At the recent Beccles and District Lions Club Charter Dinner official acknowledgement was given by way of a twinning ceremony with Vera and District Lions Club from Spain.
From Left to Right – Vera and District Lions Club President Pam Mattioli holding the Declaration of Friendship with Beccles and District Lions Club President Chris Ramsden holding the engraved gift received from Vera and District Lions Club to mark the club’s twinning.
The idea of twinning with the Vera and District Lions Club was raised at one of the club’s meeting by Vice President Lion Chris Lambert who had been attending Vera and District Lions Club when visiting Spain on several occasions over the years. So both clubs looked at what would be involved if we did twin. Lions Richard and Janice Barr from Great Yarmouth Lions Club who have been twinned for many years with Rambouillet in France were a great help in guiding Beccles Lions through the twinning procedure.
Finally in September last year we received confirmation from Lions Clubs International that the twinning process was complete and Beccles Lions Club was officially twinned with Vera and District Lions Club located in Costa Almeria in Spain.
Last October an official acknowledgement ceremony was given at the Vera and District Lions Club Charter Dinner in Spain and therefore to complete the whole twinning exercise an official twinning ceremony was given at this year’s Beccles and District Charter Dinner.
Beccles Lions Club President, Chris Ramsden handed Vera and District Club President Pam Mattioli the Declaration of Friendship written in both English and Spanish.
Beccles Lions Club President, Chris Ramsden thanked the party from Vera and District Lions Club for attending the Charter evening and said “It has taken a long while to complete this twinning process and lots of people, from both clubs, have worked very hard to make it possible and I’d like to thank them. As a club we feel it will be a good thing to be twinned, because we have already made new friends and we can all work together in the aim of all Lions Clubs, which is to help others wherever their community is and whatever their need might be throughout the world.”
In response Vera and District Lions Club President Pam Mattioli said “As a club we too echo the comments of Beccles Lions Club and their President Lion Chris. Also we believe great things can be achieved going forward together, so thank you to everyone involved in making this possible.” Lion President Pam then presented Lion President Chris an engraved gift which was a representation of the talented local craftsman of the Costa Al Maria area in Spain
If you wish to know more about the Beccles Lions and the work they do please contact the club secretary Janet Ramsden on 01502 514284 or visit our club’s website at www.beccleslions.org.uk. and follow us on Facebook too. Equally if you are interested in becoming a member of Beccles Lions then please telephone our Membership Chairman Keith Moore on 07717 488719.