The Lions Club of Tavistock is well-launched on a very special year for the club, with 2026 marking 50 years since the Tavistock club was formed or ‘chartered’.

To celebrate this momentous milestone, the club held a black tie dinner and dance in the town hall earlier in the year, attended by 125 people, including many past members and previous presidents.

Current president Matt Hibbert joined charter member David Inman in cutting the celebratory cake made specially by Lion Mel Bosacki. In his speech, Matt highlighted many of the club's achievements over the years.

Guests of honour included District Vice Governor Elect Andy Burnard who congratulated the club on 50 years of service to the Tavistock community.

He presented long service awards to Lions David Inman (50 years), Hywel Edwards (40 years) and Lyn Roberts (25 years) and at a subsequent club meeting, Lion John Noblet was presented with a 25-year service award.

In this golden anniversary year, the club has fittingly chosen ‘golden moments’ as the theme for this year’s carnival procession in Tavistock to round off Carnival Week on Sunday, July 19. Look out for a glittering parade!

Tavistock Lions Club is just one of the 50,000 clubs worldwide that make up Lions International and the week beginning Monday, May 16 saw the start of its Global Week of Service during which every lions club is encouraged to run service projects in their community concentrating on the environment.

To that end, Tavistock's club took on a litter pick all over the town, with club members out and about in high viz tops carrying blue bags and litter pickers kindle loaned by Tidy Tavi.

An impressive 70 bags of rubbish and assorted discarded road signs were collected over the week.

Club coordinator, Lion Paul Blowey received two letters thanking the Lions and friends for all their excellent work, one from newly elected town mayor Anne Johnson and the other from Jeff Moody on behalf of Tidy Tavi.