Raith of Kirkcaldy | probusonline.org

RAITH PROBUS CLUB 2024/25

The Probus Club movement was formed in the United Kingdom in 1965. A Probus club is a local association of retired and semi-retired professional and business people and others who have had some measure of responsibility in any field of worthy endeavour, who are of character and respected in their communities. Clubs meet regularly for fellowship and an extension of their interests. The name is an amalgam of the abbreviation of the words professional and business. Each Probus club is autonomous. There is no central organisation and each club sets its own rules. New members welcome.

President: Ian Gardner

Vice President: Bill Brown

Immediate Past President: John Hamilton

Secretary: Allister Todd

Treasurer: Charlie Low

Club contact: Allister Todd, Secretary.

The Club meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 10:30am. We meet at Pathhead Parish Church Hall, 33 Harriet Street, Kirkcaldy KY1 2AG.

The next meeting will be on the 16 July.2024

FUTURE TALKS:

If any club member has had a particularly interesting career or has a hobby and wishes to share by giving a talk, please contact any committee member.

Raith Probus Club

Meeting Number 945

Pathhead Church 2nd July 2024

INSTALLATION OF NEW PRESIDENT.

In President John Hamilton’s absence due to illness, prospective Vice President Bill Brown opened the meeting at 10:30. There were 43 members present with 6 apologies and 1 guest; Graham Proudfoot with Charlie Low.

Bill then invited Past President George Grant to install Ian Gardner as the new President with Bill as the new Vice President.

President Ian thanked the past president, John Hamilton and all those who had supported him in his time as vice president and said that he had enjoyed visiting all the different groups in the club during that time. Ian also thanked everyone for the support given to him over the past few days after the sudden and very sad loss of his son.

The death of previous club member George Anthony, who will be remembered by many in the club, was announced and a minutes’ silence was observed. His funeral will be at Kirkcaldy crematorium on the 9th July at 12:45.

Previous minutes: Charlie Low requested that Sandy Robb be added to the thanks for auditing the financial statement in minute 944 of 4th June, which has been done.

REPORTS

IT: Jim Neilson: the new projector, with sound, has been tested and was demonstrated to those present.

Membership: Ray Griffiths & Bob Taylor: nothing to report.

Press: Malcolm Walker: nothing to report.

Recorder: Bob Terras: nothing to report.

Probus web: Bob Terras: has now taken over from Graeme and he is trying to get to grips with the complexities of the web.

Welfare: Tom Reilly: reported that David Cruikshank is now well supported.

Treasurer: Charlie Low: will be collecting the annual fee over the next few weeks.

Secretary: Allister Todd: nothing to report.

Vice President: Bill Brown: nothing to report.

STANDING ORDER REPORTS

Speakers: Charlie Low: all ongoing.

Social: nothing to report.

CONVENERS REPORTS

Bowls: Jack Lowther: no report

Cycling: John Chalmers: there had been one outing of the group; leaving cars at Inverkeithing two members cycled to Blackness Castle and back to the cars.

Gardening: Ron Steedman: Group next meet on the 18th of July at 10:00am when the meeting will be at Jim Neilson’s house (6 Oriel Crescent) to look around his garden. The 15th August will be the annual competition at Kirkcaldy Golf Club, which will be for garden flowers.

Golf: Ray Griffiths: The last outing was to Lochgelly on the 20th June when the longest drive was won by David Thomson who was the only one to reach the green. Next Outing – 25th July 2024. Dunnikier Golf Club. 10.00am, contact John Fairfull.

Lottery: Charlie Low: nothing to report.

Photography: Allister Todd: The next meeting will be on Thursday 25th July. Unfortunately, there was a problem with the laptop at the June meeting and we were unable to have the meeting and left after having coffee.

Snooker: Malcolm Walker: nothing to report.

Walkers: Ken Campbell: Next Walk – Tuesday 23rd July 2024. Union canal Edinburgh to Slateford, details at next meeting.

SPEAKER: todays speaker, Dallas Seawright was introduced as the Conservation Manager of Fife Coast and Countryside Trust

As Conservation Manager his role is to facilitate the work of the conservation team, enabling the generation and delivery of conservation projects and community engagement activities across Fife.

These activities include biodiversity improvement, habitat management and species monitoring on Fife Coast and Countryside Trust’s sites, contributing to the Fife Biodiversity Action Plan and involving volunteers to benefit habitats for both wildlife and people.

Dallas outlined the problems of bringing together groups with differing aspirations and working across boundaries either farm or council. His remit covered Fife Pilgrim’s Way, Fife Coastal Path, Lomond Hills Regional Park, Beaches and Local Nature Reserves.

He showed slides of some of the Local Nature reserves such as Birnie and Gaddon Lochs.

His talk was very informative and gave a clear outline of his work and the problems involved. He also talked about re-naturing and re-wilding and noted that ‘the right to roam’ should be looked at as ‘a right to responsible access’.

Further information can be found at fifecoastandcountrysidetrust.co.uk.Top of Form

Bottom of Form

The Vote of Thanks was given by Bob Docherty.

Next Meeting: the next meeting will be on the 16th July 2024 when the speaker will be Alan Crow: The topic ’43 Years Typing with Two Fingers’. Vote of thanks by John Fairfull.

AOCB.

The meeting closed at 11:53am.

Allister Todd

Secretary

PHOTOGRAPHS:

Silverburn to Lower Largo – 28 May 2024

Dundee Riverside walk 23rd April 2024

Kinghorn Loch March 2024

Murrayfield November 2023

Aberdour to Dalgety Bay – 24th October 2023

“Christmas” Highest Break

Birnie and Gaddon Lochs – 26 Sept. 2023

Loch Ore Meadows 29 August 2023 – Walking Group

Gardening Group Competition 2023.

Blackford July 2023

Burntisland to Aberdour – 27th June 2023

Golf – Scoonie GC – 22nd June 2023

Fountainbridge to Slateford – May 2023

Hampden – May 2023

Bunnet Stane

Winner of ” The Great Easter Break” is Jack Lowther.

Raith Probus cyclists -March 2023

Raith Probus walk -March 2023

Loch Leven 28 February 2023

Loch Leven walk 14 Feb 2023

Scots Night 2023

Annual Quiz Winners 2023

Golf New Year Meal

Snooker Champ 2022 – John Johnson.

Excellent break of 38 (4 Blacks, 1 Blue and 5 Reds).

Formonthills walk 22November 2022

Cramond Walk 29-Nov-2022

Slateford to Dean Bridge Walk, Edinburgh

25th October 2022

Annual Dinner October 2022

Kirkcaldy half-marathon course 21st September – 13.5 miles

Dean Bridge to Murrayfield walk – August 2022

Flower Competition 2022

1- Jim Neilson; 2 – Andy Morrison; 3 – Ron Steedman.

Incoming President Bob Terras and Vice President Colin Johnston

Cycling. A successful outing was held on the West Fife Way.

40th Anniversary of the founding of Raith Probus Club

Ian Gunn – Highest break 27 May 2022

Big Break winner – Ken Campbell. 22 points.

Lundin Links outing 21st April.

Big break winner, Ken Miller 12 points!!

North Queensferry August 2021

Balbirnie and Braes Loan, Markinch 29 Jun 2021 (at last we’ve got a new member!)

Markinch Heritage Rural Walk

The person taking the photo declined to be in one as he was in disgrace as he managed to get everyone lost for over 1 hour. Any smiles are ones of relief at arriving back.