THE people of Crediton and district were thanked for their support at the 40th Charter Anniversary dinner of the Lions Club of Crediton and District.

Crediton’s President, Lion Eric Parkes (a Melvin Jones Fellow, the highest accolade in Lionism), stressed that the club would not have achieved such success had it not been for the great support it receives from members of the public who support its charity work and work to help others.

He recounted the history of the club, explaining that he was the last surviving founding Charter member and talked about the very first meeting held at the Flaire Club in Crediton.

He estimated that the club had raised, thanks to the support of so many, more than £170,000 for a range of charities since it began.

He praised club members for their commitment in assisting charities, most recently collecting at Crediton supermarkets for a number of charities, helping at the Lions Diabetes screening service at the Devon County Show and selling tickets in the Grand Easter Egg draw each year.

HELP AT TOWN EVENTS

Mr Parkes spoke of the occasions where club members helped at town events, including as marshals for the Crediton Parish Church Christmas Tree Festival and Christmas in Crediton Lights Switch-On.

He spoke of those in the community who support the work of Crediton Lions and paid reference to Frank Letch MBE, the Mayor of Crediton and Alan Quick, the Editorial Manager of the “Crediton Courier”, adding that was why they were the honoured guests at the Anniversary dinner.

Mr Parkes said that Mr Letch, the chairman of Crediton Town Council, had been a great friend to the club and helped in enormous ways.

He thanked Alan for his efforts in publicising Lions activities through the newspaper and his work supporting the town and community.

Mr Parkes spoke of the great success the club had with its annual Peace Poster competition and said that it had more than 130 entries again this year.

He said it was the third year that the club had operated the Crediton Talking Newspaper service, read from the “Crediton Courier” newspaper.

He said it had a superb group of volunteer readers supplying the service to 46 local clients, adding that he himself, Lion Peter Bryan and Lion Karen Todd, had not missed one of the weekly reading sessions during those three years.

He added that it had included two outside broadcasts, the Crediton Town Band concert and the Crediton Sings concert at Christmas.

LIFE BEGINS AT 40

He said he was proud of the contribution the club had made to society and the community, concluding that the club was small but had a big heart - ending with the line “Life begins at 40!”

Held at Downes Crediton Golf Club, there were members from a number of other clubs present.

Crediton Lion Tony Fitzwalter, a past president of the club, was toastmaster for the evening.

Grace was said by Lion Di Hammett.

Lion Mr Parkes gave the Loyal Toast to HM The Queen and also proposed the toast to Lions Clubs International.

A highly amusing response was given by Past District Governor Lion Alan Good.

He paid tribute to Mr Parkes and the club on achieving a landmark year, adding that Crediton Lions is a “great family”, which “supported the community and those less fortunate”.

Peter Bryan, also a Melvin Jones Fellow, responded on behalf of partners and guests, concluding with a highly amusing re-telling of the story of “Cinderella”.

AWARDS

Lion Alan Good presented Lion Mr Parkes with a Milestone Chevron Award to mark his achievement of 40 years with Crediton and District Lions Club.

Lion Good then presented Milestone Awards to Lions Beryl Fitzwalter and Tony Fitzwalter for 15 years of service with the Crediton and District Lions Club.

Lion Mr Parkes then spoke about the history of Lions Clubs International and how it had been established 100 years ago by Melvin Jones.

He said that The Melvin Jones Fellowship was established to recognise individuals who are deserving and serve in the community.

He explained that each individual receives a Melvin Jones Fellowship plaque and a pin brooch to wear with pride to represent their dedication to humanitarian service to the highest degree.

ALAN QUICK

Lion Parkes then presented Alan Quick with the award and congratulated him on becoming a Melvin Jones Fellow.

He praised him for his work for the newspaper and community and for his charitable works.

Alan has served the Crediton community at the “Crediton Courier” for more than 40 years, for more than 12 years as Editorial Manager, having started at the newspaper on a work experience placement while a pupil at Queen Elizabeth’s School.

As well as his work for the newspaper in the Crediton community, Alan is an equalities and diversity campaigner, is a trustee with both Devon Communities Together and anti-bullying charity Local Heroes and is involved in the organisation of the Dartmoor Folk Festival.

He was the inspiration behind the establishment of Exeter Pride, is a former member of Devon YFC, and was formerly secretary of Exeter and District Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.

Alan was an advisor to and supporter of the Ceri Thomas Appeal in its very early years, the organisation which later became the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.

Alan is a member of the Christmas in Crediton committee, which organises Crediton’s annual festivities and lights. He is the administrator for the Best Dressed Crediton Christmas Shop Window competition and also the Jamie Fleming Award, which is given annually to a deserving young person from the Crediton area.

Alan is a member of Devon Equality Network, which works to promote equality in the county through a range of events and other activities.

In April 2017 Alan received a runner-up Outstanding Contribution to Sport award in the Exeter “Express and Echo” newspaper 2017 Sports Awards for his campaigns against inequalities in football, in particular with Exeter City Football Club’s One Game One Community (Kick it Out) Group. Alan is also a member of Devon FA Inclusion Advisory Group.

He is a Trustee with X-Plore, which provides safe and empowering developmental space for LGBTQ young people in Devon by operating two youth groups for young people in Devon.

He was the recipient of a Crediton Town Council plate award for his service to the town in 2015. He was a Regional Winner South Recognition Awards Commercial Category winner in appreciation of outstanding employee commitment and dedication in 2009. He was recognised by Intercom Lynx South West in 2006 for his equalities and diversity work.

FRANK LETCH

Lion Parkes then presented Frank Letch MBE with a Melvin Jones Fellowship award, praising him for his service to the community, for his council work and charitable and humanitarian work.

Frank Letch was awarded the MBE by Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, at a ceremony in June 2015, having been named in the 2015 New Years’ Honours listing.

The award was for his services to people with disabilities and for service to the people of Crediton.

Frank (73) was born without arms, but has not allowed this to rule his life.

A retired teacher, he is also a gifted linguist and a father of five children.

Frank, who was brought up in the East End of London, is well-known for presenting many inspirational talks across the country to groups of children and adults called “Feet First”, where one of the activities he demonstrates is peeling a potato with a knife held between his toes.

He has appeared on television many times explaining how his disability has not held him back in life.

Frank was a French teacher for nearly 20 years in schools in North Wales and it was in the 1990s that he left Wales following the untimely death, from cancer, of his first wife, Helen, at the age of 41. When he lived there Frank was also a well-known dog breeder and trainer.

Frank lived in Scotland for a short time before settling in Crediton to be near family who live in Exeter.

Despite being a bi-lateral congenital amputee, he started his voluntary work in 1993 when he became an ambassador for the Jubilee Sailing Trust, raising funds for the building of a new ship, “Tenacious”.

He also became involved with REACH, an association for children with hand and arm deficiency, serving on their board of trustees since 1995. He has also been treasurer and chairman of REACH.

He has obtained extraordinary levels of fitness and independence which has attracted extensive media coverage and seen him feature in two inspiring documentaries.

In 1998 he moved to Crediton, where he became a member of the local access group and was chairman for two years, working to increase the accessibility for disabled people in the area.

In 1999 he joined the Rotary Club and became responsible for youth activities and also served as secretary for four years.

Between 2001 and 2005 he became governor of both Crediton primary schools, Landscore Primary and Hayward’s Primary, helping the latter move out of special measures.

In 2001 he was appointed as a Disability Qualified Panel member to the appeals service and was elected as a Crediton Town Councillor in 2004.

He has since served as Chairman and Mayor and is now in his 11th year in office.

Frank is a Mid Devon District Councillor for Crediton and was until recently a Tribunal Judge for the Ministry of Justice, sitting across the Westcountry, largely hearing cases where people are challenging the Department of Work and Pensions judgements for Disability Living Allowance.

Frank is married to Natalia, who came from Russian, in 2008.

Frank concluded the speeches with amusing recollections of his life, about his move to Crediton in 1998 and about his council and charitable works in the community.

He wished Crediton and District Lions the very best for the future and Lion Parkes concluded the evening by wishing everyone a safe journey home.

Alan Quick