They’re a traditional Australian yuletide favourite, but few locals would know the key role that Wellington club founding member, Cedric Wilson, played in the very first Lions Christmas cakes and puddings.

Originally made by the Australian Big Sister brand for 50 years, the Lions Christmas Cakes and Puddings program has raised more than $70 million for Lions Australia since 1965.

Yet it was all the brainchild of foundation member of Wellington Lions, Cedric Wilson who, at the time, was a representative for the then-icon Aussie cake company.

This titan of the Lions movement had been raised on Sydney’s leafy North Shore in the 1920s and 1930s, before signing up to serve his country soon after the start of World War II. There he saw action in Singapore and in other theatres of the Pacific, before rising to the rank of Lieutenant with the Australian Army by the end of hostilities in mid-1945.

According to an obituary published in the Wellington Times of Wednesday, April 7, 1993, entitled “Lions Christmas Cake founder dies”, it was during his post-war career as a traveling salesman, that brought him to the sunny west.

“On returning to civilian life, he became a ‘Knight of the Road’ and travelled over most of the Central West, North West and Far West of the state as a representative for the Lipton Tea, Big Sister cakes, and finally for Tooheys Brewery, until he retired due to ill-health in 1981,” the obituary read.

The article noted that, like many from his selfless generation, he devoted much of his spare time to helping others.

“As a member of the Western Travellers Cot Fund, he was instrumental in raising a lot money for the Camperdown Children’s Hospital.

“In November 1957, he became a charter member of the newly-formed Wellington Lions Club, and was very involved in the early years of the Lions, having been president of his own club on two occasions and also being a Zone Chairman and DDG (District Development Group) at District level.”

Working for Big Sister, then based in Sydney, he conceived of the idea that would marry the festive season and fundraising for a very good cause, the story noted.

“It was while he was with Big Sister, that he performed his greatest service to Lions.

“It was his vision and persistence that persuaded the management of his firm — Big Sister — to undertake the manufacture of the Lions Christmas Cake, a new money raising project for Lions.

“This is now the greatest money raising effort of the Lions Clubs of Australia, and is known as ‘Buy a cake, save a sight’,” the article said. With Big Sister closing operations a decade ago, the cakes and puddings have now been taken-up by Traditional Foods, a company in Victoria.

The obituary also lists other achievements of this selfless and upright symbol of another age, including serving on positions with Wellington Swimming Club, Lake Burrendong Sailing Club, and Apsley Bowling Club, as well as being: “a loving husband and a very special father and grandfather to his five children and 10 grandchildren”.

With more than $5 million raised each year from the sale of nearly 500,000 cakes and puddings across Australia and the funds donated to community projects, such as blindness prevention, disaster relief, youth programs, and aged care, this is a wonderful legacy, for a great man.