Vera and District Lions Roaring Ahead With New President, Andy Pearson

Andy Pearson, who has been involved with the Lions for many years, took over as President in July 2023. 

The Vera and District Lions have plenty of forthcoming events throughout the rest of the year, so have a little taster of what’s to come:

Mods N Rockers, Saturday, October 7

Next to Tito’s in Mojacar lies Tito’s space, a fabulous amphitheatre-type space that has been donated to Vera and District Lions for an event with a difference this October: Mods and Rockers.

Mods n Rockers have always had a seaside (Brighton) kind of theme, with scooters and motorbikes descending on seaside towns.

In Mojacar style, we’ll take something that’s good and add a sprinkle of fun and sunshine and voila! Mods n Rockers Mojacar style.

Add music (Skyfall and Melia Howard-Coles), some Mods v Rockers competitive games, and for just €5 a head, people can be transported back in time as much or as little involvement as they choose.

Despite fancy dress being totally optional, the competition for the ‘Best Dressed’ will be serious. Very serious!

The other serious thing will be the venue’s food and drink, of course. Expecting a ‘Brighton Rock’ influx, they’ll be serving burgers, fish ‘n’ chips, and Mexican food.

Tickets can be bought at Tito’s in Mojacar, at the Lions shop in Turre, via Jackie Miles Kirby, or online.

ROCKtoberfest – Sunday, October 22 – 6:00.PM kick off.

Organised by the fabulous Jack Law, a fabulous musician, the lineup includes Seldom Sober, Best of Three, Rebs on the Rocks and Bite The Bullet.

Tickets are available from the hosts of the event at New Bar International in Arboleas at a cost of of just €7.50

January Butler’s Celine Dion Tribute – Friday, October 27

January has been a professional singer for 16 years, singing all over the world from home in the UK to Australia and plenty of places in between.

A Celine Dion fan all of her life, when January met Celine Dion herself she decided to become a Celine Dion tribute – and was encouraged to do so by both Nicole Scherzinger and Simon Cowell. This performance for Vera and District Lions is part of a successful tour, which has received fantastic reviews.

Her support is the fabulous tenor Jesús Hernández, whose wonderful voice complements perfectly the huge range of January/Celine.

The Ayuntamiento of Vera has donated the use of the beautiful ‘Auditorio’ so that all profits will go to the Vera and District Lions to support the amazing work that they do.

Tickets are €10 and available at the Emporio de Zoe, next to the Ayuntamiento in Vera.

Keep your eyes peeled for more forthcoming events.

Have you ever wondered how the Lions began and what work they get up to?

Vera and District Lions is a registered not-for-profit group formed in 2012, part of Lions International, the largest membership-based ‘service’ club in the world, aiming to address some of the biggest challenges facing humanity.

Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) is the charitable arm of Lions Clubs International. Established in 1968, it provides grant funding to support the compassionate works of Lions, empowering their service and addressing the needs of their communities both locally and globally.

Vera and District Lions primarily work in the local area. The charity is open to people of any nationality. The Vera Lions group of volunteers fundraises and concentrates our support within the local area. The area, however, is vast, stretching from Vera to Albox. Most communicate in English to keep life simple, but people of all nationalities both volunteer and receive help.

Fundraising comes largely, but not exclusively, from fun events and a friendly charity shop in Turre. Vera Lions’ list of charitable donations and aid is endless but includes:

• a monthly financial contribution to Mojácar Red Cross;
• supporting Vera Food Bank in many ways, who in turn support food banks in Turre, Cuevas, and others, including paying for lorries of food to be delivered to the warehouse. Vera Lions also now own both of their local delivery vans because they couldn’t afford to run them. Vera Lions now tax, insure, and maintain the vans and contribute towards the fuel. This arrangement works well as Vera Lions can now borrow them for collections.
• monthly payments to food banks in Turre and Arboleas, and on occasion to support Albox. (During COVID, Vera Lions provided money to all local food banks.)
• support for the disability charity, Asprodalba on a regular basis, recently giving them €5000 to refurbish their residential centre. Lions have helped them numerous times over the years, maintaining a very close relationship with them.
• support for the local children’s home. Vera Lions has provided Christmas presents every year, paid for holidays, new bedding and refurbishment of the children’s living area and bedrooms. Vera Lions is currently in the process of supporting them with €4000 for emergency work.

The charity also provides support to individuals, of any nationality:

• worked with the British Benevolent Fund and British Embassy to repatriate a mother and son who had lost all their income back to the UK;
• paid for carers for people who couldn’t afford it;
• provide equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers and more, and holds its own stock to lend out;
• helped people with travel expenses to the hospital for treatment, mainly for cancer treatment;
• helped a teenage cancer sufferer from Albox who couldn’t afford to travel for treatment (sadly she’s now passed away);
• supported a family who were expecting a baby and couldn’t afford a cot or pram: Lions was asked for a donation but were lucky enough to find everything they needed second-hand but in excellent condition, which was purchased and provided;
• support to people who can’t get out by physically doing their shopping.

After the heavy rains in Spain four years ago, Lions provided furniture, bedding, and clothes to the centres and helped with logistics.

The list is endless.

They should not be considered as part of ‘social services’ but often are.

Basically, if Vera Lions can help, it will, usually with financial support.

In recognition of their great work, Vera Ayuntamiento has presented Vera Lions with a certificate and the equivalent of ‘freedom of the city’ for services to the community.

If you would like to help the Lions or would like further information contact the president, Andy Pearson, on (+34) 711 005 682.