Community support hailed at Swaffham club’s thanksgiving service

The head of a Swaffham charitable group has said they could not do what they do without the support of their community.

More than 150 people attended a thanksgiving service for the centenary of the Lions movement at the town’s St Peter and St Paul church on Sunday evening.

Town mayor Jill Skinner and West Norfolk borough mayor Carol Bower were both among the congregation.

Although the Swaffham club is a relatively junior member of the movement, having been formed in the mid-1980s, a number of centenary celebration events have been held in the town this year.

Club president Pam Tallon told the congregation the range of work, including bucket collections and entertainment evenings they run for a host of good causes.

But she particularly highlighted the campaign to raise money towards purchasing a cancer pump for Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital in memory of town postwoman Carol Gilding which raised enough money to buy a pump in her name.

She said: “Thank you for all your support. Without it, we can’t do what we do.”

The club’s next major event is its annual Christmas lunch for senior citizens at the Sacred Heart School on Sunday, December 10, from 1pm.

The town’s MP, Elizabeth Truss, is expected to attend the event.

And Mrs Tallon said: “This is not about people who can’t afford to buy a lunch. It’s about getting people together in the winter when they can’t get out to see their friends.”

The service was led by the vicar of Swaffham, the Rev Janet Allen, with contributions from representatives of the Catholic, Baptist and Methodist Churches.

A retiring collection at the end of the service raised £306 for the town’s Merle Boddy Centre.