History - Kelvin Probus

DRAFT

Kelvin Probus Club History

Introduction

Ian Mann, a Past Secretary, wrote a history at the time of the Club’s 25^th Anniversary in 2014. The following narrative would not have been possible without his efforts. Moreover, the late Stewart Roy added material and made further refinements when the Probus website was set up in 2016. This update arises from the Committee’s agreement that with the fault line created by the Covid-19 pandemic required a review of the Club’s history. This specific history has been crafted by John Walls further building on previous authors’ work with refinements and inputs from many contributors to bring the history up to the present time.

The Origins

Kelvin Probus Club is one of many in the UK and overseas. The British Probus Club movement did not start until 1965. The idea of Probus Clubs spawned from members of the Rotary Club movement who, as they approached retirement, realised the need for continuing fellowship. The name “Probus” is derived from the first three letters of ‘PROfessional and BUSiness’. It had the advantage that it is a Latin word from which ‘probity’ is derived. The movement provides the opportunity for retired and semi-retired professional and businessmen to meet up with like minded others and keep themselves up to date with what was happening in the wider world.

This was certainly the motivation for the establishment of the Kelvin Probus Club in 1989. In February of that year, Walter Caldwell, with the enthusiastic support of Jim Scobbie, and the encouragement of Kelvin Rotary Club, took the first steps to establish a Probus Club in the West End of Glasgow. The two originators contacted many of their friends, and advertised in a local paper the date for an exploratory meeting. This meeting took place in Jury’s Pond Hotel on 7 April 1989 and was attended by 26 retired men, plus representatives of the Allander Probus Club, Bearsden. A steering committee was appointed with Jim Scobbie as chairman and Walter Caldwell as secretary. Duncan Carmichael, Bernard Caulfield and Bill Cameron volunteered to serve on the committee, and George Buchanan and Bill Gemmill were subsequently co-opted.

It was agreed that the name would be KELVIN PROBUS CLUB, and the inaugural meeting was held on 5 May 1989 in Esquire House, Anniesland, attended by 52 who became founder members. The draft constitution was duly approved and the annual subscription was fixed at the very modest sum of £5.

The first regular Club meeting took place, again in Esquire House, sixteen days later on Tuesday 16 May 1989, and the very first speaker was Tony Browning, Director of Glasgow Museums and Art Galleries, who later became a member of the Club. There was a further meeting on 30 May, with Dr George Johnston speaking about the Commonwealth Games and other sporting events. Thereafter the Club closed down for the summer, with the members already keenly looking forward to September and the start of the first full session.

The Early Years

On 12 September 1989 Club members assembled at what was to become its permanent home for the first twenty years – the pavilion of the Hillhead High School Memorial Sports Grounds at Hughenden. The pattern of fortnightly meetings, and occasional outings arranged to places of interest, established in that very first annual session in 1989-90, has continued ever since, with morning meetings being held regularly on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month from September to April ending with the AGM. However, in the 1990s two informal May meetings were added. To simplify arrangements for the incoming President speakers for the later talks were sourced from Club members. By 2018, after many years of a September to May programme, it was decided to relocate the AGM to the last meeting in May resulting in Angus Murchison serving as President for an extra month!

All meetings started at 10.00 a.m. with coffee, home-made scones and socialising as members arrive and greet friends. The more formal proceedings begin at 10.30am, with Club reports, details of future outings, and information about members who are ill at home or in hospital. The guest speaker is then introduced by the President and usually speaks for around 45 minutes, followed by questions from the floor. Meetings end at 12 noon with a vote of thanks, and a soup and sandwich lunch is also available at modest cost to allow further time for social contact.

Recent years

The above model has served the Club well with little change over the years. However, the arrival of the Covid-19 Pandemic stopped the Club’s face to face meetings at the end of March 2020! John Walls, then President, found himself facing an unprecedented situation. However, it quickly became clear that the Committee wanted to see Club activity continuing during the lockdown. After discussion and some investigation, it was agreed that the Club would continue to meet virtually over the summer. Initially this was achieved by using the Slack App. While this kept members entertained over the summer, the Club were happy to shift to the Zoom App which proved to be far more user friendly. The virtual format proved to be a very acceptable for meetings including the first ever virtual AGM in September 2021 when Douglas Cook took over the Presidential reins from John Walls. Incidentally the virtual format proved advantageous for the speakers who could attend virtually from their home or office.

Members quickly became familiar with the the virtual meetings and, importantly, it helped keep the Club on an even keel. President Fred Hay, who took over from Douglas Cook, easily slipped his feet under the virtual table when the AGM took place in May 2021 so used were members to the new medium. Having said that it was clear that members really enjoyed the return to face to face meetings in March 2021.

Membership

In Glasgow’s west end in 1989 there was no shortage of retired professional or business men, and from the outset Kelvin Probus Club has been popular and well-supported. Within a few months the number who had attended the original exploratory meeting had doubled, from 26 to over 50. The first constitution provided for a maximum membership of 80. Within a few years, this limit was increased to 90, and then to 100 in 2002. By 2004 there was a lengthy waiting list, and the Club AGM approved the introduction of a new class of Associate Member. This catered for members who for a variety of reasons were no longer able to attend Club meetings but who nevertheless wished to retain contact with the Club. Associate members continue to receive information about Club activities and can attend outings and social events where possible.

Despite the healthy membership levels in the first quarter century, the waiting list started to shrink in the early 2010s and not long after membership levels were flatlining, if not showing modest decline. As a consequence by 2017, the Committee saw an opportunity for the Club to consider women members. Indeed, an opportunity too, to address the gender equality issue which was very much in the news in these times. This was agreed at the 2017 AGM and the Constitution duly amended to accept women into the membership. To date there has not been a significant influx of lady members. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has proven to be a membership watershed. Since March 2020 the Club has not been well placed to recruit new members and, because of the Club’s ‘demographic’ membership numbers have gone into a significant decline through the deaths of a number of members in the last two years including, Bill Gemmill, the last remaining founder member. President Fred Hay on assuming Office in 2021 embarked on a recruiting campaign which has helped stabilise the falling member numbers with an influx of some new members. It is hoped that the return to Hughenden for the 2022-23 session will further stimulate new members to the Club.

Presidents

Since its inception Kelvin Probus Club has been fortunate in the exceptionally high calibre of all its 27 Presidents. Drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds, professions and business, every year brings an incumbent with a different past experience and a fresh approach to his presidential duties.

Until 2019 the Vice-President, each President-in-waiting was responsible for arranging his or her own syllabus of speakers during their year in office. This results in a very wide range of topics and differing styles of presentation at our fortnightly meetings. While this was to the great benefit and entertainment of the members, it was not perhaps as beneficial to the blood pressure of the President worrying about speakers turning up. In time it was evident that this responsibility was proving to be a deterrent to members standing for the office of Vice President. A key factor in John Walls, a Past President, standing for the Presidency again for 2019-2020 to fill the VP vacuum during the 2018-19 session. To address this issue the Committee agreed to the establishment of a Programme Committee who took on the responsibility of putting together the annual programme. Robin Leake kindly, indeed courageously, took on the responsibility of chairing this ad hoc committee. He, largely off the radar, secured speakers on behalf of the Club and has delivered interesting and enjoyable programmes between 2019 and 2021. Dermot Kennedy stepped into Robin’s shoes last year, followed by Val Kaye this year, to develop the 2022-23 programme. The Programme Committee has greatly reduced the burdens on incoming Vice Presidents and Presidents and it is hoped that this will ensure the Club’s continued sustainability in future years.

The retiring President has traditionally remained on the committee for one year as Welfare Officer, whose responsibility it is to keep in touch with members who are ill or in hospital. With the end of Fred Hay’s presidency it has been decided to seek a ‘standalone’ Wellbeing Officer. This role includes sending birthday cards to members achieving the landmark ages of 65, 70, 75, 80 and every year thereafter. Over the years several Past Presidents have also remained on, or returned to the Committee to undertake other functions, including Bill McMurray (Social Convener), Lawrie Taylor (Treasurer), the late Stewart Roy (Secretary), while the late Bill Gemmill and Ewan Murray have served for many years as Auditor of the annual accounts. The Club owes a special debt of gratitude to these members who have “gone the extra mile”.

Office-bearers and Committees

The posts of Secretary and Treasurer are essential cogs in the continuity and smooth-running of any organisation, and Kelvin Probus Club has been well-served by its successive occupants of these positions. The first Secretary during the early years was Bill Cameron, and his successor Bob Paton served loyally for twelve years until his sudden death in March 2004 on his way home from a Club meeting. He was followed by Iain Mann, who took over at short notice just before the AGM, in 2008 by Bob Stewart and in 2013 by Stewart Roy. David Moir briefly took over the Secretaryship in 2018. However, Stewart Roy took over the reins again temporarily until Robin Hutchison stepped into the breach at short notice in 2019 again providing stability in the Club’s affairs.

The first Treasurer, Bill Gemmill, set up the financial accounts system and carried out the duties diligently for eight years until stepping down to become Vice-President. He was succeeded first by Andy Connell, Lawrie Taylor, Ken Fyfe and currently by Vivian Clement, all of them undertaking the thankless task of sitting at the desk before every Club meeting while members thrust cash and cheques at them for a variety of purposes.

As previously mentioned, with the increasing challenge of finding members willing to stand as Vice President and President due to the programme commitment, an Ad Hoc Programme Committee under the Chairmanship of Robin Leake was established in the Spring of 2019. The Vice President was an Ex Officio member to ensure a link with the regular Committee. During the 2021-22 session President Fred Hay proposed that the administration of the Club be streamlined with a smaller Executive Committee incorporating the Honorary President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and two additional members. His proposals also formalised the Programme Committee. These changes were agreed at the May 2022 AGM. However, the incoming President Nick Kuenssberg cleverly tweaked the Executive Committee to include the Convener of the Programme Committee on an Ex Officio basis to keep the Exec Committee up to speed on programme matters.

Many members, not always on the Committee, have served the Club over the years, undertaking the more humble chores of putting out chairs and tables before meetings, looking after the sound and projection equipment, taking charge of the arrangements for visits and outings, and offering their experience and wise counsel at committee meetings. These contributions have been greatly valued by members.

Finance

The Club had no access to start-up finance, and has relied entirely on annual subscriptions to cover routine administration costs such as printing, stationery and postages. The first subscription was set at £5, and over the years this has been increased progressively to its present level of £40. Members consider this a very good bargain for a year of convivial company, excellent talks, interesting visits and enjoyable social events. Visits and outings are carefully budgeted and members signing up for these are asked to provide their per capita share of the cost in advance.

Guest Speakers

Since the Club was founded, the members of Kelvin Probus Club have had their knowledge extended on a wide diversity of topics, with talks by over 500 speakers from all walks of life. Although, as mentioned, it was the established custom from 1989 that the following year’s President is responsible for finding all the speakers for his year in office. Since 2019 this role has been undertaken by the Programme Committee. While this daunting task in the past benefitted from each President’s different interests and different business and social contacts, the spreading of the burden to the Programme Committee has served the Club well in the last three years. And, in truth, reflected the support Past Presidents enjoyed from members of the Club committee, as well as from the wider membership generally. The result has been an unfailingly high quality of speakers across a huge range of subjects.

While Kelvin Probus started as an all-male club, the invited speakers have often been women, increasingly so in recent years. Indeed even before the Club chose to widen membership to women in 2017, the Committee had already agreed a few years before that members were welcome to invite female guests.

Christmas Lunches and other Social Events

The tradition of a Christmas Lunch was introduced in the first session of the Club, a tradition much missed during the pandemic. Normally it is one of the highlights of the Club’s annual calendar, and is always attended by a great many members and their guests. A tradition established at this time was for the President to invite a local minister or priest to the Christmas Lunch as a guest speaker, to give a short Christmas message. Without exception these short homilies have been both entertaining and often thought-provoking. The minister at the very first lunch in 1989 was the Rev Bill Ferguson of Broomhill Parish Church, who was again the Club guest in 2015.

At the first Christmas Lunch on 19 December 1989 the President of Kelvin Rotary Club presented the Club with a very handsome “President’s Chain of Office”, which has been worn by every President at all Club meetings since. However, since the meetings became virtual, it has not been in use but was revived again during Fred Hay’s Presidency.

Visits and Outings

Planning and organising visits and outings to places of interest is another of the responsibilities of the hard-working Social Convener, and down the years Bill McMurray, Andy Connell, Walker Leith, Alan Murphy, Archie Henderson and more recently, Gordon Barclay, have worked very hard to make these trips successful. Unfortunately the pandemic has severely constrained opportunities in the last two years and we look forward to being able to be more adventurous in the years to come.

Members and guests have recently enjoyed visits to such diverse venues as the Fairfield’s Heritage Centre, the RSC to see the Threepenny Opera, Tennant’s Brewery, BAE Systems, BBC Studios, Back Stage at the Theatre Royal, not to mention the ever-popular lunches at Anniesland College.

Annual theatre visits have also been a feature much enjoyed by members and their guests until the covid lockdown. Every year the Club takes a block of seats at the Kings Theatre for the annual musical presented by the Paisley Musical and Operatic Society, always a lively show full of melody and colour. In the past in May or June another popular was to visit the Pitlochry Festival Theatre for a matinee performance of one of the excellent plays put on in the “Theatre in the Hills”. However, more recently costs and transport logistics have curtailed attendance.

Sporting and Other Pursuits

In 1991 the committee conducted a survey to ascertain members’ interest in sporting activities, and as a result three sections were set up to provide opportunities for golf, bowling and walking. Volunteers were found to lead each of these sections, and these have provided good comradeship and suitable modest exercise for those members taking part. Unfortunately, the annual golf outings fell by the wayside because of the increasing cost of green fees. The loss of the bowls ‘volunteer’ also resulted in the bowling section lapsing.

On the other hand, the walking group, originally guided by the intrepid Bob Crawford and now organised by Hamish Eadie, continues to thrive, putting its best foot forward every second Tuesday on guided mystery tours along some of the West of Scotland’s most interesting and scenic walks. During the pandemic Hamish had been challenged to keep things going but with the lockdown easing normal walks recommenced in March 2022.

Accommodation

From its inception the Club had always regarded the Hillhead Sports Pavilion at Hughenden as both its natural and its spiritual home, which it remained until 2008. However, with a major re-development of the entire sports complex, Kelvin Probus moved to the main hall of Jordanhill Parish Church. With the return to face to face meetings in March 22, the Club had lost the services of Flo and Walter to do the teas, coffees and lunches. This triggered a search for alternative venues and the Club’s return to Hughenden. Albeit the Club meetings had to start one hour later at 11 am because of ongoing commitments in the Bobby Lowe Function Room.

Past, Present and Future

Looking back, Kelvin Probus Club has been a great success, it has proven to provide a means of keeping our minds active and up to speed with what is going on in the wider world as well as providing welcome fellowship with like minded people. Today’s members are greatly indebted to the small group of gentlemen who conceived the original idea and to the founder members who transformed the idea into the reality of the Kelvin Probus Club. Inevitably many of those early members are no longer with us. However, their regular attendance at meetings, and their support of outings and social events will always be remembered and appreciated.

At present Kelvin Probus Club is still vibrant but, as already mentioned, membership has been flatlining. In part this appears due to changing lifestyles and is affecting most Clubs in Scotland. Regrettably the pandemic has exacerbated recruitment issues. However, the Club is committed to energetically rebuild numbers to ensure that it remains viable and sustainable. At the fortnightly meetings there is always a warm sense of comradeship and good humour, and visits, outings and walks are well supported. Club traditions have been well established, and administrative arrangements have evolved and adapted as reflected in this brief history.

We look forward to the future with confidence, secure in the knowledge that Kelvin Probus Club is in good heart and is committed to prospering in the future.

Web : www.kelvinprobus.org

Original History

The Origins

In February 1989 Walter Caldwell, with the enthusiastic support of Jim Scobbie, and the encouragement of Kelvin Rotary Club, took the first steps to establish a Probus Club in the West End of Glasgow. The two originators contacted many of their friends, and advertised in a local paper the date for an exploratory meeting. This meeting took place in Jury’s Pond Hotel on 7 April 1989 and was attended by 26 retired men, plus representatives of the Allander Probus Club, Bearsden. A steering committee was appointed with Jim Scobbie as chairman and Walter Caldwell as secretary. Duncan Carmichael, Bernard Caulfield and Bill Cameron volunteered to serve on the committee, and George Buchanan and Bill Gemmill were subsequently co-opted.

The Early Years

On 12 September 1989 Club members assembled at what was to become its permanent home for the first twenty years – the pavilion of the Hillhead High School Memorial Sports Grounds at Hughenden. The pattern of fortnightly meetings, and occasional outings arranged to places of interest, established in that very first annual session in 1989-90, has continued ever since, with morning meetings being held regularly on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month from September to April inclusive, with the final meeting being the AGM (two informal May meetings were added much later when as far as possible the speakers are Club members).

All meetings start at 10.00 a.m. with coffee, home-made scones and socialising as members arrive and greet friends. The more formal proceedings begin at 10.30am, with Club reports, details of future outings, and information about members who are ill at home or in hospital. The guest speaker is then introduced by the President and usually speaks for around 45 minutes, followed by questions from the floor. Meetings end at 12 noon with a vote of thanks, and a soup and sandwich lunch is also available at modest cost to allow further time for social contact.

Membership

In Glasgow’s west end there is no shortage of retired professional or business men, and from the outset Kelvin Probus Club has been popular and well-supported. Within a few months the number who had attended the original exploratory meeting had doubled, from 26 to over 50. The first constitution provided for a maximum membership of 80. Within a few years, this limit was increased to 90, and then to 100 in 2002. By 2004 there was a lengthy waiting list, and the Club AGM approved the introduction of a new class of Associate Member. This catered for members who for a variety of reasons were no longer able to attend Club meetings but who nevertheless wished to retain contact with the Club. Associate members continue to receive information about Club activities and can attend outings and social events if possible. Currently (April 2016), the membership stands at 91, and there are 10 Associate Members.

Presidents

In his year as Vice-President, each President-in-waiting is responsible for arranging his own syllabus of speakers during his year in office, and this results in a very wide range of topics and differing styles of presentation at our fortnightly meetings. This is to the great benefit and entertainment of the members, although not perhaps to the blood pressure of the President worrying if a particular talk will be a success or if a speaker booked over a year earlier will actually turn up. Last minute substitutions are not unknown, but it is an undoubted strength of the Club that it is able to call upon its own members in such emergencies.

The retiring President remains on the committee for one year as Welfare Officer, whose responsibility it is to keep in touch with members who are ill or in hospital. He also sends birthday cards to members achieving the landmark ages of 65, 70, 75, 80 and every year thereafter. Over the years several Past Presidents have also remained on, or returned to the Committee to undertake other functions, including Bill McMurray (Social Convener), Lawrie Taylor (Treasurer), Stewart Roy (Secretary), while Bill Gemmill and Ewan Murray have served for many years as Auditor of the annual accounts. The Club owes a special debt of gratitude to these members who have “gone the extra mile”.

Office-bearers and Committees

The first Treasurer, Bill Gemmill, set up the financial accounts system and carried out the duties diligently for eight years until stepping down to become Vice-President. He was succeeded first by Andy Connell, then by Lawrie Taylor, and currently by Ken Fyfe, all of them undertaking the thankless task of sitting at the desk before every Club meeting while members thrust cash and cheques at them for a variety of purposes.

Just as important as the office-bearers are the many members who have served on the Club committee over the years, undertaking the more humble chores of putting out chairs and tables before meetings, looking after the sound and projection equipment, taking charge of the arrangements for visits and outings, and offering their experience and wise counsel at committee meetings.

Finance

The Club had no access to start-up finance, and has relied entirely on annual subscriptions to cover routine administration costs such as printing, stationery and postages. The first subscription was set at £5, and over the years this has been increased progressively to its present level of £25. Members consider this a very good bargain for a year of convivial company, excellent talks, interesting visits and enjoyable social events. Visits and outings are carefully budgeted and members signing up for these are asked to provide their per capita share of the cost in advance.

Over the years sundry items of sound and video equipment have been donated by members or purchased out of Club funds, but by 2007 it was clear that these needed to be replaced with more modern high tech equipment. A lottery grant was applied for, and the Club was awarded £1,750 as a 75% contribution towards the costs of a laptop computer, power-point software, a new projector, table and screen, and a secure steel cabinet to keep these items under lock and key. More recently, this equipment has been further upgraded and improved and a sound amplification system with microphones for the president and the speaker has since been added.

Guest Speakers

Since the Club was founded, the members of Kelvin Probus Club have had their knowledge extended on a wide diversity of topics, with talks by almost 400 speakers from all walks of life. From the start it has been the established custom that the following year’s President is responsible for finding all the speakers for his year in office. This is always a daunting task, but each President has different interests and different business and social contacts, and has enjoyed great support from members of the Club committee, as well as from the wider membership generally. The result has been an unfailingly high quality of speakers across a huge range of subjects.

While Kelvin Probus is an all-male club, the invited speakers have often been women, increasingly so in recent years. It is not surprising therefore that the Committee has agreed that members may invite female guests. A talk on the construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse was of particular interest to the wives of two members as both of them came from lighthouse families and some of their ancestors had been involved in the operation of the Bell Rock and other lighthouses around the coasts of Scotland.

Christmas Lunches and other Social Events

The tradition of a Christmas Lunch was introduced in the first session of the Club. This has become one of the highlights of the Club’s annual calendar, and is always attended by a great many members and their guests. A tradition established at this time was for the President to invite a local minister or priest to the Christmas Lunch as a guest speaker, to give a short Christmas message. Without exception these short homilies have been both entertaining and thought-provoking. The minister at the very first lunch in 1989 was the Rev Bill Ferguson of Broomhill Parish Church, who was again the Club guest in 2015.

An anniversary lunch took place in May 2014 to celebrate the Club’s Silver Jubilee, complete with an appropriate birthday cake. The continuing good health of the Club was proposed by the late Rev. David Keddie, himself a Past President.

Visits and Outings

Members and guests have enjoyed visits to such diverse venues as the Royal Yacht Britannia, the Cruachan Hydro-electric Scheme, the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, East Fortune Aircraft Museum, the Falkirk Wheel, Stirling Castle, the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters at Gogarburn. Particularly popular were the cruises “doon the watter” on the PS Waverley and the “sludge boat” MV Garrioch Head. The planned sail on Loch Katrine was especially memorable, when the coach driver got lost on the way there and our party arrived at the pier in time to see the departing MV Sir Walter Scott already out in mid-stream.

Half-day visits to more local venues have also become a regular annual routine. Memebers have enjoyed guided tours of the refurbished Kelvingrove Art Galleries, the People’s Palace, the new BBC Scotland headquarters at Pacific Quay, the Glasgow Police Museum., the famous Titan Crane at the former John Brown’s shipyard in Clydebank, and Auchentoshan Distillery.

Annual theatre visits have also been a feature much enjoyed by members and their guests. Every year the Club takes a block of seats at the Kings Theatre for the annual musical presented by the Paisley Musical and Operatic Society, always a lively show full of melody and colour. Later in May or June another popular visit is made to Pitlochry Festival Theatre for a matinee performance of one of the excellent plays put on in the “Theatre in the Hills”.

Sporting and Other Pursuits

In 1991 the committee conducted a survey to ascertain members’ interest in sporting activities, and as a result three sections were set up to provide opportunities for golf, bowling and walking. Volunteers were found to lead each of these sections, and these have provided good comradeship and suitable modest exercise for those members taking part. Unfortunately the annual golf outings have had to be abandoned because of the increasing cost of green fees at local clubs, and the bowling section too is no longer active.

On the other hand, the walking group, guided by the intrepid Bob Crawford, continues to thrive, putting its best foot forward every second Tuesday on guided mystery tours along some of Glasgow’s most interesting and scenic walks, always of course with the sun shining from a cloudless sky! Sometimes Bob even allows his flock to stop for a short coffee break, although he doesn’t really approve of such wimpish behaviour!

Accommodation

From its inception the Club had always regarded the Hillhead Sports Pavilion at Hughenden as both its natural and its spiritual home, which it remained until 2006, when the Club first heard of the possibility of a major re-development of the entire sports complex, including major extension and upgrading of the clubhouse and the construction of a block of flats. It was clear that Kelvin Probus would have to find an alternative venue and the only venue which met the Club’s requirements was the main hall of Jordanhill Parish Church. So in March 2008 agreement was reached for the Club to meet there for the year 2008-09, and this continued to be the Club’s home until September 2022. The one difference was that while members enjoyed the facilities of the bar at Hughenden, they have borne the absence of such a facility at lunchtime in the Church with great fortitude. It was decided to return to Hughenden in September 2022.

Past, Present and Future

Looking back, Kelvin Probus Club has been a great success, and today’s members are greatly indebted to the small group of gentlemen who conceived the original idea, and to the founder members who supported them in their venture. Inevitably many of those early members are no longer with us, and many others who were been loyal members have also passed away. Their regular attendance at meetings, and their support of outings and social events will always be remembered and appreciated.

At present Kelvin Probus Club is thriving, there is a healthy level of membership and there is an encouraging flow of applications for membership. At the fortnightly meetings there is always a warm sense of comradeship and good humour, and visits and outings are well supported. Club traditions have been well established, and administrative procedures developed and adapted as required.

We look forward to the future with confidence, secure in the knowledge that Kelvin Probus Club is in good heart and will continue to prosper in the next twenty-five years and beyond.