A pensioner is celebrating 50 years of service to a charity which helps people around the world.

David Saunders, 84, joined the Lions in 1952 and was instrumental in helping set up Medicalert in Britain.

The programme provides bracelets for people with medical conditions to ensure, if they are taken ill, the information is readily available to the doctor.

Mr Saunders, of Malthouse Lane, Burgess Hill, became a member of Brighton and Hove Lions after being encouraged by a family friend.

Three years later, he decided to set up a branch in Burgess Hill and has been raising money for different causes ever since.

He said: "We started Medicalert in 1964. It was like setting up a business. We had to make sure doctors and nurses knew about it before we went public.

"It has been very successful and we now have 250,000 members.

"Looking back, my contribution has been motivating others.

"I have found, by taking the right approach with other people, they have been motivated to do things themselves.

"It is often the busiest people who find the time to help others in the community."

Mr Saunders was a district governor for the Lions and later went on to become an international representative.

He is helping the club to collect shoe boxes of essential items to send to people in Belarus still suffering from the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Mr Saunders said although he helped raise money and increase membership, one of the most important things was the personal touch.