PROBUS- Ringwood and District UK

The News Page


	All Change !

	After The AGM in March, our outgoing president, George Macree (right) is seen here handing over the “Reigns of Power” - along with the chain of office - to our new president for 2010-11, Denis Killen. George admitted to Denis that his year in office had gone by all too quickly and advised him to enjoy every minute of it. Our new president is a “seasoned campaigner” who, as well as being a past-president of Ringwood Rotary, is still an active member of that branch.


		*March 2010*


	We all join George in wishing Denis a happy and most enjoyable presidency in the coming year.


	The New Committee


	As well as a change of president, the AGM also brings about a change in our committee. The members of our new committee (2010-11) will be:

George Macree
Jim Hogg
David Hirst
Gerry Milsted
Barrie Noakes
Ken Corcoran

Past President
Vice President
Junior Vice President
Hon. Secretary
Hon. Treasurer
Hon. Social Sec.

Just A Note

Gwyn Lewis
Ron Martin
Noel Hindmarsh
Norman Walters
Norman Lawson
Tom Cook

Hon. Asst. Sec.
Hon. Asst. Treasurer
Welfare Officer
Member
Member
Member


	The more observant of you may have noticed that Denis and George are resting their hands on what appears to be a miner’s lamp. Top marks for observation! It is a miner’s lamp. It was given to Ringwood PROBUS as a gift by our our friends in Oberhausen PROBUS during a visit there a number of years ago. Each meeting it is brought out to enjoy pride of place along with the Presidents board.


	A Bit About Us


	We are the Ringwood & District Branch of PROBUS, in Hampshire (UK) and are part of a worldwide organisation (there’s a Ringwood PROBUS in Australia - don’t get us confused or you may have a long drive). We are nominally a luncheon club for retired men (but more about that later), meet once a month (more about that later, too) when we enjoy a good lunch, catch up on the gossip and listen to an after lunch speaker.

	We are always being asked how we got our our name, so I can do no better than quote Rotarian Harold Blanchard of Caterham’s "The Birth of Probus" in which he says:


	“..One of our more erudite members came up with the idea of PROBUS, - PROfessional and BUSiness. He assured us that Probus was a Latin word from which "probity" was derived, and the name was adopted with enthusiasm. Incidentally we found there was a village in Cornwall called Probus and also there was a Roman Emperor of the same name who in his day was famous for his cultivation of the vine”.


	I like that bit about “cultivation of the vine”. He would have made a first rate Probusarian.

As well as our monthly meetings, we have plenty of social outings, which range from things like boat trips up the river to Wareham to continental trips (including the occasional trip to visit our “twinned” PROBUS club at Oberhausen in Germany) when wives, and friends are most welcome.

Let’s see . . . then there’s Dinners, Coffee Mornings, Skittle Nights, Brunches . . . but why go on? Just have a look at our Diary Page and you’ll soon get the idea.


	If you want further info, email our secretary at