Ask for our assistance

To to apply for our help

About Newquay Towan Blystra Lions

Who we are, what we do, and how we can help.

We welcome requests for assistance from not-for-profit groups and charities and, in certain emergency situations, individuals and families.

 

1. I would like to ask for financial assistance.

We ask that all parties that are requesting financial assistance fill in and return the form downloadable below

HOWEVER – PLEASE READ THROUGH OUR POLICY ON DEALING WITH GRANTS BELOW BEFORE APPLYING.

Grant Application Form – click HERE to download
 

Our policy and procedures in dealing with applications for financial assistance

Requests for assistance from individuals and families

  1. As a general rule, the club do not make financial grants or other donations directly to individuals or their families unless such requests are deemed as emergencies and not able to be resourced, within the timescale required or to the extent needed, from other sources. [1]
  2. If the Secretary or Club Welfare Officer (CWO) considers a request is deemed an emergency they have the discretion, subject to the agreement of the club president and treasurer, to make an immediate initial grant of up to £200 and report this decision to the next business meeting for recording in the minutes. Additional support may be agreed with the approval of the club and trustees depending on the circumstances.
  3. Where a request for a financial grant is made by, or on behalf of individuals or families, and is not deemed as an emergency, the club will (with the approval of the person requesting) refer the request to DISC Newquay or any similar organisation which can assess need and react accordingly. [2]
  4. The Club will not support a request made to contribute to an event or challenge which an individual is taking part in (e.g. sponsored walk, parachute jump or foreign travel experience). However, this information may be shared with club members who can make personal donations if they feel they so wish.
  5. Providing the above policy guidance is followed, if applicable, the club secretary may respond declining the application, clarifying the club policy and not bring the matter to a business meeting for consideration.

Requests for assistance from not-for-profit groups or charities

  1. The club welcomes requests to support projects and equipment which can assist any not-for-profit group or charity in achieving their aims and objectives.
  2. Requests sent from national organisations, other than requests from Lions Clubs International (LCI) or Foundation (LCIF) as part of a general request for funds (‘fishing trips’) will not normally be considered or responded to.
  3. Funding of groups or charities which are able to show a specific benefit to the local community will normally be prioritised. Requests where there is no obvious benefit to the local community may be declined on that basis. [3]
  4. As a rule, the club prefer to support requests where the tangible effect of the donation can be clearly attributed to their donation. Therefore, general requests for funding which support ongoing costs such as staffing, utilities and premises, may be less likely to be prioritised in favour of requests to attribute any Lions donation towards a specific piece of equipment or project. The potential of being able to publicly display a Lions logo or name of the club in connection with any support given will also be welcomed as it reinforces to others the good work which Lions do.

Process normally to be followed in applying and deciding on a grant request

  1. Quarterly Grant Scheme: Not-for-profit groups can apply for grants of up to £500 to be considered under this scheme. Lions Club members will review all applications made using this scheme at their monthly meetings which occur on the last Thursday of the following months – February, May, August and November. Applicants can use the form described below in para 11 or send an email to secretary@newquaytowanblystralions.org.uk including the required information in the text.
  2. Other Grant Applications: With the exception of an application deemed to be an ‘emergency’ as in para 1 above, or one submitted to be considered as a quarterly grant, any application for funding should normally be made using a prescribed form, normally downloadable via the club website. This can be forwarded by post or email to the club secretary who will acknowledge its receipt.
  3. The application will be forwarded by the secretary to the CWO in order that they can make whatever enquiries they deem appropriate. They will bring a recommendation to the next or a future business meeting on whether assistance should be provided and to what extent.
  4. The CWO will, as part of their role, establish appropriate informal contact with their counterpart in the neighbouring Lions Club with a view to identifying any joint requests made and recommendations to their respective clubs.
  5. The CWOs and their club members will have the option to use a decision making flow-chart to help determine appropriate recommendations and decisions relating to grant requests. This flow chart would be to assist the process and not be the final determinant of whether a grant is made, this decision being vested with the wishes of the majority of the club, as approved subsequently by their trustees.

In normal circumstances, the club receiving the request will inform the applicant of their decision following the relevant business meeting. When the CWOs have agreed that both clubs should consider sharing funding, the club receiving the request will advise the other CWO of their decision in order that this can be taken into account by members of the other club when they meet. That second meeting decision will then be related back to the first club’s CWO so that appropriate arrangements to advise the applicant can be made and, if appropriate, the funds donated.

See below for footnotes [1] to [3]

 

2. I would like to ask for other assistance, such as manpower or expertise.

We work closely with Newquay Lions on many of the events in the town and assist each other whenever we can.   For more information about how to go about requesting our help, please send an email to secretary@newquaytowanblystralions.org.uk

If your request for any assistance is one that requires a quicker response, please call 0345 833 4981

FOOTNOTES on policy above:

[1] ‘Emergency’ being broadly defined as an unexpected situation which has arisen whereby it is considered by the club that the circumstances have caused, or have the potential to cause, unacceptable harm or distress to an individual or family with the welfare of children or others considered vulnerable being paramount.

[2] DISC and similar organisations are regular recipients of assistance from both Lions Clubs and DISC have agreed to receive individual requests for assistance, including the acquisition and provision of household ‘white’ goods if possible. Lions have little ability to establish the extent or validity of individual requests while DISC have means to prioritise individual/family needs whilst maintaining confidentiality.

[3] ‘Local Community’ can be defined in different ways based on the purpose and impact a charity or group can have. Charities with bases in Cornwall such as Cornwall Air Ambulance, Cornwall Hospice Care or Children’s Hospice SW offer services which many may need to access and, therefore, benefit the ‘local community’. Smaller groups may benefit the ‘local community’ at a more confined geographic and, also, environmental level such as Newquay in Bloom, friends of a local school (PTA) or community welfare providers like DISC or Newquay Foodbank.