A Convention To Remember

Part 1 – Host Night

Every year in November all the Lions Clubs from across the North East of England and Scotland meet for a business session on a Saturday which is topped and tailed by social events on Friday and Saturday evenings. For the first time in the 50 years since Malton, Norton and District Lions Club was formed, we hosted convention on 15th/16th November 2013.

Malton’s Old Town Hall has been heavily refurbished by the owners, The Fitzwilliam Estate, in the last twelve months and is now awaiting a tenant. For only the second time since the work was completed the estate offered the use of the building for the Civic Reception and it was transformed for the night into a Dickensian residence complete with its own library.

The main location for the weekend was The Milton Rooms and on the Friday night, after the Civic Reception in the Old Town Hall, guests from all over the UK as well as two guests from Illinois were welcomed at the suitably decorated venue. Host Night had a Dickensian theme representing Malton’s links to the author.

The overseas guests were Past International Director (PID) of Lions – Bud Wahl and his wife Jama who is President of Streator Hardscrabble Lions Club in Illinois. He was accompanied by one of only three living PIDs from Britain and Ireland – Howard Lee and his wife Claire from Farnham in Surrey.

Also present at Host Night was the Chairman of the Council of Lions Governors Phil Robinson and his wife Jackie from Thanet in Kent (below). Phil has responsibility for working with all the Lions Clubs across England, Wales, Scotland and the whole of Ireland.

Complimentary drinks were served to all guests by Anne and Mary as they arrived at The Old Town Hall for the Civic Reception.

Councillor Janet Frank, Chairman of Ryedale District Council welcomed guests to Malton and Norton after which District Governor Lion Chris Southworth responded on behalf of the Lions and presented her with his personal banner and a small gift before doing the same for the Mayor of Malton, Councillor Joan Lawrence and the Deputy Mayor of Norton-on-Derwent, Di Keale.

l to r Councillor Janet Frank (Ryedale District Council Chairman), District Governor Lion Chris Southworth, Mayor of Malton Councillor Joan Lawrence and Di Keale (Deputy Mayor of Norton.)

All proceedings at the Old Town Hall were kept in order by Malton Town Crier David Jackson, pictured below with Councillor Frank.

After the Civic Reception, the Lions and their guests walked across the Market Place to The Milton Rooms for a Hog Roast. Many had come along in full Dickensian costumes whilst others wore the merest hint of Dickens.

As everyone ate, a huge troupe of young people from the Kirkham Henry Performing Arts Centre performed a Dickens themed show supported by Mr Bumble and Fagin.

The guests were thoroughly blown away by the performance, talking about it for the rest of the weekend. The picture below perhaps helps understand why.

PID Bud and our District Governor from Aberdeen, Lion Chris Southworth led the applause and ovation for all the performers.

After the first half of the show everyone was invited to partake of the chocolate fountain which looked remarkable and seems to have been a favourite with Lion Bud, below.

Whilst all this was going on, Matthew Woollon was performing magic tricks close up to guests including, in the photo below, Dumfries Lions who will be hosting Convention in November 2014.

Before the Kirkham Henry troupe left, Malton Lions President Richard Lukey went on stage to thank them and their Principal, Angela Kirkham, after which a disco helped those not worn out by their journey to Malton, to dance the night away.

In the buses back to the hotels at the end of the evening, all the talk was of a wonderful experience and the exuberance and energy of all the young people from Kirkham Henry.