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.
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.
.
Web Site
I reported to the meeting on 21st January on two matters
- Access to our Raith Probus Web Site using Fife Council Libraries.
- Suggested Raith Probus continuing use of our Web Site Example shown below
- Libraries in Fife have a Public Area with a bank of computers.
To access our Raith Probus Web page please use the following method using the Library Computer.
- Switch on a Computer and On theScreen .
- Type in your :- Library Number. (Using your Library card that you will need)
- Type in your :- Library PassNumber
- Type in your :- Google User Name or Number
- Type in your :- Google PassWord
- Type :- Raith Probus
- Double Click on the Probus Online link given.
Last year as a member of Kirkcaldy Speakers Club prepared a short speech Where The Wild Things are
2. Where The Wild Things Are
As a boy I remember my mother’s plaintiff cry one morning. “ We have another Pee the Bed”.
Hiding under the covers , it was not me.
The question is then to you all. Has your life been plagued by Pee the Beds.?
I refer of course to the wild flowering plant Taraxacumen a large family of flowering plants growing wild in our Garden.
Memories of this time to learning to count using the seed head to blow as I am sure we have all done. One o’clock, Two o’clock etc or I am sure repeating the rhyme, Mary Queen of Scots had her head chopped off, as we used our fingers to pop off and remove the flower head.
I refer of course to our common Dandelion.
The species of Taraxacumen we know are native to the Northern Hemisphere.
Dandelions are thought to have evolved in Eurasia. Dandelions have been used by humans for food and as a herb in traditional Chinese medicine.
Nutrition
Raw dandelion leaves contain high amounts of vitamins A,C and K and are moderate sources of potassium, calcium, iron and Manganese.
Edibility
The entire plant is edible which and nutritious. You have to blanche the leaves which are slightly bitter.
Many recipes exist
Dandelion tea because the plant is known for its Diuretic use.
Dandelion Jelly
Dandelion roots are delicious cleaning and boiled adding a knob of butter, salt and pepper.
(used to do this when camping with the Boy Scouts)
Dandelion ground roasted roots can be used as a caffeine-free coffee.
Dandelion and Burdock
This a beverage consumed in the British Isles since the Middle Ages. It was originally a type of light mead but over the years has evolved into the carbonatedsoft drink commercially available today.[1] Traditionally, it was made from fermented dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and burdock (Arctium lappa) roots, hence the name.
Marketing.
Many supermarket and on line web sites offer to purchase a variety of Dandelion drinks and supplements.
For example
Dandelion and Burdock Root Tea.
Dandelion and Burdock Gin.
Dye.
The yellow flowers can be dried and ground in to a yellow – pigmented powder.
Allergies
Care must be taken for possible skin reaction to the latex in the stem and leaves. The Latex I will refer to later.
Seeds
Taraxacum seeds are an important food source for many birds.
Leaves.
Leaves can be used with your salad or sandwich making.
Nectar
Dandelions are also important for Northern Hemisphere Butterflies and bees.
Benefits to Gardeners
With a wide range of use, the Dandelion can be cultivated in small gardens to massive farms. Being kept as a companion plant, its taproot brings up nutrients for shallow rooting plants. It is also known to attract pollinating insects and release ethaline gas which helps fruit to ripen.
Cultural Importance
The Dandelion is the official flower of The University of Rochester in New York State and “ Dandelion Yellow” is one of the schools’ official colours.
The “ Dandelion Yellow” is an official Rochester song.
A Source of Natural Rubber
Earlier I referred to the latex within the Dandelion stem.
Dandelions secret latex when the tissues are broken
The Russian dandelion is a species that produced useful amounts during WW2. Using modern cultivating methods scientists developed a method to process the production of natural rubber. The dandelion latex produced has the same propertied of natural rubber obtained from trees.
The Continental Tyre company has built a pilot tyre making facility. In May 2014 the first prototype test tyres were produced using a blend of dandelion latex.
In December 2017 , Linglong Group Limited Company in China invested $450 million in to making commercially viable rubber from Dandelions.
Summary
Where the wild things are.
Found in your garden and in our countryside.
The Dandelion
Raith Probus Club
Meeting Number 958
Pathhead Church 4th February 2025
President Ian Gardner opened the meeting at 10:30 am, with 44 members present, 9 apologies and 1 guest; John Wilson a guest of Jack Lowther. The speaker was running late (our fault not his) and was expected by the end of the reports.
A minute’s silence was held in memory if George Souter a past member who died recently. His funeral is on 12th February at 11:00am
Previous minutes: 21st January no matters arising.
REPORTS
IT: Jim Neilson. No report.
Membership: Bob Taylor. Reported the attendance numbers.
Press: Malcolm Walker. No report. Alistair Hugh is standing in for today’s press report.
Recorder: Bob Terras. He has a few printed copies of the membership list for those who wish them.
Probus web: Bob Terras. Bob urged members to use the website for information and to forward items etc for uploading to the Web site.
Treasurer: Charlie Low. Nothing to Report.
Welfare: Tom Reilly: No Report
Secretary: Allister Todd. I appreciate the emailed copies of the reports that I receive.
I have also intimated to the President and Vice President that I will be giving up the secretaryship after the AGM in June.
Vice President: Bill Brown. Nothing to report.
STANDING ORDER REPORTS
Speakers. Charlie Low: In place up to and including July, 2025.
Social. Ragnar Ingebrigtsen. Nothing to Report.
CONVENERS REPORTS
Bowls: Jack Lowther: There will be a Probus indoor competition at Abbeyview.
Cycling. John Chalmers. Nothing to Report
Gardening. Ron Steedman. No meetings until 20th March.
Golf: John Fairfull: A festive lunch was held on 30th January at Dunnikier Golf Club with ten members attending.
Robin McAlpine has now taken over as Golf Convenor and will be assisted by Alistair Hugh.
Lottery: Charlie Low. Investment made for February, 2025.
Photography: Allister Todd. The next meeting will be on Thursday 27th February at Balwearie Golf Club.
Snooker: Malcolm Walker. There will be a meal on the 7th February at 1:00 pm.
Walkers: Ken Campbell. There will be information at the 18th February meeting.
SPEAKER: As the speaker hadn’t yet arrived Charlie Low filled in time by inviting members to remember older, now non-existing shops along the High Street. This was followed by John Hamiton with a reserve talk on Scottish Canals but this was cut short when the speaker arrived.
Jack Lowther introduced today’s speaker, Andrew Barrowman CEO at Raith Rovers FC.
Andrew, an ex-footballer himself who gained a degree in business management spoke well and gave an account of the problems of running a football club while trying not to incur any penalties for breaking spending rules while in a situation where the Premier League clubs make many of the rules to protect their own status
Andrew felt that while Raith had a very good season last year, they were not ready for the Premier League, partly due to the gulf in cash between that allocated to the premier clubs and that to those in the lower divisions, a self-perpetuating situation. He felt that a time scale for Rovers to aim for to reach the Premier League would be four to six years.
Andrew spoke without notes and his talk elicited many questions from an audience with many keen Raith Rovers fans.
Bottom of Form
The Vote of Thanks was given by Bob Mullen.
Next Meeting; will be on the 18th February 2025; speaker Lawrie Brewster; topic ‘Producing Movies’
AOCB: There will be a committee meeting at 10:00am on 8th April at the West End Congregational Church.
The meeting closed at 11:40am.
Allister Todd,
Secretary
Special thanks to the photographer for the day Ken Campbell
Bob Terras Raith Probus Club
Walking Group
Future Walk
PHOTOGRAPHS:
Balbirnie Dec 2024
2024 Kinghorn to Kirkcaldy Walk
2024 Burntisland Visit
2024 Photograph Competition
2024 October Tayport

sdr
2024 September Elie
2024 August Pittenweem
2024 July Forth & Clyde Canal Edinburgh
2024 July Forth & Clyde Canal Edinburgh
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!)
Letham Glen walk – 28 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
- Title
The club shall be called Raith Probus Club of Kirkcaldy
2. 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.
3. Membership
(i) The total of active members shall not exceed one hundred.
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. Admission to the Club shall be determined by interview of the proposed new member by the President and two other Committee members.
(ii) The Committee shall have the power to recommend the election of members as Honorary Life Members, within the active membership numbers. Such members 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.
iii) If any member conducts himself in a manner which discredits the Club, or acts willfully in contravention of the Constitution of the Club, the Executive Committee shall have the power to suspend that member until the matter can be fully considered at the next meeting of the Executive 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 by any member of his choice. 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 be heard by an Appeals Committee comprising of three of the most recent available Past Presidents of the Club. At that meeting the member has the right to be accompanied by a member of his choice. The Appeals Committee decision shall be final.
4. Office Bearers
(i) There shall be a President, Vice President, 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, whose names can be found on the current membership list. Within this group the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Welfare Officer, Press Correspondent, Recorder, IT Correspondent and Immediate Past President shall constitute the Executive Committee.
- The President of the Club shall hold office for one year, unless there are extenuating reasons why this period should be extended. Officers and Committee members shall be eligible for re- election each year at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). If for any reason an AGM cannot be held then these office bearers’ term of office shall be extended until such times as an AGM, or an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) can be constituted.
Six members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum and the Committee shall have the power to co-opt and appoint one or more Sub-Committees. Committee Conveners shall be able to co-opt members who may have expertise useful for any issues under consideration by that Committee. In the event of it being unlikely that the President can continue to officiate then the Vice President shall assume the role of President with the appointment of a new Vice President. Both these officials will see out that presidential year and assume the posts in the next year i.e. there will be no appointments for these posts at the AGM at the end of the retired President’s year of office.
In the event of there being any reason necessitating a suspension of meetings or in the event of closure of the Club all committee members shall remain in office until an EGM can be called to review the situation.
- An Executive Committee (see 1) shall have the power to manage any urgent or unforeseen event or set of circumstances which may arise.
4. Meetings
- 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.
- An Annual General Meeting shall be held in June of each year at such time and place as may be determined by the At least two weeks’ notice of such meeting must be given in writing to each member.
- 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
- Voting at all meetings, including Committee meetings, shall be by a show of hands or by ballot if so In the event of an equal division of votes: the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote,
5. 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 and may not attend the Annual General Meeting, but would be welcome to participate in Club activities.
- Subscriptions
- There shall be an annual subscription, the amount of which shall be determined each year at the Annual General Meeting. The subscription year shall run from September to August each year. Any member joining during the subscription year shall be required to pay the whole or part subscription depending on the date of joining. (see 7 iii). Life members will not be required to pay an annual subscription. Members who are unable to attend regularly but wish to remain in membership can do so by payment of their subscription.
- To confirm membership all subscriptions should be paid by the last day in August in any year unless the Club is unable to meet for an extended period due to unforeseen circumstances.
(iii) Months left in current subscription year:
September – November 100% of current subscription.
December – February 75% of current subscription.
March – May 50% of current subscription.
June – August 25% of current subscription.
- Capital Expenditure
Expenditure, other than revenue expenditure, will be brought before the Treasurer and one other Executive Committee member for approval, who would then consider and decide on the proposed purchase. The Treasurer would then inform the Executive Committee at the next scheduled meeting.
If necessary, the request, if not approved by these two Executive Committee members, may be referred to the Committee of the Club for consideration and either approval or rejection of the request.
- Accounts
A Receipts and Payments account for the Financial Year to 31st March shall be prepared, and after audit by two members of the Club appointed at the previous Annual General Meeting, be present for approval at the Annual General Meeting.
The foregoing Constitution and Rules were agreed at the inaugural meeting of the Club on 22nd June 1982, and as amended at General Meetings.