The joyful news is that Club President Maria Coyle has given birth to a baby girl. Congratulations go to her and partner Chris Wells who have called their daughter Dominique. Little Dominque Coyle-Wells was born on 9th February and weighed 6lbs 9oz. Maria is probably the first Lion President to have a baby while in post!

The Club held its annual tea party for the visually impaired in the community who are listeners of the Talking Newspaper. The party is held every year in St Peter’s Church Hall and is attended by the Chairman of Tandridge District Council who this year is Councillor Pat Cannon. Many of the guests are collected from their homes and taken to the hall where they can enjoy a glass of wine, afternoon tea and some entertainment.

The Lions Talking Newspaper is a wonderful totally free local service for the visually impaired. Set up many years ago by the local Lions Club it produces weekly recordings of news taken from local newspapers. This is provided on a memory stick and includes a magazine which has items covering all sorts of subjects, sometimes of general interest and information with special relevance to the visually impaired which aren’t covered on national radio and television. Talking Newspapers have been active throughout the country since 1971 in order to fill a gap in such people’s lives and by so doing restore their independence and create the opportunity for them to take an active interest in their community. It was this which prompted the Lions Club of Caterham, Oxted & Godstone to set up the Tandridge Talking Newspaper in 1981. The news is edited from the printed papers and then recorded each Friday evening by teams of volunteer readers. at a studio in Caterham. The news is recorded digitally on a computer and then copied on to memory sticks which is sent out to listeners to use on their computers or on a portable MP3 player (which can be provided).

To help with the cost of studio maintenance and the purchase of memory sticks and generally servicing there is 250 Club whereby for the equivalent of only £1 per month, 250 Club Members can enter a draw for monthly cash prizes of £5-£25 and a twice a year jackpot of £300. Membership of the 250 Club is open to anybody who would like to support this very worthwhile enterprise. If you know of anyone who could benefit from this service, or alternatively if you would be interested in becoming an Editor, Recording Engineer or Reader, then contact Talking Newspaper Chairman Diana Drysdale on 01883 742708.