A volunteer club is celebrating 50 years of service to the community.
Penrith Lions Club has reached its golden anniversary, and its milestone is being marked with a special floral display.
Created by Westmorland and Furness Council, the flower bed outside Penrith Town Hall features blue and yellow flowers in tribute to the club’s legacy.
Photo from The Cumberland and Westmorland Herald newspaper taken at Penrith Lions Club's first charter dinner in 1976 (Image: The Cumberland and Westmorland Herald))
Tony Cleasby, president of Penrith Lions Club, said: "Our blue and yellow logo is recognised around the world as a symbol of kindness and service.
"The men and women of Penrith Lions have raised around £500,000 over the past half-century to help good causes in Penrith and the surrounding area.
"Ian Proud, who was a pharmacist at Boots the chemist, was instrumental in setting up the club charter in February 1976."
The floral display features a banner reading ‘Penrith Lions Club 50 years’ and includes yellow marigolds and blue ageratum to match the Lions Clubs International emblem.
Other council-managed flower beds across Penrith have also been planted in the club’s colours.
Councillor John Murray, Westmorland and Furness Council’s cabinet member for climate biodiversity and regulatory services, said: "We were very keen to help when Penrith Lions approached us about marking their 50th anniversary at a prominent location in the town.
"It’s been a pleasure to see the project come into bloom this summer and I hope it will help remind people just how much good the Lions have done – long may their efforts continue."
Councillor Helen Chaffey, cabinet member for communities, customer services, culture and communications at Westmorland and Furness Council, said: "Lions Club members are such a familiar and reassuring sight at outdoor events across Westmorland and Furness as they carry out their marshalling and car parking duties to raise charitable funds.
"This floral display is our way of saluting their marvellous efforts and saying thank you."
Penrith Lions Club currently has 16 members, including founding member David Fleming.
The club raises between £10,000 and £15,000 each year, all of which goes to support the community.
Mr Cleasby said: "We support individuals who find themselves in difficulties through no fault of their own.
"It might be somebody who has been domestically abused and has moved up to our area to escape their circumstances and they’ve got a couple of children, but they’ve found themselves without a bed, a cooker or a washing machine.
"We can provide those items.
"We like to support young people and elderly people as well – those people who can’t look after themselves as well as they would like to."
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