We all know the Guildford Lions because they organised the Guildford Fireworks Fiesta! Woking and Cranleigh also have branches and, along with the other Lions clubs of the British Isles and Ireland, work hard to raise money for charity projects that make a real difference to the lives of ordinary people, including funding hi-vis jackets for primary school children and sending out Christmas parcels to needy families.
One of the schemes the Lions are funding is the Message in a Bottle. This is a very simple idea that could be a potential lifesaver by enabling the emergency services to quickly find all the information they need to look after someone. Elderly people, or anyone on medication, with allergies or a complicated medical history, can get a little bottle for free from doctors’ surgeries, some chemists or directly from the Lions. The bottle contains a form that the person fills in to say who they are, what ongoing conditions they are suffering and what medication they are taking. This bottle, with the completed form inside, is then placed in the fridge – nearly everyone’s got a fridge and they’re very easy for a paramedic to spot! So paramedics know there is a bottle in the fridge, a green Message in a Bottle sticker is stuck on the inside of the front door and another one on the fridge door.
This scheme is funded by the Lions and free to the public and it’s fully supported by the emergency services. If you have elderly or vulnerable friends, relatives or neighbours (particularly ones who live alone) go and collect a special bottle for them – it could be a lifesaver.
