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Life with the Lions

I was looking for an appropriate word and hectic came immediately to mind which appropriately  describes the next four or five weeks before Christmas for all the Lions in Billericay. Firstly, the Christmas Market in the High Street is almost upon us, as Sunday 4th December most certainly is, and all hands are being requested within Lions to organise Father Christmas and his Grotto as last year.
The Reading Rooms will again be the venue to accommodate Father Christmas who has again agreed to once more lead the way with a procession from Sun Corner. So to all families with young children please be patient as there is sure to be a queue. Lions will be in seen in several places with their Bookstall and also a Publicity stand so that you can find out more about our wonderful organisation.

Immediately following the Christmas Market we commence our Father Christmas Sleigh Collections and below a summary of the locations with sleigh routes and times of our collections this year.

Billericay Lions Sleigh Routes 2011

Saturday 10th             9 am – 3 pm
Sleigh Static at Waitrose Car Park, High Street Billericay
Saturday 10th             5pm – 8 pm
Sleigh Travels around Queens Park Avenue (South)
Tuesday 13th              7pm – 9 pm
Sleigh Travels from Mountnessing Road/ Bluebell Wood
Wednesday 14th             7pm – 9 pm
Sleigh Travels from Meadow Rise/Hillway/Sunnymede
Thursday 15th            7pm – 9 pm
Sleigh Travels along Tye Common Road and adjoining roads
Friday 16th                 7pm – 9 pm
Sleigh Travels around South Green Mill Road/Passingham Avenue
Saturday 17th             9 am – 3 pm
Sleigh Static at Tesco, Mayflower Retail Park, A127 Basildon
Saturday 17th             5pm – 8 pm
Sleigh Travels around Cromwell Ave/Lake Ave/Norsey Rd/Potash Rd
Sunday 18th                10 am – 4 pm
Sleigh Static at Tesco, Mayflower Retail Park, A127 Basildon
Monday 19th              7pm – 9 pm
Sleigh Travels around Perry Street/ Hillhouse Drive
Tuesday 20th               7pm – 9 pm
Sleigh Travels around Hillside Road/ South Ridge/Chantry Way
Wednesday 21st           7pm  – 9 pm
Sleigh Travels around Lower Perry Street/ Brightside
Thursday 22nd                        7pm —9pm
Sleigh Travels around Norsey View Drive/ Lampern Crescent
Friday 23rd                9 am – 3 pm
Sleigh Static at Car Park, High Street Billericay
Friday 23rd                5 pm – 8 pm
Sleigh Travels around The Vale/ Bridles/Norsey Farm Estate
 
Not to be missed in the New Year is our Taste of the Chinese New Year Quiz which brings in the Year of the Dragon. It will be held at Emmanuel Church Hall, Laindon Road on Saturday, 28th January, 2012. Doors open 7.30 for 8.00 and the cost will be £12.00 per person.

Following our hugely popular taste quizzes of Italy in 2010 and of India in 2011 we now have the taste of Chinese which, in a nutshell, is a quiz featuring tasting samples of Chinese cuisine. Tickets can be obtained by telephone 0845 833 9849 or e-mail tocny@billericaylions.com or from our Bookstall in the High Street on Saturday mornings between 09.30 and 12.30. This is a very popular event so please book early to avoid disappointment.

Finally, o
ur President’s Christmas Message to all Residents:

Can you really believe there are just a few short days to Christmas? Every year Christmas seems to arrive sooner than ever before and the stress levels in every household seem to reach ever-new heights in preparation for the annual festivities. Some local stores started advertising their Christmas goods as far back as August, and we in Lions have to start our Christmas preparations just as early to bring out our Christmas sleigh. Contacts are made for the towing vehicle, the sleigh has to be spruced up, council licences are applied for and the routes and rotas have to be organised – no small feat for a club of 22 members!

The past 2 years’ sleigh collections were difficult due to the extreme weather conditions, so apologies if you haven’t seen us, but safety to all must be assured – even Santa gets snowed in at times. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support. Please rest assured that monies raised from all of our fund raising activities go to worthy, charitable causes. All of our administration costs are raised from our members’ subscriptions.
Well, space doesn’t permit me to say much more, so I will end by wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and don’t get too stressed.      

Alan Norton – President Lions Club of Billericay