THE president and members of the Accrington Lions Club would like to pay tribute to Cyril Payne, who died last month.

Cyril lived in Rishton and joined our club in 1981. He loved Hyndburn and certainly followed our motto "We Serve," by helping anyone who was in need.

Cyril was elected president in 1984 and a year later he represented this area on the Lions Clubs district cabinet.

He will always be remembered for the way he organised the club's annual gentlemen's boxing dinners and he must have raised thousands of pounds for local charities that help the elderly, the disabled, children and families in need.

Way back in 1987, Cyril suggested that he would like to sponsor a special eye camp in India where people could have their sight restored and he raised the funds for this by collecting foreign coins and changing them into British currency.

Over the years, thanks to the efforts of Cyril Payne, thousands of third world sufferers have been helped in preventing blindness and hundreds who were blind, were made to see. Cyril was very proud to be a Lion and the Lions are very proud and very privileged to have had Cyril as a respected and dedicated member of our organisation.

We pay tribute to Cyril Payne on behalf of all the people of Hyndburn, for all his hard work helping those in need.

In order to record our love and appreciation of his contribution to the welfare of the disadvantaged members of our local and world wide community, the Lions will carry on the good work he started.

Accrington Lions Club will continue collecting foreign coins and if any readers would like to assist this good cause, please take your unwanted foreign currency, left over from holidays, etc, to the customer service desk at the Accrington Asda store and they will be passed to us.

Please help the Lions help cure blindness in the third world, in memory of Cyril Payne.

LAURIE DENTON (Accrington Lions), Tarn Avenue, Clayton-le-Moors.

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