craft Fayre raises £1569 for local charity A successful Craft Fayre was held at Blackwell Grange Hotel, on Sunday 18th November 2012. A total of twenty seven stalls were selling various Craft and Christmas items and an Meccano exhibition featuring a 6ft model on the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge built by Darlington Lion, Fred Thompson. Pat & John De Martino of Darlington Lions Club were the main organisers, and were delighted with the support from all the other Lions who assisted with this charity event. The £1,569 raised from the Craft Fayre will be going to the Darlington Multiple Sclerosis Society, a charitable organisation in Darlington.
LIONS BOOKSHOP.
NEW DONATIONS WELCOME.
PLEASE GET IN TOUCH THROUGH THE "CONTACT US" LINK ABOVE
- For nearly 20 years Darlington Lions Club has had a second hand bookshop in the town raising nearly £80,000 for charity. The current shop is located in Houndgate Mews ( in the passageway between BOYES & GURU BOUTIQUE.) The shop is open Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays between the hours of 10.00 & 4.00.As our stock of books is generously donated by the people of Darlington and outlying villages we generally aim to reciprocate by supporting local charities and individuals who appeal to us for financial help.
Well stocked shelves in Lions Bookshop
We hold a large stock of paperbacks in our fiction section but we have a few shelves devoted to Biographies, Cookery, Sport, Gardening, Health, Science Fiction and many more topics. In an attempt to remain competitive with the plethora of other charity shops in the town, we have pegged our prices at a very reasonable £1.00 for each book, or less for comics & children's books.
Should you have a surplus of good quality books why not use the "contact us" facility on this web site, and one of our members will be in touch with you to arrange collection at your convenience.
Book Sale - May 2012
The photo shows Lion Katie Johnson, dressed in costume, Lion Robert Hillary, chairman of the bookshop and Lion Sandy Duncan at our recent Market stall Book sale.
This event was a ROARING success and last week our charity bookshop enjoyed an increase sales of over 100% and the 50p-book sale in the main shop will continue.
Flossie Malavialle - Fundraising Concert - April 2012
A concert which was held at Polam Hall starring folk singer Flossie Malavialle, raised £662 for Darlington Lions Club Charity Account.
The event was organised by the Lions fundraising committee led by Tony Gent and co-ordinated by Lion Alan Watson was described by one member of the audience as a most pleasant and relaxing evening appealing to teenagers through to octogenarians.
Flossie, who came over from her native France as a supply teacher, became more and more involved in the UK folk scene which gradually expanded in her making tours to Holland, Germany, Belgium, France Spain, Hong - Kong, Tasmania, and Australia while still managing to zip around in her little French car from her home town in Darlington home to UK venues.
She began her performance with a French song, inviting the audience to join in the chorus which was a real icebreaker for those who had not heard her before.
There followed old favourites by Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel, new songs such as the touching 'John Condon' some in English some in French and even one in Spanish, all in interspersed with anecdotes and information.
She ended with a French tongue twister, which raised enthusiastic applause and cheering.
Fund Raising in 2011
Annual Craft Fair - 20th November 2011
A successful Craft Fayre was held at Blackwell Grange Hotel, on Sunday 20th November 2011. A total of thirty stalls were selling jewellery, cards, scarves, paintings, handmade soaps, stained glass, mugs, wood carvings, slate art, decorations, and many other Christmas gifts.
Pat De Martino of Darlington Lions Club was the main organiser, and was delighted with the support from all the other Lions who assisted in putting together this charity event.
The club has already made a provisional booking with the hotel for a repeat event in November 2012.
All money raised - £1500, from the Craft Fayre will be going to the Darlington Multiple Sclerosis Society, a charitable organisation in Darlington.
Sylvia Western remarked that most of this money would be used on transport costs for the members to attend various regular monthly events.
The Darlington MS society group meets once a month and forward newsletters every two months to its150 members. They have regular events such as "Tuesday support group", "Mums Group", " Men's Day" Physiotherapy & Aromatherapy sessions - for more details contact: -
http://www.mssociety.org.uk/branches/north_of_england/darlington/branch.html
The photo shows - left to right Pat De Martino, Darlington Lions Club, Sylvia Western, Darlington Lions Club & MS Society, Richard Western, President of Darlington Lions Club.
CHRISTMAS COLLECTIONS & FOOD HAMPERS - November 2011.
Shoppers in Darlington have helped the needy and elderly people this Christmas with their generous donations
Darlington Lions club raised £2,800 with collections at the following Supermarkets in Darlington, Morrison's North Road & Morton Park, Co-op at Cockerton and Sainsbury's.
The money raised paid for 140 Christmas Food Hampers and 72 Cyclamen plants from the Supermarkets and were distributed to worthy groups and individuals in Darlington area. These included, Family Help, Salvation Army, Carr Gomm Housing Ass, Town Mission, Meals on Wheels and Grange Road Baptist Church.
Club President, Richard Western said." I wish to thank all those who gave so generously and the Supermarkets for their tremendous support.
The photograph shows 5 Lions about to set off delivering parcels in time for Christmas 2011.
Fund Raising in 2010
"SWIMATHON" - May 2010
This sponsored swimming event will be held again at Spennymoor Leisure Centre on 9th May 2010.
In 2009 nearly £8,000 was raised by swimmers in support of charities of their choice.
For further detail on how you may enter a team please use the "contact us" facility.
FOURUM FUND RAISING CONCERT - March 2010
On 27th March 2010 the club held a very successful fund raising concert in Polam Hall School, Darlington. Music was provided by a local 4 piece folk group called FOURUM.
Ticket sales and a raffle raised over £600 which will be donated to this year's main charity - the 700 Club.
Lion President , John, flanked by the FOURUM members
