Who are the Lions Introduction Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service club organisation. With 1.4 million members, active in almost 44,000 communities around the globe, Lions are dedicated to selfless, effective community service. Lions are ordinary people who do amazing things. They are men and women who volunteer their time to humanitarian causes in their local and global communities. In Europe, Lions donate around 5.7 million hours and 88 million pounds to humanitarian causes each year. As a volunteer organisation, when a pound or euro is raised by Lions Clubs International it goes directly to charity. All administration costs are met by members. Youth Clubs support young people by recognising their efforts and providing them with opportunities to learn, achieve and grow. Leos are young people aged between 14 and 28 years. Leo stands for Leadership, Experience and Opportunities for young people from all back- grounds, races and religions. There are over 5,500 Leo Clubs representing 137 countries with an estimated membership of 142,000. The Lions Youth Award scheme acknowledges today's young ambassadors working as volunteers and gives them the recognition they deserve. The Lions Clubs Youth Exchange Programme aims to "create and foster a spirit of understanding among peoples of the world", by enabling exchanges between countries in every part of the world. Lions support Tacade, one of the world's leading personal development and drug prevention education organisations. Together the two organisations help children develop the skills and self esteem they need to lead healthy, safer lives. Community Lions Clubs are central and vital to their local communities. It is the hands on role in improving local people's quality of life that really encapsulates the spirit of the Lions. Across Europe, Lions Clubs work in partnership with and support a wide range of organisations active in the community including: Diabetes organisations, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, International Glaucoma Association, Medic Alert, Sight Savers International and Tacade. Sight Lions Clubs International is recognised world-wide for its service to the blind and visually impaired. This service began through a challenge issued by Helen Keller, advocate for the blind, to become the "knights of the crusade against darkness" in 1925 and in 1930 Lions introduced the white cane which is still widely used today. Lions operate the SightFirst Programme, the world's largest blindness prevention programme with the aim of establishing long-term solutions for eliminating preventable and reversible blindness. Over £100 million has been raised and to date 538 grants totalling £82 million have been approved for blindness prevention in 76 countries. The Lions Eye Health Programme (LEHP) is a community based educational outreach programme that enables Lions Clubs to raise awareness of two of the leading causes of preventable blindness - diabetic eye disease and glaucoma. International Aid Through Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), Lions contributes to disaster funds throughout the world, and works in partnership with UNICEF, WHO and UNESCO to provide world-wide aid. The Gift for Living initiative provides help and medical aid for the people of the former Yugoslavia.