Buffs boost children's charity.

A CHARITY, which provides help for local children has been given a major boost with the presentation of a cheque for £2,200.

The money was raised during 2001 by the Kings Lynn and District Province of the RAOB under the leadership of Steve Geary.
Mr Geary was the Provincial Grand Primo for 2001 and chose Downham Children's Fund as his charity for the year.
The money was raised during his visits to various of the ten Buffalo Lodges, which make up the province, as well as various fund-raising efforts.
The money was finally handed over during a meeting of the Century Lodge at the Rose and Crown in Hilgay. Mr Geary is a member of this lodge.
He handed over the cheque to fellow Buffalo Chester Bond, who is chairman of the Downham Children's Fund.
Mr Geary was assisted with the hand over by lodge member Sean Bitson.
The Downham Children's Fund, which has raised over £30,000 in the past nine years to help local youngsters, covers an area of 25 miles radius from Downham.
Mr Geary explained he had chosen the charity because it was local and covers a large part of the Lynn and District Province and did not have expensive head offices.
Two further presentations were also made during the lodge meeting.
Lynn and district Alzheimer's Society and the Watlington Riding for the Disabled each received cheques for £200.
This money was raised by the Century Lodge at various events over the past year.

 

Alfred (92) leads Buffs' cash charge  MEMBERS of the Archdale Lodge of the RAOB presented a cheque for £300 to the Friends of the Sandcastle Home at Hunstanton during their Christmas dinner recently.

The lodge, based at Snettisham, made the presentation of the money raised at events held over the last year during their dinner held at the Ffolkes Arms in Hillington.
Alfred Doy, who at 92 is the oldest member of the lodge, handed over the cheque to Mike Pitt, fundraising officer of BREAK, the charity, which provides holidays for families with handicapped children.

Lynn Buffaloes have donated £750 to the town's branch of Diabetes UK – their main charity of 2004.

Lynn Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes raise funds for various charities, but choose one particular cause to donate to each year.
Mr John C. Herbert, Grand Primo of the Grand Lodge of England, presented the cheque to Carole Heley, Diabetes UK secretary, and Jean Hill, chairman of Diabetes UK , on Tuesday at the Buffaloes' club in St James Street .
Tony Mason, secretary of Lynn Buffaloes, said the Diabetes UK representatives were invited to join them for a Lodge dinner on the same day.
He said the Diabetes UK representatives were very pleased with the donation.
The main causes the Buffaloes will support this year will be the East Anglian Air Ambulance, and Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire, which specialises in heart and lung treatment.
Anyone ove r 18 interested in joining the Order should contact Mr Mason on 01553 675422.

Fakenham and District Buffaloes have helped the Lynn News Helipad Appeal come even closer to lift-off this week, with a fantastic donation of £825.73.

The Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes branch, which also covers Great Massingham and Swaffham, raised the cash through regular events including raffles, a Christmas dinner and quiz nights throughout last year.

Walter Rogers, who was provincial grand primo last year, chose the East Anglian Air Ambulance as his charity. But he said after he saw the helipad appeal in the Lynn News, he decided the money should go specifically to our fund.

And £200 of the money was donated by Narford Scaffolding, where Mr Rogers' daughter Michelle is financial director.
Mr Rogers, who is now provincial grand secretary, said: "I think the air ambulance staff do a wonderful job.

"Their ability to respond quickly to emergencies and save lives using the helicopter really makes a difference – and we really need the helipad at Lynn 's Queen Elizabeth Hospital ."

 

Sponsored walkers and Buffaloes got together to raise £1,000 for cancer patients.

Just over half the total was contributed by four West Norfolk women, who on October 30, walked from Hunstanton to Lynn in aid of the Macmillan Care and Treatment Centre at Lynn 's Queen Elizabeth Hospital .
They were: Ms Sue Wells, of South Lynn ; Miss Amanda Drew, of Fairstead; Mrs Vicky Somerton, of Gaywood; and Mrs Michele Leader, of Terrington St Clement.
The £547 they raised was boosted by the proceeds of raffles arranged by the Wiggenhalls Lodge of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes.
The lodge was keen to support the Macmillan centre because the daughter of past provincial grand primo Mr Bob Rawlings had been treated there.
The Buffaloes' fancy dress charity walk in Lynn in September raised £500 towards Christmas gifts for the children's ward.

There's an open invitation for new or former members to join the Ouse Lodge of the King's Lynn and District Province of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes, known as the Buffs.

Colin Chaplin, the secretary, says: "We are not a secret society, rather a society that has a few secrets. We endeavour to raise funds for various charities and good causes, both locally and nationally."
Weekly meetings are held at the Chequers Inn, Wimbotsham, every Thursday from 8pm.
Mr Chaplin adds: "Although the Buffs is a male organisation, we do pride ourselves that our family and work comes first and when we do get together, we always think of the need of others and those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
"To this end we find that our good ladies often help us to raise the funds we need to help those worthy causes.
"We would certainly welcome back any lapsed member who used to attend the Ouse Lodge when it was situated in Downham – and indeed any member who has recently moved into this area. All will be made welcome."

 Megabrains, megahearts With pads and pens at the ready, teams from local organisations and groups of friends competed for victory in Downham Lions' annual Megaquiz at the Conservative Club.

Apart from the glory of winning, the 17 teams were also aiming to win a cash prize for a charity or worthy cause of their choice.
Top spot went to a group of local Buffaloes with a score of 55 out of a possible 90, and they nominated the Downham Children's Fund as recipients of the £100 first prize.
There was also a trophy presented to the team's Mr Chester Bond, by Downham Lions vice- president, Mr Chris Moreton.
Sharing the runners-up place were Tara's Champions and Friends Reunited, each team donating its £50 award to Tara 's Refuge and the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
The eight rounds of questions were this year set by Mr Steve Nunn, who was also quiz master, with help from his wife, Mrs Christine Nunn.
Event organiser, Mr Chris Markwell, was thanked by Mr Moreton, who said how pleasing it was to be able to donate cash to worthy causes. He also thanked everyone for their support in making the evening such a success.

A Heacham club has raised £850 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance with £500 coming from the funeral of a member.

The Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes Seymour Howard Lodge presented two cheques to air ambulance area co-ordinator Chris Donaldson on Thursday night.
Lodge members raised £350 from car boot sales and raffles and £500 was donated at the funeral of member Tom Mickleburgh. Mr Mickleburgh's widow, Biddy, asked for donations instead of flowers at his funeral.
Worthy Primo Chris Framingham said: "Tragically we lost Tom just before Christmas.
"His widow Biddy decided that all donations would go to the air ambulance service."
Mr Donaldson said: "It's a fantastic contribution. Everything counts – from coffee mornings which raise £30 to big corporate events which raise thousands. It all goes in the same 'lake'."
Mr Donaldson added: "I'm pleased to say that we are the second best-supported air ambulance service in the country.
"The rural nature of East Anglia means that the need for the air ambulance is fully evident to the people who live in the area."  

A Sandringham Lodge has given a major boost to the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Thanks to the generosity of members of the village lodge of the Royal Antedulivian Order of Buffaloes, the charity has been given £1,500.
Ken Conley, Lodge founder member and trustee, said £1,000 had been collected over the past six months through donations at the end of each weekly meeting. The other £500 was given by a member of the Catmose Lodge in Oakham, Rutland .
Mr Conley said the member, Brother Hicks, had to use the air ambulance, and when he heard the Sandringham Lodge was collecting for the charity, he sent a cheque for £500.
The money was handed over to Peter Mendham, of the air ambulance, at last Tuesday's meeting, held at Dersingham Community Centre.

A DOWNHAM couple have presented £225, donated by friends and family to mark their ruby wedding, to Gaywood's Junior Gateway Club.

John Yates (72), and his wife, Mona (73), of 2 Burnham Road , said they decided they already had all the material things they needed.
The couple celebrated their anniversary at Stow Bridge Village Hall in August.
Mr Yates said: "We asked friends and relations to give a donation, only if they wished, to the club, which helps physically handicapped youngsters aged three to 19."
Mr Yates is a member of the Downham Ouse Lodge of the Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes, which has previously supported the Junior Gateway Club. He said he loved children and the Gateway members were especially deserving of help. Last Christmas, Mr Yates also raised £200 for the club by decorating his house and garden with hundreds of festive lights.
"I'm going to do the same this year, but with even more lights," he added.  

SANDRINGHAM Lodge of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes (RAOB) presented a cheque for £634 to the Norfolk and Norwich Association for the Blind at one of their recent weekly meetings.

Lodge founder member Mr Kenneth Conley explained the money had been raised over the past six months through donations made by the ten lodge members at the end of each weekly meeting.
Mr Conley also explained the Lodge, which meets at Dersingham Community Centre, nominates a different local charity twice a year to benefit from their donations. And the next amount raised will be given to the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
"We like to pick local organisations, that we know are going to spend the money helping local people," explained Mr Conley, who said the Norfolk and Norwich Association for the blind had been chosen because they regularly help his wife Wyn, who is partially sighted.

Buffs raise £600 for Charity  THE SANDRINGHAM Lodge of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes has donated £600 to the East Anglian Air Ambulance. 

 Worthy Primo Ken Conley handed over the cheque to the air ambulance's representative, Mr Peter Mendham, at The Gamekeeper's Lodge in Dersingham.
The money was raised through a collection taken during the group's weekly meetings.
Mr Conley, of Pansey Drive , Dersingham, said: "It is only a small lodge so we were really over the moon to raise £600."
Each year the lodge donates money to a chosen charity and this year chose the air ambulance, after one of its members saw the helicopter in action taking an injured car crash victim to hospital. He was on his way to a lodge meeting.
Mr Conley added: "It is marvellous what they do.