A short film introducing the Lions, narrated by Penelope Keith.

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​Lions Clubs International was formed in 1917 by a Chicago (US) business leader, Melvin Jones. He wondered what would happen if people put their talents in improving their communities. 

It was thanks to the support of the Canadian Lions – and the intervention of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, that the first Lions Club in London was founded.
Canadian Lions had provided invaluable support for children orphaned in the Second World War. To thank them, the then Queen sent her equerry Colonel Edward Wyndham (later Lord Leconfield) to Canada. He was so impressed that Windsor (Ontario) Lions Club agreed to sponsor the first London club, with Lord Leconfield as its founding Charter President.

The first Lions Club in England (London) was formed on 1st March 1950 and was quickly followed by clubs in Tonbridge and Brighton. Glasgow was the first Lions Club in Scotland, formed in 1953, the Dublin Club was the first in Ireland being founded in 1955. Eight years later in 1963 the first Welsh club was formed in Wrexham.

Today you can find Lions Clubs in 207 countries worldwide, with more presence around the globe than perhaps any other entity. The United Nations has 193 member states and the last 2020 Olympics in Japan saw 206 countries compete. There are over 46,000 clubs worldwide with 1.35 million men and women members, forming the largest service club association. There are over 900 clubs in the British Isles and Ireland.

In the last Lions year (July 2022 to June 2023) over £390M was donated by Lions Clubs worldwide, with £2.5M donated by clubs in the British isles and Ireland.