Convention Tips
A GUIDE TO LIONS 105CW DISTRICT CONVENTION
Friday
Arrive in good time to settle in, remember you will always find somebody to chat with so allow a bit of extra time to get to your room.
- TIP. Include in your luggage a couple of bottles of wine so that if invited to a party you have a bottle to take with you.
- TIP. When you register, your pack will include tickets for the social events. Make sure you bring them with you to events as we cannot guarantee entry without tickets.
- TIP. Include in your luggage some bottled water for consumption in your room, it's always expensive buying it from the bar.
Friday evening sees the "District Celebration Dinner". The dinner commences at 7:30pm, there may be pre-dinner drinks hosted by the District Governor and his Husband so be ready by 6:45pm.
The bar in the ballroom will be open at 7pm. Dress for the evening is smart - so for Gentleman from Smart Trousers and a Shirt all the way up to Black Tie and for Ladies from a smart top and skirt/trousers all the way to a ball gown (only District Governors and Past District Governors wear white dinner jackets).
- TIP. There will be up to 150 people attending the Banquet and Ball, so ordering wine will be a bit stressful if you leave it until the evening. Pre‑order during the day and it will be waiting for you on your table.
- TIP. The seating plan will be on display before the ballroom opens, again it's a good idea to find out where you are sitting before going inside for the evening.
The evening officially ends at midnight but from previous experience all sorts can now happen, some will retire to bed, others spend most of the night in the bar! Some impromptu parties in rooms also may just happen.
Saturday
This is the main day as we hold the Convention today, the District's Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Breakfast will be served from 7:00 am, it tends to get busy around 8am so that everyone is ready for the Convention. Don't leave it too late getting down for breakfast, although it can be a challenge if you were late to bed the night before!
- TIP. Pack an alarm clock!
The doors to the Convention room will be closed for the opening ceremony and will not re-open until that is finished. Dress code for Convention is optional; many will wear club t-shirts or jumpers.
Lions attending for the whole weekend will normally attend the opening ceremony with their partners. After the opening ceremony the doors open and the some partners will go to explore the local town or to use the hotel's gym and leisure/spa facilities.
There is an area of the Convention room with a hearing loop in place, please use this area if you need to otherwise leave it clear for those who do.
First time attendees at Convention will have this marked on their badges with a yellow border, if you are an experienced Lion please chat to them and make them feel welcome.
- TIP. Make sure you bring your pre‑booked lunch ticket with you for entry to the dining room. Couples should ensure that each has their own ticket with them.
Your fellow Lions spend the day listening to as much or as little of the business session as they wish. There is no three line whip and you are free to wander in and out of the room as often as you like BUT please respect others and try to move around quietly between sessions. Please respect the presenters and give them your support - some have come a long way to make these presentations. Do feel free to contribute to discussions at the appropriate time, remember it is your AGM.
The business session usually ends at 4:30pm.
Also, please find time to support the Lions exhibition. The representatives on these stands have given up their weekends so deserve as many visitors as possible.
The 'Party Night' social on Saturday is the 'Lego - Lions Are Heroes', which for some is a themed fancy dress night although many will simply wear smart casual clothing for the event.
Some Club Presidents or experienced Lions may host a drinks party in their room before the evening commences. Party night is scheduled to start at 7:30pm, so if there is a party it will probably be at around 6:45pm. Other Lions will simply meet in the hotel bar for a couple of drinks before being called in to dinner, the bar in the ballroom will be open at 7pm.
Sunday
This is a more gentle day, we realise that some may be feeling a bit delicate after the night before so we start at 10am, this also gives you time to have checked out of your rooms before business starts. Dress is much more casual i.e. no jackets or ties in evidence.
There will be a Cabinet Meeting, followed by some inter Regional Mini Sports and an opportunity to throw wet sponges at the District Governor for a small donation to LCIF.
Hopefully you will have really enjoyed your weekend and everything will have run smoothly and we can look forward to seeing you again at next year's Convention!
Please enjoy the Convention, if you have any problems over the weekend, ask any member of the convention committee for help.
- TIP. Timings may change so check the Convention Programme a few days beforehand.