Commemorative Floor Stone Marks 50 Years of Guildford Lions Club

Published on: 17 May, 2018
Updated on: 17 May, 2018

A new commemorative floor stone has been laid in Guildford Cathedral in honour of the Guildford Lions Club, to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the club and its work in the local community.

Kneeling by the stone is the president of the Guildford Lions Club, Deric Quaile (left) with the outgoing Mayor of Guildford, Nigel Manning.

The inscription on the stone, which was carved by local stone carver Simon Keeley, reads: “Guildford Lions Club – Serving the community since 1967”.

Deric Quaile, president of the Guildford Lions Club, said: “The Lions Clubs International motto is “We Serve” – this commemorative stone says just that.

“Guildford Lions Club has been serving the community for the last 50 years. Our hard work has raised more than £1 million, most of which we have distributed to worthy causes in Guildford, but also to regional projects like the Kent, Sussex, and Surrey Air Ambulance, and to some international projects.

“This year is also the centenary of Lions International, so this impressive stone in Guildford’s magnificent cathedral is a fitting commemoration.”

The Lions’ commemorative stone at Guildford Cathedral.

The stone was installed in the North Aisle of the cathedral, and was unveiled at a dedication service officiated by Canon Paul Smith and attended by the outgoing Mayor of Guildford, Nigel Manning, and Cllr Marsha Moseley. Members of the Guildford Lions and Friends of Lions also attended.

The Lions expressed their thanks to the Blake family, whose bequest in memory of Bill Blake, a dedicated member of the Lions club, was used to fund the cost of the stone.

The Guildford Lions undertake various community projects including fundraising, donations, sponsoring of defibrillators, and, recently, a free prostate cancer screening. The Lions’ annual Easter Fayre was cancelled this year, after heavy rain left the ground at Shalford Park waterlogged.

The Association of Lions Clubs was founded in the USA in 1917, as a collection of business groups dedicated to the betterment of their communities. The first Lions Club in the UK was formed in Tonbridge in 1950, and Lions International now has over 1.4 million members.