Belfast City Council and Newcastle Lions undertake recycling of spectacles project.

During the past months, Newcastle Lions Club have been encouraging people to donate reading and sight glasses which can then be recycled to third world countries, helping people who normally could not afford to purchase glasses.

In Newcastle glasses could be donated at the local library or opticians. The project has now gone to a much higher level, with Newcastle Lions joining with Belfast City Council in receiving all glasses donated at the Council's four recycling centres.

When the glasses have been collected by the Lions, they are then despatched by courier to MEDICO LIONS Clubs France in Le Harve.

This Lions facility was created in February 1978 , in the first year 5,000 pairs of glasses were accepted, today 3 million are accepted annually. MEDICO is the international humanitarian arm of the Lions Clubs of France. its activities are in 56 countries on 5 continents.

" In Harve the glasses that are in perfect condition are cleaned, calibrated, identified and bagged so that missionary doctors can meet the needs of patients examined " . They are then sent all over the world to help those in need.

Newcastle Lions president Liz Murphy would like to thank Belfast City Council for allowing the club to collect the glasses donated at the recycling centres.

Photo: distribution of donated glasses in Thailand

Newcastle Lions Club donated sewing machine arrive in Tanzania.

Tools For Solidarity have sent thanks to Newcastle Lions for the sewing machines the club collected in March

The machines were serviced by TFS and shipped to Njombe Artisan Support and Training Centre Tanzania.

In April TFS went to Njombe to help train students like Fausta who can now provide for her family a good income through sewing.

On Saturday Newcastle Lions Club held a very successful street collection in aid of Cancer Fund for Children. Thank you to everyone who donated to the appeal.

Newcastle Lions surprised at four call outs for defibrillators in ten days

Four weeks ago after a successful appeal for donations to purchase very expensive replacement batteries and electrode placement pads for five defibrillators, Newcastle Lions replaced these packs to defibrillators in Castlwellan and Newcastle.

On Tuesday, Newcastle Lions members were surprised to learn that in the previous hours one of the defibrillators managed by them, had been used in an incident to help someone in need. As shown in the photograph, the defibrillator was used.

The surprising thing was that this was the fourth defibrillator from a different location each time, that had been removed from its cabinet in the last ten days and taken to an incident. Thankfully in the case of the previous three, the defibrillators were not used and were returned to their cabinets.

In managing the ten defibrillators in Newcastle and Castlewellan, as a volunteer Newcastle Lion guardians , have to inspect each of the defibrillators on a regular basis. In doing this, they contact the Circuit / British Heart Foundation by email and confirm the defibrillator is emergency ready , the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service are also then made aware. In the case of the defibrillator that was used on Tuesday 12th April , the guardian had to order a new battery/pad pack. Newcastle Lions while highlighting this work in local papers also asked if you would like to make a donation towards the cost of maintaining the defibrillators you can visit www.lionsclubnewcastlecodown.org and click on the donate button . Newcastle lions are also glad to recruit new members whose work can include helping to manage the defibrillators. Details about Newcastle Lions are on their Facebook page Newcastle Lions ( County Down) or email lionsnewcastlecodown@yahoo.co.uk.

Photo 1 - Defibrillator guardians Newcastle Lions Dan O'Reilly and Tom Hughes install a new battery/electrode placement to a defibrillator.

photo2 - The used Newcastle defibrillator which then had to have a new battery and electrode placement renewed.