Lions club to close due to lack of volunteers

The Burnham-on-Sea lions will close down in the summer

The Lions club in Burnham-on-Sea is to close down after almost 50 years of fundraising in the town.

In the UK, Lions clubs are volunteer-led organisations that raise money for charity and put on events in local communities.

The group in Burnham-on-Sea said a lack of volunteers nationally and in the town, meant the club would close its doors permanently this summer.

Burnham-on-Sea Lions have raised more than £500,000 in its 49-year history.

The group said it does not have enough volunteers

Member and former president for the club Doug Plume described the decision to end it as "very sad".

He told BBC Radio Somerset: "But without the people that will take on the committee-type roles, we're stuck, and we just can't carry on doing it.

"We help service the community and the reason we get involved is because we want to give something back... but people are much more involved in their own little circles now.

"When a politician said 'there's no such thing as community anymore' - you can see this happening."

He said most members were over the age of 60 and people were doing the same jobs every year, but had "other things to do", meaning it could not go on.

"I'll miss it but I will get involved in other stuff."

Continuing the 'fundraising train'

Current president Phil Cooke told Burnham-On-Sea.com the decision was "regrettable" but added the club still wanted to allocate its remaining funds.

Mr Cooke said there would soon be applications from local charities to use the club's fundraising kit and other materials, as well as expressions of interest in taking on the lease of its building.

"We would love our fundraising train to go to a good home for a local charity in the town for use at the carnival for collecting and attending events such as the Christmas lights switch-on," he said.

The club will officially close at the end of June.