President’s Remarks
Thanks to all our members who were able to attend Trevor Proudman’s funeral at Astbury Church on 4 September.
Gillian and myself recently visited Ernie Beckett at the Poplars Care Home, Alsagers Bank, we found him well and sitting in a downstairs lounge with views overlooking the Cheshire Plain. He is happy in the home and sends his good wishes to all the members and friends at the club, and would welcome other visitors.
The Probus Club is open to new members, but please inform myself before bringing anyone to a meeting.
Alan Henshall has had his hip operation, and is now recuperating at home.
Doris Barnett who has been on many of the holidays is in Bradwell hospital and is very poorly.
On a final note, we are holding another “Musical Evening” with supper on the 14 October at 7.30pm. Don’t forget to bring along your choice of C.D’s.
Stephen
The Speaker today is Mr Keith Burkett who will talk to us about “The History of Roberts Bakery”.
Birthdays during October 2015
John Crutchley, Kenneth Williamson, Garry Bell, Michael Woodcock.
Probus Photo Competition
Congratulations to David Birchall on winning the probus photo competition which was the best entry, last month, voted for by members. The picture is of a Heron which David says was taken in Bakewell, Derbyshire.
Shrewsbury Flower Show
On a very wet day 36 of us enjoyed 6 hours of paddling in the park. The marquees were spectacular with displays of plants, shrubs, flowers of all types and colour; brilliant! The competition area was amazing; seven peas, three carrots, six potatoes all in neat
rows; the single and groups of every type of flowers made me wonder what went wrong in my garden.
How they chose a winner I don’t know. They all were so perfect and beautiful. The croft section, again so clever. The lecture department we couldn’t get near as everyone was packed in like sardines. Meanwhile out in the open we watched horse jumping, a jousting tournament, and (the black knight won each time) a motor bike display. We sang along with the choir and the brass bands. Where else in England would you see fifty or so OAP sitting in the rain, umbrellas up, listening to the choir singing selections from “South Pacific”.
Close by was a caravan advising on Dementia? Funny! When I jokingly said that I was enjoying my visit to Southport flower show, I was manhandled to the said advisor. I must not try to be funny to a well-meaning helper. It is quite surprising what enjoyment you can get by people watching and chatting to all and sundry. I was told many times “Wet isn’t it” or “it will go off about two according to the weather man” and it did.
Frank Timmis
News from across the Atlantic Ocean
Harvey Snider has been in touch with the club to say how much he thoroughly enjoys reading the newsletters, thanks to the internet. It was on Wednesday 26 August 2009 that Harvey attended a probus meeting held at the Rifleman Inn, as a guest of Alan Henshall and he was presented with a probus badge to remind him of his visit
Harvey who resides in Cleveland, Ohio, USA says that he has fully retired from the practice of Law and is enjoying the benefits of retirement. He attends the Cleveland Orchestra Concerts, various classes at Case Western Reserve University, lectures at Cleveland Museum of Art and Travel. This month takes him to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada for the George Bernard Shaw Theatre Festival. He plans to visit Santa Barbara, California and San Francisco in October and then a winter journey in February to Costa Rica and return from Florida via Savannah, Georgia, Charleston, South Carolina and Hilton Head, North Carolina.
He says keep up the fine Newsletters and of course the best of success and health to all members of the Probus Club of Kidsgrove (especially Alan Henshall).
I have sent Harvey an e-mail saying that it was a lovely surprise hearing from him and returned our best wishes from all at the Probus Club of Kidsgrove.
Michael
Holiday at Bognor Regis at Royal Norfolk Hotel
At the request of our members we brought the holiday forward to August. Mainly to get better weather and more entertainment. Ha! Ha1 Monday – Monsoon; Tuesday – Gales &Rain, – Wednesday – only rain. Theatre was closed until September. Thursday & Friday were very nice.
Did we enjoy it? Yes. Hotel was as good as we have had. Thirty two sea view bedrooms, great position on sea front. Coach and driver very good. Staff excellent. Entertainment the usual singers with their own set programme of 60’s and 70’s music. Good sing song and the odd dance and Bingo, Cards and dominoes and a large television together with comfortable settees and easy chairs and great company.
The trips out were to (i) Portsmouth; some had boat trips viewing the ships old and new. We all got soaked. The coach became a hover craft and we cancelled the second stop at Southsea to dry out at the hotel. (i) Amberley Working Museum & Heritage Centre. Steam train and old style ‘bus was used to travel the spread out site. Interesting! Short break at Arundel, a pretty old type river town. Mainly a lunch break and then on to Worthing. Nice Victorian seaside. Good shopping centre and pleasant pier. (iii) Chichester. We alighted the coach at the Bishop’s Garden which took us to the Cathedral. Both were very interesting. A quick lunch in a pleasant town. On to a surprising sea side town, Littlehampton. You don’t hear much about it. It was full of youngsters having an old fashioned sand sea and amusements holiday. Very enjoyable.
On each trip Tony, the driver, went off course to show us the area. The South Downs is a beautiful area. The free days were Tuesday and Wednesday. The terrible weather cancelled the planned Bowls and indeed limited any exploration of Bognor itself. A long prom, very clean, a long established park with lake and steam train, no great shopping area (good news that) and a cinema. All had had good several stories later. Better weather would have improved things but I had another enjoyable and happy holiday with the good company making up for the wet.
Frank Timmis
Walk Report – September 2015
September’s walk started from Deep Hayes Country Park and went along the Cauldon Canal to Cheddleton Flint Mill. We then walked up through the old part of Cheddleton and skirted round the Country Park eventually ending up back on the canal at the Holly Bush Inn, Dentford. We had lunch here; the food was good and the pub very pleasant. We then had about a 15 minute walk along the canal and arrived back at our cars at about 2:30.
Six members and three ladies attended. The distance travelled was about five miles through very attractive Staffordshire Moorlands countryside with, it was agreed some very fine views.
Garry Bell
Dates for your Diary
| Wednesday | 30 Sept 2015 | Probus Ordinary Meeting at the Cricket Club. Meet 9.30am for 10.00am start. |
| Wednesday | 7 Oct 2015 | The walk will be around Rudyard Lake. Meet at the car park in Heathcote Street, Kidsgrove at 9.30am. Lunch will be taken at the Rudyard Lake Hotel afterwards. |
| Tuesday | 13 Oct 2015 | Probus Bowls at the Biddulph Valley Leisure Centre. Start 11.00am – 13.00pm. Meet at the centre. Lunch afterwards at the Roaring Meg Pub. |
| Wednesday | 14 Oct 2015 | Probus Music Evening at the Cricket Club. Meet at 7.30pm. Bring along a C.D of your choice and select a track to be played. Oatcakes with Cheese are on the menu. Everyone welcome. |
| Wednesday | 28 Oct 2015 | Probus Ordinary Meeting at the Cricket Club. Meet 9.30am for 10.00am start. |
Any articles or information to be included in the Probus Newsletter needs to be in the hands of the editor, Michael Nield, ten days prior to the monthly meeting. E-Mail to michael.nield@btinternet.com