A HIGH profile community organisation in the Allen Valleys is looking to the future under a new regime.

Since its launch in 2003, the Allendale Lions group has raised about £100,000 for good causes.

The group's volunteer members have also played an integral role in community activities, and ran Allendale May Fair until 2016, when they handed over the baton to a new organising committee.

But now the group, which has seen its membership halve from about 40 at its inception, to the current total of 23, has announced big plans for the next year.

Nigel Baynes has been installed as president, with Margaret Stonehouse as vice-president.

Margaret, who previously served as the organisation's second ever president in 2004, said: "We don't have the number of members that we used to, but we are still involved with a lot of things in the Allen Valleys.

"We would like to get more people involved, and have a lot of fundraising and social activities coming up."

The Lions will host the annual fundraising auction at Allendale Village Hall on Saturday October 7.

October will also see Lions' members embark on a visit to Ullswater in the Lake District.

The volunteers will organise the annual Allendale Bonfire on November 5, and at Christmas, their popular Santa's sleigh will visit Allendale, Haltwhistle, Haydon Bridge and Bardon Mill.

Margaret added: "Organisations such as ours have lost members nationwide, and perhaps the younger generation don't put themselves forward to get involved.

"We are out to buck that trend, and we want people of all ages to get involved."

Would-be members are welcome to join Allendale Lions on the first Monday of every month at the town's Golden Lion pub, from 7.30pm.