“Welcome to Alnwick Lions Club. We are part of an international family of Lions clubs. Essentially we are a group of volunteers, giving our time, effort and occasionally, financial support, to help those in our local community. We also take part in wider programmes and projects in the UK and worldwide, responding to crises through local Lions groups ‘on the ground’ who are often the first responders in an emergency.
As President of Alnwick Lions for 2025 to 2026 I invite you to explore the menus above to find out more about what we do and how you might become involved, or how you might request our help.”
Linden Dodds
Alnwick Lion President 2024 – 2025
Duchess of Northumberland Hails Alnwick Lions Club for 50 Years of Dedicated Community Service
Her Grace, The Duchess of Northumberland, Jane Percy, has officially celebrated the vital work of the Alnwick Lions Club, highlighting the group’s unwavering commitment to supporting local people and good causes for over five decades.
The endorsement comes as the Lions Club, which is celebrating 50 years of active service in the town, continues to raise significant funds through initiatives like their popular Alnwick Lions Bookshop.
The Duchess of Northumberland, who is well-known for her involvement in community and charitable work across the county, praised the volunteers for their tireless efforts.
“The Alnwick Lions Club represents the very best of community spirit in Northumberland,” she said. “For fifty years, these dedicated men and women have given their time, their energy, and their passion to ensure that support reaches where it is needed most, whether offering funding to local groups, or supporting initiatives such as the Talking Newspaper service for the visually impaired or enabling local schoolchildren to visit Alnwick Playhouse. Their impact on Alnwick and district is immeasurable, and I am delighted to offer my heartfelt support for their vital work.”
Linden Dodds, President of the Alnwick Lions Club, said: “Having the support of Her Grace is a tremendous honour for our entire team of volunteers. It validates the thousands of hours our members have put in over the last fifty years. This commitment strengthens our resolve to continue serving Alnwick and the surrounding areas for many years to come.”
“ I’m very grateful to the young people in the town who worked with My Life Productions to produce the video which shows Lions members discussing their key initiatives. I hope it will inspire a new generation of volunteers and encourage continued public support for the club.
The Alnwick Lions Club is part of Lions Clubs International, the world’s largest service club organisation.
The Duchess’s statement coincides with the release of a short video showcasing her support for the volunteers and the positive impact of their projects.
Moorlands Community Orchard
Are you sitting comfortably?
They certainly are at the Moorlands Community Orchard thanks to a donation from Alnwick Lions Club which was used to purchase seating and a table.
The Orchard group have transformed an area of land beside Chapel Lands into a site that now contains over a hundred fruit trees, pathways and seating areas.
Alnwick Lions Club President Linden Dodds said “It was great to see the seating in place at the top of the Orchard where the public can now relax and enjoy the stunning view over the moors. The Moorlands group have created a wonderful community space, and I’m delighted to see the new seating, which is made of recycled plastic, being enjoyed.”
Linden is pictured with fellow Lion Dave Knowles and Christine Hobson, Alison James and Mike James from the Moorlands Community Orchard group.
Alnwick Crafters
A group of Alnwick crafters have been given £250 from Alnwick Lions to help them continue to support cancer research.
The Crafting For Cancer Research UK group meets weekly in the Lindisfarne Centre and creates an array of handmade items that are used to raise funds for research in the North East of England.
Alnwick Lions President Linden Dodds said “Alnwick Lions are delighted to give the group a grant to buy materials. They are supporting crucial research and it’s a pleasure to meet them and see what they make.”
All money raised by Crafting for Cancer goes back into the local community, helping the North East region of Cancer Research UK (CRUK) by funding pioneering research at Newcastle University.
Linden and fellow Alnwick Lion Gordon Castle are seen with the crafters and some of the items they produce.
New President
Alnwick Lions Club has welcomed its new president, Linden Dodds (centre), who received the chain of office from outgoing president Tom Deedigan (left). One of Linden’s first duties was to welcome the club’s new vice president, Tracy Hyslop.
Alnwick Lions car boot sale raises money for our work in the community – see us at Homebase, and click below for more details
Alnwick Lions Car Boot Sales
Alnwick Lions celebrate fifty years of supporting their community
Tom Deedigan, Alnwick Lions Club President, welcomed fellow Lions from Alnwick and Morpeth Clubs together with several guests to a celebration of 50 years since the founding of Alnwick Lions Club. Over dinner at the White Swan Hotel, Alnwick, there was much laughter as members reminisced about five decades of highlights, friendships and a huge variety of activities. Many Morpeth Lions supported the event, especially as their Club was instrumental in the forming of the Alnwick Lions Club.
The photo shows (left to right) Lindsay Deedigan , Sheila Short , Geoff Watson (Alnwick Town Mayor), Tom Deedigan (Alnwick Lions Club President), Richard Short (Morpeth Lions Club President), Founder Member Len Reece, Sharon Watson and Margaret Reece.
Alnwick Lions support book reward scheme for local children
A donation of £1000 from Alnwick Lions Club will be used to support local charity BOOST to provide a book reward scheme at the Duchess’s Community High School.
Every half term all members of staff are given a token to reward a pupil of their choice – not just for academic achievement but also to acknowledge good attitude and endeavour.
Katherine Williams, BOOST Chair, explains, “This project is part of our commitment to encourage reading for pleasure – exposing children to a wide range of opportunities to read supports literacy and benefits learning in every subject. The books provided through the vending machine are just one way that we are supporting students to love reading at DCHS.”
BOOST purchases the books, which are mostly selected by the students, from the Accidental Bookshop in Alnwick which also supports the scheme with a discounted rate. Students then spend their tokens at a book vending machine which is seen pictured with Lions Linden Dodds, Dave Knowles and Club President Tom Deedigan, BOOST trustee Rosie Bush and students Lucie, Imogen and Max. The scheme gives students the opportunity to choose and own a brand new book, something that not all children have.
Alnwick Lions provide new defibrillator cabinet at Low Newton
Newton by the Sea Parish Council are very grateful to Alnwick Lions for paying for and installing a new defibrillator cabinet at Low Newton. The new cabinet was unveiled by Alnwick Lions President Tom Deedigan pictured with County Councillor Wendy Pattison, PC Chairman John Roper, and local people.
Those present from left to right were;- Alnwick Lions Club President Tom Deedigan , Clare Shiel, County Councillor Wendy Pattison, John Roper, Gillian Simpson and Linda Broughton
Dogs left to right;- Floyd, Berry and Casper
These are our main activities at present. Please click on the links to find out more information.
ALNWICK LIONS BOOKSHOP
Our Alnwick Lions Bookshop offers a huge range of fiction, non-fiction and special interest books. We have both hardback and paperback books, including fiction, non-fiction and special interest books. Fiction is sorted into alphabetical order of author to help you search easily. We also sells DVDs, CDs and jigsaw puzzles.
All the stock is generously donated by the local community and the money generated is used by Alnwick Lions in their charitable endeavours.
CAR BOOT SALES
Car Boot Sales run on the last Saturday of every month from March until October. Click below for details of the next one.
RECYCLING
We can recycle your used spectacles, mobile phones and printer ink cartridges for you – click below for how to do this.
