Lions welcome new club president

MAIDENHEAD: Lions Club president Robin Butler has handed over the presidency to Karen Brown, in a small, socially-distanced ceremony.

The Lions Club of Maidenhead has about 30 members and raises £50,000 or more each year at various events, including the annual Swimarathon and Christmas Fair, with 90 per cent going to local people and organisations.

The ceremony, which took place in Robin’s garden, marked the end of the third and final stint as club president since joining Lions 20 years ago.

In his years as president, Robin organised the Duck Derby for eight years, and managed the Children’s Fun Train for 15 years.

His successor Karen joined Maidenhead Lions three years ago. She is the diabetes awareness officer for the club, and organises the Christmas parcels – where the Lions collect food outside supermarkets and deliver them to 400 families and elderly people in the area.

Since 1973, when the club was founded, Karen is only the third female president, following Christina Smelt and Brenda Butler.