Who are the Lions? 

Lions Clubs International, the largest community service organisation in the world.

Our Motto is We Serve.

Lions Clubs International was founded in Chicago in 1917. To date there are over 1.5 million members in 40,000 clubs. There are a further 10,000 clubs with 250,000 Leos and Lionesses. We have clubs in 171 countries.

In 1967 John Phillips who had spent some years working in East Africa, returned to Penarth. During his stay abroad John had continued his association with Lions International, an activity that had started some time previously in the UK. It was therefore quite natural for John to look around and notice an absence of a Lions Club in Cardiff. He approached the Newport Club to ascertain whether it would support an extension in the capital and when it had agreed John set about the task of drumming up local support.

There were a number of steering meetings at the Elizabeth Hotel near Penarth and eventually, the new club was Chartered early in 1968. For some two or three years, the Club struggled to find the recipe for staging a lucrative fund raising project during which time a number of "flops" were experienced. Eventually, Rowland Williams, a man of inspiration, came up with the notion that was to become the catalyst that Cardiff needed. His idea was to hold a lunch time buffet in the centre of the city designed for business people. His assertion was that the city was teeming with such people and that we should make a "killing". Many members had their doubts but Rowland did not and he was proved right. The lunch held just before Christmas 1969 went from strength to strength and is still one of the club's main fund-raising events.

The taste of success aroused members enthusiasm and since then many other successful events have been held. In addition, the club is committed to community welfare work designed to relieve suffering and neglect in the capital. In 1972, the club hosted an International Youth Club which many of those members who were involved regarded as the highlight of the club'' 32 year history. The camp brought some 30 young people, all in their teens, from all parts of the world to spend two weeks in Cardiff. It was an unforgettable experience. In 1975, we were given the task of setting up District 105 W's Convention. This brought together representatives of all Clubs in Wales and the West of England. This was really a test of our organisational skills involving much hard work. The Convention proved to be a great success.

Since Chartering in 1968, the Cardiff Club has extended to Caerphilly, Barry and Cardiff North. We still keep closely in touch with our daughter Clubs through Club visits and other Zonal activities. Times are currently very difficult for community welfare organisations as there seems to be a dearth of new and younger blood. We welcome all those who are interested in our work and the benefits it can bring to those who need our help. We look forward optimistically to another 30 years serving the community of Cardiff.