A GROUP of enthusiastic fund-raisers is preparing for yet another busy festive season in Bolton.

That group is Bolton Lions Club — an organisation dedicated to helping others.

Quite why the Lions are not as well known as some of the other service organisations remains a mystery to the members as they do a stirling job of helping people in need in Bolton.

The organisation was set up almost 100 years ago and it thought to be the largest service club organisation in existence.

In 1917, Melvin Jones, a 38-year-old Chicago business leader, told members of his local business club they should reach beyond business issues and address the betterment of their communities and the world. Jones' group, the Business Circle of Chicago, agreed.

After contacting similar groups around the United States, an organisational meeting was held on June 7, 1917, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The new group took the name of one of the invited groups, the "Association of Lions Clubs," and a national convention was held in Dallas, Texas, USA in October of that year. A constitution, by-laws, objects and a code of ethics were approved.

Within three years, Lions became an international organisation.

It was brought to the UK in just after World War Two.

"It was just two years after World War Two that the Queen Mother brought the Lions to the UK, from Canada, and the first club was set up, in London, in about 1950," explains Bolton club treasurer John Crompton.

The Bolton club was set up in 1968 and has a very long and proud history.

Some members can boast very long assocations with the Bolton branch including Bill Laithwaite who can be seen, in 1975, in one of our images presenting a talking book machine — which operated on a cassette system — to Mr David Parker whose sight was failing.

It is just one of the many good turns the club has done for local folk including Mr Parker, who lived in Farnworth.

The organisation has a very long, and proud, history.

Probably best known in Bolton for its commitment to the Caring Christmas Appeal — run in conjunction with the Bolton News for more than 27 years — Bolton Lions also run the hugely popular hospital radio. which is a free service.

It was back in 1977 when Bolton Lions were asked if they would give two radio broadcasts a week for the patients of the Bolton Royal Infirmary and Bolton General Hospital. At this time broadcasts were given on Thursday evenings and on Sunday Mornings.

Since 1977 many changes have taken place with the Bolton Royal Infirmary long having closed, and the group now broadcast at one site now called The Royal Bolton Hospital. The initial two radio broadcasts have been expanded to six daily broadcasts of three hours each with a broadcast even on Christmas Day.

When not broadcasting live, a computer generated programme then broadcasts music for the remainder of the day, every day, using the vast library of music accumulated over 35 years, which currently stands at over 30,000 pieces of music.

Every Friday, members go round the wards collecting music requests from patients, and these are sometimes broadcast later that evening but always on Sunday morning for the patients, catering for all types of music.

The hospital radio was run by Jim Wells, who had been president of Bolton Lions five times and died in 2014 aged 80.

For 30 years Mr Wells had been a dedicated volunteer at the hospital radio station – combining his love of music and desire to help others.

He was "the voice" of the hospital radio as well as being a tireless voluntary worker with Bolton Lions.

In 2014 a special naming ceremony was held to rename Bolton Lions Hospital Radio Suite the Jim Wells Suite in memory of the devoted fund-raiser who had been so instrumental in making the hospital radio a huge success.

Like many of the other Bolton Lions he devoted much of his Christmas to helping disadvantaged children through the Caring Christmas Appeal which provides gifts for hundreds of youngsters from struggling families.

Bolton Lions have grown from strength to strength since starting out in the sixties and have taken part in many different campaigns including the "emergency bottle" scheme which enables elderly or vulnerable people to store vital medical information for use by the emergency services as well as medic alert bracelets and the peace poster campaign for children.

They also stage casino nights to raise money for the charity as well as race nights which are, again, vital for fund raising.

Although the club has 23 members they would love to attract more to help them continue their voluntary work.

The club meets on the second and fourth Tuesday in the month at 8pm at the Queen Anne Hotel, in Junction Road, Bolton.

Do you have memories of being involved with Bolton Lions in the early years?

Perhaps you have been helped by their fund-raising.

If you have a story to tell get in touch with Gayle McBain on 01204 537269 or email gayle.mcbain@nqnw.co.uk