caterham, oxted and godstone Lions Club
C.O.G. LIONS

Welcome to our page

Since the Club was formed in 1978 it has focussed its efforts on raising funds by holding events such as musical evenings, running refreshment tents at local fetes and collections at Christmas time.

From the outset the Club agreed that it must spend the majority of its funds on local projects and with this in mind, COGs helped launch and initially funded the Tandridge Lions Talking Newspaper in October 1981.  The newspaper, which is now autonomous, is recorded on to memory sticks weekly and provided free of charge to visually impaired readers and has been a great success in keeping listeners up to date with local news. This project was followed by the launch of the COGs Minibus a few years later.  The original minibus has now been replaced with a newer model, but the minibus is regularly used by a wide variety of people and organisations in the local area.   In September 2008 COGs launched an annual maths bursary in memory of one its members, Arthur Sambles, with the second recipient receiving her award in September 2009. As well as all this COGs have made donations to a myriad of beneficiaries in the area and every year since its launch.  

There is such a lot of information about the way we raise money, spend it and have fun on the way that you are invited to visit our web site for the whole picture. www.cogslions.co.uk

Tea with the Lions
Caterham, Oxted & Godstone Lions (COGS) have supported the Tanridge Talking Newspaper for many years and once a year they throw an afternoon tea party for the many listeners and their helpers. The weekly recorded reports from the local newspapers are sent out to the visually impaired in the district and bring to its listeners the news and events that are covered by the local newspapers. Magazine features also make up part of the recordings and cover a variety of subjects from general advice and current affairs to descriptions of holidays and experiences spent in other parts of the world
The party was held at St Peter’s Church Hall in Limpsfield. Members of COGS and other volunteers transported their guests to the hall where afternoon tea and entertainment was laid on. Every year a group of volunteers make delicious sandwiches and cakes for the guests and a glass or two of wine is also on the menu as well as a cup of tea to finish off. After tea there was piano playing and singing with the opportunity for the guests to join in some of the old favourites. 
The Chairman of Tandridge District Council, Councillor Alan Jones and his wife Yvonne were guests of honour and moved from table to table talking to those who’d come for tea. 

A new competitor for the Lions European Music Competition
A few weeks ago members of Caterham, Oxted & Godstone Lions Club (COGS) were thrilled to bits when their entrant to the Lions European Music Competition won second place playing classical guitar in the finals in Bologna, Italy.  Laura Snowden was that competitor and now it is time for the club to get into support mode once again as the 2011 competition gets under way and a new, local, young performer takes to the stage.  This year the instrument is the oboe and the Club is very fortunate to have found Fiona Myall from Reigate as their candidate.
Fiona is a very talented musician who has a degree in English and Music from Birmingham University. She is currently studying at the Guildhall School of Music for an Artist Programme Performance (Orchestral Training), the equivalent of a MA.
The first round of the Competition is the South East heat which takes place in Canterbury on 16^th January. Those taking part must be under the age of 23 on 1^st January 2011. The winner of this stage goes on to the national final at the Birmingham Conservatoire in April.

All those in COGS wish Fiona every success.   

For more information about Caterham Oxted & Godstone Lions please visit our website www.cogslions.co.uk To speak to someone about COGS Lions in general call Lion Peter Drysdale on 0845 833 7852