The Black Mountains Lions have been busy packing and delivering Christmas gifts for 100 local people needing to be cheered up over the Christmas and New Year period.  

The Christmas treat bags contain biscuits, sweets and chocolates and a Christmas card from the Black Mountains Lions.  

The bags will be delivered by Lions during the nine days between the December 14 and Christmas Eve. It is hoped that these small gifts will remind people that they are being thought about at this time of year.

Christmas can be a difficult time for the bereaved and those who live alone.  As the Lions’ area is very rural and sparsely populated, and has many isolated settlements, loneliness can be a problem.  The recipients of the bags live in Hay-on-Wye, Talgarth, Clyro, Lowes, Dorstone, Brilley, Rhosgoch, Llanigon, Glasbury, Three Cocks and Bronllys, plus many isolated hamlets.

Choosing people to receive the gifts was carried out by local charity partners, except for those who are in-patients at the local community hospital at Bronllys, who will automatically get a bag.  People receiving the Christmas treats were selected by both Hay and District Dial-a-Ride, a charity which provides a transport service to their members who are either disabled, elderly or carless; and by Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO).  The Black Mountain Lions have previously supported Dial-a-Ride and are doing so again to help them buy a better small bus soon.  

Dial-a-Ride has kindly offered to support some of the deliveries.