Raith of Kirkcaldy

RAITH PROBUS CLUB 2023/24
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: John Hamilton

Vice President: Ian Gardner

Immediate Past President: Bob Terras

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 3rd October 2023 when the speaker will be Guthrie Hunter speaking on the subject of Cupar Museum; Vote of Thanks by Peter Shields.

 

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.

 

CLUB REPORTS:

IT Team – Nothing to report. Further information: Jim Neilson 

Bowls – Convener; Mike Paton. Jack Lowther will take over the winter bowling schedule.   Further information: Mike Paton.

Cycling – Convener;  Nothing to report.

Gardening – Convener; Sandy Robb.  –  The next meeting is on 23rd September.   Further information: Sandy Robb or Ron Steedman.

Golf – The next outing is to Thornton GC on Thursday 21st September, tee off at 1pm.  Further information: John Fairfull.

Treasurer – Charlie Low:  The membership fee is now due and payment is now being accepted. Standing order can also be used if preferred.

Photography – Convener;  The next meeting will be on the 28th September, when we will judge the photographic competition. Further information: Allister Todd.
Press – Convener; No report.  Malcolm is looking for someone to stand in for him in October.

Recorder – We will look again to see if we can find the file with the signatures that we require to conform to the Data Protection Act.  Further information: Bob Terras.

Snooker – Convener; Malcolm Walker.  Styx Snooker Club. Every Friday – 11am to 1pm.  There will be a lunch after snooker on the 15th September.  Further information: Malcolm Walker.

Treasurer – Charlie Low.  Finances are healthy at present.

Vice President – Ian reported on his visit to snooker where he was very impressed with the organisation and camaraderie.

Walking – Convener; Ken Campbell. The next walk will be around Birnie and Gaddon lochs on the 26th September, meet at 10am at Birnie loch car park, sat .nav. KY15 7UT.  Further information: Ken Campbell.

Web Page – Graeme Burns.   Updated 25 September 2023.

Welfare – Vacant. Charlie Low reported that George Grant was tired but continuing his recovery. David McDonald was sleeping when he called and his wife Eileen has a broken pelvis following a car accident

 

SOCIAL EVENTS: 

Ragnar reported on the successful visit to Pitlochry Theatre on Sunday.

Today is the last day to return menus for the annual dinner.

Names are being taken for the visit to Murrayfield on the 19th October and will be by car at a cost of £26 including lunch.

Bill Stenhouse is taking names for the visit to the Adam Smith Theatre for the production ‘Made in Dagenham’ on the 18th November.

 

PHOTOGRAPHS:

 

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.

 

Letham Glen walk – 28 July 2020

 

Walking group 14 July 2020

 

Lockdown Walking group July 2020

 

Walkers – 26 November 2019 – Formonthills, Glenrothes.

 

Amazon visit November 2019

 

Cyclists.

 

Visit to Tulliallan.

 

Crossgates Gardeners

 

Wullie’s allotment

 

Doubles Competition July 2019

 

Cramond Walkers October 2019

 

Cyclists – Loch Leven

 

 

CONSTITUTION AND RULES OF RAITH PROBUS CLUB OF KIRKCALDY

1. Title

The club shall be called Raith Probus Club of Kirkcaldy

 

  1. Aims and Objectives

The purpose of the Club is to provide a regular meeting point for retired business and professional men who appreciate and value in their retirement increased social contacts and opportunities to meet others in similar circumstances.  The club shall be non-political and non-sectarian.

 

  1. Membership

(i)  Membership shall be open to all professional and business men aged sixty years or over, resident in Kirkcaldy and District, who have fully or partially retired from their normal business or profession.  The restriction regarding residence or age may be waived at the discretion of the Committee.  Applications for membership shall be sponsored by two existing members and shall be subject to approval by the Committee.

(ii)  The total of active members shall not exceed one hundred.  In the event of a member requiring prolonged absence on account of his own or wife’s/partner’s illness, such a member shall be transferred to the inactive list, and any members on the inactive list shall not be included in the complement of one hundred. If a member on the inactive list subsequently requests a transfer back to the active list, his request shall be granted immediately and his membership shall be in addition to the one hundred until a vacancy occurs when he shall fill the vacancy taking priority over anyone on the waiting list.

(iii) The Committee shall have the power to recommend the election of gentlemen as Honorary Life Members, within the active membership numbers.  Such gentlemen shall be those who in the opinion of the Committee have contributed service of an outstanding nature to the Club and who have shown a sustained interest in the club or the community.

(iv) If a member conducts himself in a manner which discredits the Club, or willfully contrary to the Constitution of the Club, The Executive Committee shall have the power to suspend the member until the matter can be fully considered at the next occurring meeting of the Committee.  A letter shall be written to the member notifying him of the allegations against him and the basis of the allegations, inviting him to a meeting to discuss the matter, and advising him that he has the right to be accompanied. If, subsequently, a member is called upon to resign and fails to comply within fourteen days after the request is dispatched, he will be expelled from the Club. The member shall have the right to appeal against the disciplinary decision of the full Committee and this must be lodged in writing with the Secretary within fourteen days of the Committee’s decision.  In the event of an appeal, this will heard by an appeal Committee comprising of three Past Presidents of the Club and at the meeting the member has the right to be accompanied.  The Appeals Committee decision shall be final.

 

  1. Office Bearers

(i)  There shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Recorder, Press Correspondent, Social convener, Speaker’s Convener and Welfare Officer and the general affairs of the Club shall be managed by the Committee of those Officers with the Immediate Past President and the various Conveners.

(ii)  The President of the Club shall hold office for one year and the Officers and Committee members shall be eligible for re-election each year. Six members of the Committee members shall constitute a quorum and the Committee shall have the power to co-opt and appoint one or more Sub-Committees.  In the event that the President is unable to carry out his duties within his period of office the Vice President and an Acting Vice President  will be appointed.  Similarly, in the event of the Vice President is unable to carry out his duties within his period of office, an Acting Vice President will be appointed

 

(iii)  An Executive Committee comprising the President, Vice President, Immediate Past President,  Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Welfare Officer shall have the power to manage any urgent or unforeseen event or set of circumstances which may arise.

 

  1. Meetings

(i)  The regular meetings shall take place at a suitable venue in the Kirkcaldy area and will be held on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 10:30am and at such intervals as may be decided by the Committee.

 

(ii)  An Annual General Meeting shall be held in June of each year at such time and place as may be determined by the Committee.  At least two weeks’ notice of such meeting must be given in writing to each member.

 

(iii)  The Secretary shall call a Special General Meeting on the written request of not less than fifteen members and shall give to all members, in writing, at least two weeks’ notice of such a meeting.

 

(iv) Voting at all meetings, including Committee meetings, shall be by a show of hands or by ballot if so desired.  In the event of an equal division of votes:  the Chairman of the meetings shall have a second or casting vote.

 

  1. Visitors

Members may introduce male guests at meetings, but the same guest shall not be brought to a meeting more than six times in any Presidential year but may not attend the Annual General Meeting but would be welcome to participate in Club activities.

 

  1. Subscriptions

(i)  There shall be an annual subscription, the amounts of which will be determined each year at the Annual General Meeting.  Any member joining during the year shall only be required to pay the next annual subscription when it becomes due.  An inactive member will not be required to pay an annual subscription.

 

(ii)  To confirm membership all subscriptions should be paid by the last day of August in any year.

 

  1. Accounts

An Income and Expenditure Account for the year to the 31st March each year shall be prepared, and after audit by two members of the Club appointed at the previous Annual General Meeting, be presented to the members for approval at the Annual general Meeting.

 

The forgoing Constitution and Rules were agreed at the Inaugural meeting of the Club on 22nd June 1982, and as amended at General Meetings.

(Signed)   John Fairfull, President               (Signed)  Malcolm Walker, Secretary           4th  April 2019