The Didsbury Probus Club invites you to our next scheduled Speaker Meeting on Thursday 4th September 2025.
Venue: Didsbury Baptist Church on the corner of School Lane and Beaver Road opposite Didsbury Metrolink, M20 6SX

Time:  We will meet at 10:30 am  for tea/coffee and biscuits with the talk starting at 11.00am.

Talk Title: High Peak Dam Busters 
Low level flying trials for the “Dam Buster Raids” were carried out by 617 Squadron on Ladybower Dam Derbyshire.  Frank tells us of all the trials and tribulations in trying to perfect this daring raid on the” Ruhr Valley Dams”
Speaker: Frank Pleszak

Visitors are very welcome.  Donations from visitors, to help with our running costs and provision of refreshments, will be very welcome.

Future talks

18th Sept  – Electric Cars – Martin Rowley
The development of electric cars started with crude electrical vehicles in late 1820’s early 1830’s.  Commercially available electric vehicles around 1890. The fist land speed record in 1900 was held by an electric vehicle.  In the early 1900’s the cost, low speed, and short distance range, made the internal combustion engine more desirable, although electric cars were much preferred by women as they didn’t have to hand crank the car to start it. That was until the electric starter motor was developed.
In 1971 the “Lunar Roving Electric Vehicle” achieved 22 miles on it’s longest journey. But where are we today?

2nd Oct  – Sent to Siberia  – Terry Callahan
Terry a “Cryobiologist” tells of his experiences with the people, the climate and in this very large country.  Come and listen to this very interesting and informative talk.

16th Oct  – Solar Energy – From the Sun to Your Kettle – George King
Solar energy is radiant energy from our Sun that can be harnessed and converted into useable forms of power, photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar power (groups of mirrors concentrating on one point) and solar water heating. How does it all happen?

6th Nov  – AI – Genesis or Nemesis  – Alistair Sutcliffe
In 1950 Alan Turing’s work on the on the “Bomb” computer at Manchester proposed the “Turing Test”  to assess a machine’s intelligent behavior. A John McCarthy in 1955 coined the term “Artificial Intelligence” and established it as a field of study.
But what does that mean today and in the future?

20th Nov.  – Prison Life from a Governor’s Prospective  – Carl Bailey
What is involved in running a prison?  Carl Bailey MBE had 34 years in the prison service, rising through the tanks from prison officer to Governor.  Carl’s talk is about his experiences with some interesting stories.

Secretary: Mary Hill    didsbury.probus@gmail.com

Web: Ian Grant    ianwilsongrant@btopenworld.com