Council Secretary Report to Convention 2024
PCC Lion Peter Burnett
Another year of being your Council Secretary has passed and I am just about working out what I should be doing. Brigitte has kept me on the straight and narrow and between the two of us we get everything done in a timely manner.
The team of three at HQ of Brigitte, Jan and Steph has been augmented by a new addition during the past year. I am sure that you will all join me in welcoming Martina to the team. Her regular hours are Thursday & Friday each week so if you get the phone answered by a voice you don't recognise, please welcome her.
The team of four are all amazing and we are very lucky to have them at HQ. The sheer number of phone calls they handle daily is just incredible and all the administration that goes on behind the scenes means that usually you don't notice them but that the organisation continues to run smoothly.
In the last couple of years, they have successfully integrated the glasses recycling and the team of volunteers doing that. They have also become the contact point for all insurance queries a major task in itself.
My thanks go to CC David and all the current Council for their support during the year.
Multiple District Headquarters Report to Convention 2024
Office Manager Lion Brigitte Green MJF
Our mission is to serve those that serve ……
The following our some of the day to day services we provide:
Customer service - We encourage all clubs to make contact with us in National Headquarters when they have an issue or query. We may not always have the answer
however we usually know someone who will be able to assist them and make
the contact. In the course of one day we can get any amount of queries from
updating 0345 contact numbers, insurance issues, producing club certificates
and other marketing tools. Advice on MyLCI and MyLion along with hundreds
of other issues. No two days are ever the same.
We have certainly developed into a triage hub to continue our support to our members
MIAB - We are still very involved with this project and no day passes when
there are not requests for bottles for either the public, health institutions, care
homes, Lions clubs, etc.
Membership/Leadership – working closely with the GMT and GLT
co-ordinators we support them in their initiatives and events and provide an
administration service to ensure the officers have backup.
Club Supplies – We offer a one-stop shop for all supplies and regalia for
clubs and I would encourage all clubs to place their order via National HQ as a
cheaper option than ordering from our international HQ.
0345 / PPL / PRS licence – We encourage all clubs to advertise events
using an 0345 number which we can set up for a club at their request.
We also assist in obtaining Christmas music permissions with the PPL/PRS
licencing team.
Marketing and PR - We have a close working relationship
with our Marketing and PR team and work closely with them on a
number of issues to ensure our clubs are getting the best marketing tools
available when requested.
Data Protection Audit – We have worked closely with our Data Protection
officer, Robyn Banks, and have supported her in the excellent workshops she
has run across MD105.
Health and Safety Audit – A full audit is completed annually at HQ and an action plan worked to keeping both the team and the building safe. As Office Manager I have attended a three day H/S IOSHH course to help support clubs with risk assessments and planning for events.
MD Convention 2024 and 2025 –As always its hard wok but so rewarding to work on our national Conventions both for this year and next
UN Day March 2024 – We supported International Officer Lion Neil in this
very special event as always a privilege to both work on and attend the event in the Palace of Westminster
Peace poster and Essay Competition – Please see the Peace Poster and
Essay report for further details- again this year every District took
part and produced some wonderful artwork for judging.
Spectacle Recycling – Having completed another year on this project it is incredible to us just how many spectacles there are that need a new home wherever that may be, We have managed to deliver glasses to The Gambia, Ghana, Bangladesh, Chad ,Mali, Nigeria and Tanzania. We have developed links with other Charities to enable us to ship boxes of spectacles to these locations and we will continue to develop those links. WE have a new website www.lionsrecycling.co.uk which is getting lots of attention organisations like Amazon and Boots Opticians and Costco wholesalers have all viewed the site and asked to partner with us on spectacle collection so lots more to develop on this one.
