Support for the Strawford Centre at presentations

On the 11th April The Strawford Centre, which provides help and support for over eighty people with learning disabilities, played host to two very different local groups.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Apr 2014, 16:18 BST
Strawfords Lisa Powell being presented with the cheque for £250 by young supporter Jack Everley, Treasurer Richard Harris, Chairman Sean Bravery & Collin Young Secretary & Membership SUS-140414-153414001Strawfords Lisa Powell being presented with the cheque for £250 by young supporter Jack Everley, Treasurer Richard Harris, Chairman Sean Bravery & Collin Young Secretary & Membership SUS-140414-153414001
Strawfords Lisa Powell being presented with the cheque for £250 by young supporter Jack Everley, Treasurer Richard Harris, Chairman Sean Bravery & Collin Young Secretary & Membership SUS-140414-153414001

The Horsham FC Independent Supporters Club and Horsham Lions Club have both been long term supporters of the Centre and were there to continue that support and to make presentations.

Strawford Centre’s Graham Reynolds expressed the Centre’s gratitude for the help from both groups and explained that with the restrictions on budgets any help from local groups really made a great difference in providing extras that government funding did not allow.

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The Horsham FC Independent Supporters Club have members and family members who enjoy the Strawford facilities and so have nominated Strawford their chosen charity and over at least 11 years have donated more than £2,500.

Lion President Tom Osborne presenting the eggs to Strawfords Lisa Powell and some of the customers. SUS-140414-153427001Lion President Tom Osborne presenting the eggs to Strawfords Lisa Powell and some of the customers. SUS-140414-153427001
Lion President Tom Osborne presenting the eggs to Strawfords Lisa Powell and some of the customers. SUS-140414-153427001

This time they were presenting a cheque for £250. The supporters chairman Sean Bravery said that unfortunately it was not as much as they would have wished but without a permanent ground the raising of funds was much more difficult but hopefully if a new site can soon be agreed the future would be much better.

Pictured top shows Strawford’s Lisa Powell being presented with the cheque for £250 by young supporter Jack Everley, Treasurer Richard Harris, Chairman Sean Bravery & Collin Young Secretary & Membership.

Horsham Lions Club have been associated with people with learning disabilities for over 40 years having supported residents at the old Forest Hospital. When it closed and some were transferred to ‘The Bungalows’ the support was continued using the Strawford to hold Easter and Christmas parties.

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This support was strengthened even more over the years when Lion David Floyd retired from a city job and took a post at the Strawford. Sadly David is no longer with us but his legacy of commitment to the Strawford is, and Lion President Tom Osborne attended to present Easter Eggs to all the customers.

The staff kindly offered to dispose of a couple of eggs that were damaged in transit!

The photo above shows Lion President Tom Osborne presenting the eggs to Strawford’s Lisa Powell and some of the customers.

Interestingly it became apparent that the support goes both ways as Strawford members regularly and enthusiastically attend and support Horsham Football Club matches and Strawford members have for many years helped Horsham Lions by regularly visiting the local opticians and emptying the Lions brightly marked used spectacle bins.

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The spectacles are taken back to the Strawford and they pack and send them off to Chichester Lions who sort and grade them for reuse in developing countries.

Report and pictures contributed by Horsham Lions Club.