An informal area for registered members to discuss whatever they want. Remember to include contact details if you would like a personal reply and please state your name and which club you belong to at the start of your post. THANK YOU
122 comments for “Chat”
Webmaster
27th April 2017 at 12:15 am
Well – I managed to organise speakers by county today – a mammoth task. I hope it makes it easier to look for someone suitable.
Keith Thompson of Blackburn & District Probus Club
Does any Group have a recruiting poster that I could adapt as a means of increasing membership and not having to reinvent the wheel
My sincere thanks to Cirencester Probus Club for the excellent welcome given to me at the Inauguration of the Probus Clubs Reciprocal Speakers programme. The Probus Clubs Speakers Register website allows clubs to register “amateur” speakers who would be prepared to talk to other clubs on a reciprocal basis- the talks being free of charge. The facility is available to the nearly 100 clubs in the Midlands/West Country who use the website.
Introduced as a “virgin” speaker (do we want to be back there?), the subject of the talk (the Swordfish aircraft in the early years of WW2) seemed to be appreciated & I’ve been asked back in 2017 for the second part, so it couldn’t have been too bad! I especially enjoyed talking to the WW2 bomber pilot after the meeting!
Gloucester North Probus looks forward to the reciprocal talk from Malcolm Lewis in July.
Want to know more about the Reciprocal Speaker idea or interested in using the website (400+ speakers & 2400+ talks) ? Contact me: probus@aggleton.name
MIke Aggleton
Gloucester North Probus
In the spring issue of Probus Magazine I noted an article by Bryan Nagle (Basingstoke). My late father Fred Martindale, recorded his war story for the BBC and in it he relates how a “stoker Nagle” saved his life. Both served on Landing Crafts and wondered if there could be a connection.
My contact details are: ericmartindale@ntlworld.com
ProbusOneNorthampton…anyone in Northamptonshire who has a speaker list would be appreciated by John at johnkightley.m@btinternet.com or call me at 01604 754782
Hi everyone. I am getting so many enquiries from people wishing to join a Probus Club, and so many requests from clubs to make their content visible to all, that I have now unblocked all pages on the website. This means people can contact you directly rather than have to go through me. If you have any issues with this you can block your club page if you are the registered author. When you open your page to edit it, there is a box on the right which you need to click to block your page. I think – although only time will tell – only authors now need to register in order that they can edit their pages.
One of this years resolutions was to publish some details of our club on our page. Having now completed this task I look forward to increasing membership from 33 to 40+ by this time 2017. Now just 3 resolutions left to break!!
Alison thanks for all your hard work, happy new year.
Alan
Thanks to nearly 40 clubs who met at Barnwood, Gloucester on Friday 6 November to discuss the relatively new Probus Speakers Register website & how the use of the website to promote interaction between clubs- from reciprocal visits, reciprocal speakers to the potential of joint outings.
The meeting provoked lively discussion & was an excellent opportunity for clubs to get together to discuss common problems.
See you all again next year when hopefully we will see more clubs represented
Not a member of the group but in the Worcestershire/Warwickshire/
Birmingham/Cotswold/ Swindon/Wiltshire area & would like to have access to 400 speakers & 2000 talks?- email Mike Aggleton : probus@aggleton.name to find out more of what we think is a unique facility for Probus clubs.
Mike Aggleton
Hi – I have been contacted by Mr Neil Robertson wanting to join a Probus Club near Anstey in Leicestershire – does anyone know of a club local to him? His email address is below: ngdr@talk21.com
ATTENTION NORTH EAST AND NORTH YORKSHIRE CLUBS
On behalf of the Teesside Centre of the Stephenson Locomotive Society I am pleased to invite PROBUS members throughout the North East and North Yorkshire to our prestige lecture about Eric Lomax, who has recently been portrayed by Colin Firth in ‘The Railwayman’ film. This will be the ‘Eric Lomax Photographic Collection’ by Dr. Michael Bailey at the Newport Settlement Hub, St. Pauls Road, Middlesbrough TS1 5NQ (off Union Street) at 7.00pm on Friday 4th December 2015.
This lecture has been delivered to and well received by a large audience in Edinburgh and is aimed at both the railway enthusiast and those with a general interest in Eric’s life.
Dr. Michael Bailey is a museum consultant, author, lecturer and broadcaster on early railway history. In 1999 he was awarded the first Doctorate of Philosophy from the Institute of Railway Studies, York. He is Past President of the Newcomen Society and currently President of the Stephenson Locomotive Society and President of the Friends of the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester.
Ian Clark.
SLS Teesside Centre Secretary. ianclark142@hotmail.com
CLUBS IN THE REIGATE AREA
We’re from a firm of solicitors with offices in Reigate and Dorking. We’ve recently been asked by a care organisation to prepare some presentations regarding wills and powers of attorney. We thought if this group would like some information and advice there may be other groups out there too who would like this.
If your clubs in and around Reigate are interested, we would be happy to give a similar presentation to your members. We could provide information about wills and powers of attorney, and give your members an opportunity to ask us any questions they may have.
We would be grateful if you could pass this message on to your clubs in the Reigate area. If they have any queries or would like to chat further about our proposed presentations please ask them to give me (Jennifer) or my colleague Louise a call on 01737 233555 or 01306 776444.
CALLING WEST MIDLANDS CLUBS
I have received the following message and replied that any clubs interested will contact her via her email address: callaghe@aston.ac.uk
I am a research scientist from Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing at Aston University, Birmingham. We are looking to hold workshops for groups of retired people around the West Midlands in order to raise awareness of research being done to benefit older adults. We think that the local Probus club members may be interested in getting involved.
We would be very grateful if you could provide us with the contact details of the appropriate personnel of the Probus clubs local to the West Midlands.
Many thanks
Eleanor Callaghan
Aston University, Birmingham
Are you trying to recruit?
We have a great story this year – the movement is 50 years old and still going strong! Why not send the History of Probus on this site to your local newspaper to stimulate an influx of new members.
I am keen to know how many Probus Clubs there are in the Uk and set up a network. Would you be keen to assist by county? At present we in Gloucestershire have approximately 56 clubs but only 12 on this system.
The other websites with details on cannot match this site. They are run down, out of date and unhelpful.
Lets get a Probus Network going and give an injection into a great meeting place enjoyed by all.
Great article from Mike Aggleton in the latest magazine.
CAN YOU HELP??
Last year, 66,000 children across England left primary school unable to read to the required level. Beanstalk, which is part of the Read On. Get On. coalition, aims to overcome this urgent issue through providing one-to-one reading support through volunteer reading helpers.
Beanstalk reading helpers are heroes to the children they help, improving their reading ability, transforming their confidence, and allowing them to reach their true potential.
Each Beanstalk reading helper supports three children and sees each child for two 30 minute sessions a week, during term-time, for three terms. With Beanstalk’s support, the child’s approach to learning and enjoying reading is transformed. 93% of all children supported by Beanstalk reading helpers make meaningful improvement in their reading ability.
Calling the Isle of Man! A lady named Rosemary `mills has just moved onto the island, near Douglas, and wonders if there is a Probus club she can join.
The only Probus Club with lady members on the Island is The All Island Probus Club and the Secretary is Jerry Deakin – no email unfortunately. I will email details to Rosemary.
A gentleman (ex 23378546 signalman Brown R. R. Cyprus 1957-1959) is working on a project referring to National Servicemen serving in Malaya from 1940 to 1960 and awarded the General Service Medal. He believes there are many untold experiences of the Malayan Emergency and hopes to publish them as a book. If you have a tale to tell please contact him by email: roger952brown@hotmail.co.uk.
We have invested in an Adastra DT 50 purchased on line from Henrys Electronics of 91,High st., Edgewater, gtr. London HA8 7DB.TEL.02072581831.
This is a table top one piece AMPLIFIER and comes with 2 wireless Mikes which can be used simultaneously. It can be run from the mains or 12v. and has its own rechargeable battery.We paid £174 but we paid extra for a lapelier mike. The set includes a free bag.
We use it in a medium sized room and it is perfectly adequate. Hope this helps.
A gentleman living in Walton-on-Thames is wondering is someone could put him in touch with his nearest Probus Club.
His details are: Russell H. Smith Tel. 01932 223 255
With gradually reducing numbers we have come to realise that the advent of U3A has vacuumed up some prospective members – we have Probus members that have joined U3A but not the reverse.
Another distraction is that these days Rotary membership does not cease at retirement and they are encourage to remain members.
I have not been able to down load this leaflet as yet. Can correct any misunderstanding in as much as I’m looking to improve my leaflet, not one I have not yet viewed.
Hi – I have received, via the website, a message from a lady living in Sunbury-on-Thames who is a former Rotary president and now wishes to join a Probus Club. Can anyone advise me where the nearest dual gender or women’s Probus Club to her is please?
Hi Alison – I’ve just tried to download the leaflet but am getting a warning message from my McAfee anti-virus that it potentially contains damaging virus or spyware. I know you wouldn’t put anything harmful on the site but I’m wondering if it has somehow become corrupted. I’d be grateful if you could check it out before I override my anti-virus checker! Thanks, Jill
Well – I managed to organise speakers by county today – a mammoth task. I hope it makes it easier to look for someone suitable.
Keith Thompson of Blackburn & District Probus Club
Does any Group have a recruiting poster that I could adapt as a means of increasing membership and not having to reinvent the wheel
If you look under “resources” then recruiting there is a leaflet template to download and adapt for your own club. You will need Word.
Reciprocal Speakers
My sincere thanks to Cirencester Probus Club for the excellent welcome given to me at the Inauguration of the Probus Clubs Reciprocal Speakers programme. The Probus Clubs Speakers Register website allows clubs to register “amateur” speakers who would be prepared to talk to other clubs on a reciprocal basis- the talks being free of charge. The facility is available to the nearly 100 clubs in the Midlands/West Country who use the website.
Introduced as a “virgin” speaker (do we want to be back there?), the subject of the talk (the Swordfish aircraft in the early years of WW2) seemed to be appreciated & I’ve been asked back in 2017 for the second part, so it couldn’t have been too bad! I especially enjoyed talking to the WW2 bomber pilot after the meeting!
Gloucester North Probus looks forward to the reciprocal talk from Malcolm Lewis in July.
Want to know more about the Reciprocal Speaker idea or interested in using the website (400+ speakers & 2400+ talks) ? Contact me: probus@aggleton.name
MIke Aggleton
Gloucester North Probus
In the spring issue of Probus Magazine I noted an article by Bryan Nagle (Basingstoke). My late father Fred Martindale, recorded his war story for the BBC and in it he relates how a “stoker Nagle” saved his life. Both served on Landing Crafts and wondered if there could be a connection.
My contact details are:
ericmartindale@ntlworld.com
Could someone please pass on the above message to your guest speaker Bryan Nagle (Basingstoke). Many thanks.
ProbusOneNorthampton…anyone in Northamptonshire who has a speaker list would be appreciated by John at johnkightley.m@btinternet.com or call me at 01604 754782
Hi everyone. I am getting so many enquiries from people wishing to join a Probus Club, and so many requests from clubs to make their content visible to all, that I have now unblocked all pages on the website. This means people can contact you directly rather than have to go through me. If you have any issues with this you can block your club page if you are the registered author. When you open your page to edit it, there is a box on the right which you need to click to block your page. I think – although only time will tell – only authors now need to register in order that they can edit their pages.
One of this years resolutions was to publish some details of our club on our page. Having now completed this task I look forward to increasing membership from 33 to 40+ by this time 2017. Now just 3 resolutions left to break!!
Alison thanks for all your hard work, happy new year.
Alan
Probus Speakers Secretaries AGM- Gloucestershire & surrounding counties.
Thanks to nearly 40 clubs who met at Barnwood, Gloucester on Friday 6 November to discuss the relatively new Probus Speakers Register website & how the use of the website to promote interaction between clubs- from reciprocal visits, reciprocal speakers to the potential of joint outings.
The meeting provoked lively discussion & was an excellent opportunity for clubs to get together to discuss common problems.
See you all again next year when hopefully we will see more clubs represented
Not a member of the group but in the Worcestershire/Warwickshire/
Birmingham/Cotswold/ Swindon/Wiltshire area & would like to have access to 400 speakers & 2000 talks?- email Mike Aggleton : probus@aggleton.name to find out more of what we think is a unique facility for Probus clubs.
Mike Aggleton
Hi – I have been contacted by Mr Neil Robertson wanting to join a Probus Club near Anstey in Leicestershire – does anyone know of a club local to him? His email address is below:
ngdr@talk21.com
Hi – does anyone have any funny explanations for the acronym PROBUS? I have Prostate Removed Other Bits Under Suspicion but there must be more…
ATTENTION NORTH EAST AND NORTH YORKSHIRE CLUBS
On behalf of the Teesside Centre of the Stephenson Locomotive Society I am pleased to invite PROBUS members throughout the North East and North Yorkshire to our prestige lecture about Eric Lomax, who has recently been portrayed by Colin Firth in ‘The Railwayman’ film. This will be the ‘Eric Lomax Photographic Collection’ by Dr. Michael Bailey at the Newport Settlement Hub, St. Pauls Road, Middlesbrough TS1 5NQ (off Union Street) at 7.00pm on Friday 4th December 2015.
This lecture has been delivered to and well received by a large audience in Edinburgh and is aimed at both the railway enthusiast and those with a general interest in Eric’s life.
Dr. Michael Bailey is a museum consultant, author, lecturer and broadcaster on early railway history. In 1999 he was awarded the first Doctorate of Philosophy from the Institute of Railway Studies, York. He is Past President of the Newcomen Society and currently President of the Stephenson Locomotive Society and President of the Friends of the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester.
Ian Clark.
SLS Teesside Centre Secretary. ianclark142@hotmail.com
CLUBS IN THE REIGATE AREA
We’re from a firm of solicitors with offices in Reigate and Dorking. We’ve recently been asked by a care organisation to prepare some presentations regarding wills and powers of attorney. We thought if this group would like some information and advice there may be other groups out there too who would like this.
If your clubs in and around Reigate are interested, we would be happy to give a similar presentation to your members. We could provide information about wills and powers of attorney, and give your members an opportunity to ask us any questions they may have.
We would be grateful if you could pass this message on to your clubs in the Reigate area. If they have any queries or would like to chat further about our proposed presentations please ask them to give me (Jennifer) or my colleague Louise a call on 01737 233555 or 01306 776444.
We look forward to hearing from you.
CALLING WEST MIDLANDS CLUBS
I have received the following message and replied that any clubs interested will contact her via her email address: callaghe@aston.ac.uk
I am a research scientist from Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing at Aston University, Birmingham. We are looking to hold workshops for groups of retired people around the West Midlands in order to raise awareness of research being done to benefit older adults. We think that the local Probus club members may be interested in getting involved.
We would be very grateful if you could provide us with the contact details of the appropriate personnel of the Probus clubs local to the West Midlands.
Many thanks
Eleanor Callaghan
Aston University, Birmingham
Are you trying to recruit?
We have a great story this year – the movement is 50 years old and still going strong! Why not send the History of Probus on this site to your local newspaper to stimulate an influx of new members.
I am keen to know how many Probus Clubs there are in the Uk and set up a network. Would you be keen to assist by county? At present we in Gloucestershire have approximately 56 clubs but only 12 on this system.
The other websites with details on cannot match this site. They are run down, out of date and unhelpful.
Lets get a Probus Network going and give an injection into a great meeting place enjoyed by all.
Great article from Mike Aggleton in the latest magazine.
CAN YOU HELP??
Last year, 66,000 children across England left primary school unable to read to the required level. Beanstalk, which is part of the Read On. Get On. coalition, aims to overcome this urgent issue through providing one-to-one reading support through volunteer reading helpers.
Beanstalk reading helpers are heroes to the children they help, improving their reading ability, transforming their confidence, and allowing them to reach their true potential.
Each Beanstalk reading helper supports three children and sees each child for two 30 minute sessions a week, during term-time, for three terms. With Beanstalk’s support, the child’s approach to learning and enjoying reading is transformed. 93% of all children supported by Beanstalk reading helpers make meaningful improvement in their reading ability.
To find out more, or to become a Beanstalk reading helper, call Beanstalk on 020 7729 4087 or visit http://www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk/reading-helpers
Calling the Isle of Man! A lady named Rosemary `mills has just moved onto the island, near Douglas, and wonders if there is a Probus club she can join.
Her email address is: rosemary mills@hotmail.co.uk
The only Probus Club with lady members on the Island is The All Island Probus Club and the Secretary is Jerry Deakin – no email unfortunately. I will email details to Rosemary.
Mike Heath
Probus Club of Western Mann
Thank you
A gentleman (ex 23378546 signalman Brown R. R. Cyprus 1957-1959) is working on a project referring to National Servicemen serving in Malaya from 1940 to 1960 and awarded the General Service Medal. He believes there are many untold experiences of the Malayan Emergency and hopes to publish them as a book. If you have a tale to tell please contact him by email: roger952brown@hotmail.co.uk.
Could anyone recommend a decent Portable Sound System for use in
a medium sized hall. one speaker would be ample.
We have invested in an Adastra DT 50 purchased on line from Henrys Electronics of 91,High st., Edgewater, gtr. London HA8 7DB.TEL.02072581831.
This is a table top one piece AMPLIFIER and comes with 2 wireless Mikes which can be used simultaneously. It can be run from the mains or 12v. and has its own rechargeable battery.We paid £174 but we paid extra for a lapelier mike. The set includes a free bag.
We use it in a medium sized room and it is perfectly adequate. Hope this helps.
Thank You Tony for the information,
Kind Regards
Geoff
A gentleman living in Walton-on-Thames is wondering is someone could put him in touch with his nearest Probus Club.
His details are: Russell H. Smith Tel. 01932 223 255
I was thinking of improving my clubs leaflet, not yours, and I can see where we can make improvements. Many thanks. Alan.
Source for new members your local U3A
We bought a Speakezy system that works very well from a company in Belper, Derbyshire. They advertise in the Probus magazine.
With gradually reducing numbers we have come to realise that the advent of U3A has vacuumed up some prospective members – we have Probus members that have joined U3A but not the reverse.
Another distraction is that these days Rotary membership does not cease at retirement and they are encourage to remain members.
Paul Flint
Would a web site for your club be a benefit lets know send into Alison lets communicate
Malcolm Lewis Cirencester PROBUS
I have not been able to down load this leaflet as yet. Can correct any misunderstanding in as much as I’m looking to improve my leaflet, not one I have not yet viewed.
Hi – I have received, via the website, a message from a lady living in Sunbury-on-Thames who is a former Rotary president and now wishes to join a Probus Club. Can anyone advise me where the nearest dual gender or women’s Probus Club to her is please?
How do I get details/copy of your recruitment leaflet. I have produced one for our club and would like to compare and maybe improve it.
Hi – it is on the website under resources. Just download it then change the bits you need to for your club. It is a Word document.
Hi Alison – I’ve just tried to download the leaflet but am getting a warning message from my McAfee anti-virus that it potentially contains damaging virus or spyware. I know you wouldn’t put anything harmful on the site but I’m wondering if it has somehow become corrupted. I’d be grateful if you could check it out before I override my anti-virus checker! Thanks, Jill
Yes – it’s a standard message because it’s not familiar with the website. Just override it – the Probus website is safe
Thanks, that’s great. I’ll download it now. Jill
Hi – it’s on the website under Resources. If you can improve it I would be very interested to see it and hopefully everyone can benefit. Alison