May Court Events

Marketplace
Sunday Nov. 13, 2011
Bellamere Winery
& Event Centre
Details

Bake Sale
Saturday May 19, 2012
Heeman’s Garden Centre

Homes of Distinction Tour
May 26-27, 2012

About The May Court Club of London

It is hard to convey the spirit of the volunteers who belong to May Court. Looking at the hours of service, the substantial funds we have raised and the contributions made to the community, it is obvious we are an extraordinary group of volunteers.

History

A well-respected organization within the Canadian philanthropic community for many years, the Association of May Court Clubs of Canada, of which the May Court Club of London is a member, has as its patron the Governor General of Canada. The wife of the Governor General, Lady Aberdeen, founded the May Court Club of Ottawa in 1898. From its inception as the Junior League Club of London that evolved into the May Court Club of London, this group of over two hundred and forty women has celebrated seventy-five years of volunteer service.

Our mission states that we are “dedicated to the nurturing of the well-being of the children of our community who are in need of social, educational, physical or emotional support”.

May Court’s Statement of Principle:

To provide members of the May Court Club with opportunities to serve the youth of the London community and in so doing achieve personal growth and development through voluntary service.

To undertake service to the community through the direct delivery of quality programs to children in need and through support to other child-serving organizations.

To undertake fund-raising activities that financially support the programs of the club.

To allocate resources to support club programs first and then to other organizations where the need is clearly demonstrated.

Service to the Community

Our affiliation with London’s medical and social service community has continued in various ways. We have initiated, financed and managed programs of our own where a need was evident.

The May Court School Nutrition Program was initiated in the 40’s but came into its own at the request of Family Services in 1985. This has grown to serve over 85 schools.

Now located at 594 Dundas Street our May Court Shop has provided affordable consignment clothing to the community since 1948. In the past year, staffing requirements for our shop alone accounted for 3,360 hours of volunteer time.

Financial Support in the Community

Membership dues cover administrative costs. Therefore, all funds raised are directed to support children’s programs. This involves hard work, imagination and many volunteer hours. We have provided start up money for Big Sisters and Madame Vanier Children’s Services. We have made sizeable donations to the Children’s Aid Society, Mission Services (Rotholme), Memorial Boys and Girls Club, Western Area Youth Services (WAYS), Women’s Community House and the Association for the Mentally Handicapped. Ark Aid, Childreach, Ronald McDonald House, Youth Action Centre and a variety of youth camps have all received funding from the May Court Club of London.

Long recognized by other service organizations in the city of London, members of May Court have been invited to serve on many boards. Madame Vanier Children Services, Mission Services, Belton Teen Girls Home, Childreach and WAYS have all had May Court volunteers as board members.

Awards:

October 2010- Mission Services recognized the May Court Club of London as an important Community Partner. In the past two years, May Court has refurbished two rooms at the Rotholme Family Shelter.
June 2009, Vanier Children’s Services recognized The May Court Club of London for its 44 years of association and support. The May Court Award was introduced which will honour excellence in individuals or groups who work in Children’s Mental Health.
In May 2008, the City of London recognized the May Court Club of London for striving to make London a caring and compassionate city through dedicated and valuable contributions to the community.

In 2003 May Court Club of London received an award from Women’s Community House for their long history of support for this necessary service

Goodwill Shops in London was established and run by the May Court Club in 1935. It was taken over in 1943 and became Goodwill Industries. This contribution was recognized in 2003, Goodwill Industries’ 60th anniversary, with an award to the May Court Club of London.

May Court was honoured with a YMCA-YWCA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 for their significant contribution to programs for London’s children.

For their contributions both monetary and as serving volunteers, May Court was made an Honorary Life Member to the Corporation of the Madame Vanier Children’s Services in 1966.