About the Wrwick Lions Club

Warwick Lions Club was formed in October 1960 and the Charter document was issued on 21st February 1961; its first President was Charles Radford. Over the years the Club has met at 8 p.m. on 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at the Iris Lees Day Club, the Roebuck Inn and the Globe Hotel before settling at the Warwick Arms Hotel.

In 1964 Charter Member Frank Denby became President; he rose to be District Governor of what was then 105B in 1970, a vast District of which the present 105M (for Midlands) is a sub-division formed in 1975. Frank masterminded the formation of thirteen clubs in 105M:-
Coventry 1963, Leamington 1967, Shakespeare 1967, Rugby Rokeby 1968, Northampton 1969, Solihull 1969, Kenilworth 1970, Coleshill 1970, Daventry 1970, Southam and District 1971, Wellesboume and District 1972, Wolverhampton 1973, and Balsall Common 1974. There is a fourteenth club Banbury formed in 1969 but it is in another district. A further 39 of our clubs can claim their descent through the 13 children of Warwick. Together these clubs comprise about 80% of 105M!

Frank, who died in 1988, was a Lion for over 26 years.
Gordon Ryder was elected President two years after Frank, he was the last surviving Charter Member and died in August 2004. His widow Betty still comes to social events. Neil Chisholm joined Canterbury Lions in 1980 and moved to Warwick Club in 1987. He is the first person to be appointed to the new post of Second Vice District Governor 105M for 2009/10 and should become District Governor in due course. Warwick Club will host the 105M District Convention in 2011.

The Club used to organise events such as a Raft Race from Leamington to Warwick (jointly with Leamington Lions), big band dances, Welsh male voice choir concerts, swimathons and a United Charities Fair. The Champagne Nights dinner-dances with unlimited Champagne, ceased long ago but are still missed.

Warwick Lions twinned with Saumur Club in the Loire valley, France at the same time that the towns of Warwick and Saumur twinned in 1977. The 2 Clubs take it in turns to visit one another. Currently there are about 25 members of Warwick Lions who are always on the lookout for new members.