Newmarket

Club contact: probusnewmarket@outlook.com

Chairman: John Gentleman

The following is the programme for 2025.

The club meets in the Masonic Hall, Newmarket with meetings starting at 10.00 for 10.30 on the first and third Wednesday of each month except August.

Probus 50th Anniversary Lunch 15th October 2025.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Probus, Bruce Sims has organised a lunch on Wednesday 15th October 2025 at Quy Mill.

Start at 12:15 for 13:00 in the Mill Race Room. The cost will be £45.

The menu is as follows:

           Starters
  1. Seasonal vegetable tart, goat cheese crumb and micro salad
  2. Ham hock terrine, onion chutney and toasted brioche
  3. Smoked salmon roses, tartar sauce and charcoal crackers
    4. Mains
  4. Chicken Milanese, fine beans and tomato salad
  5. Oven baked cod supreme, minted new potatoes and tomato sauce
  6. Butternut and sage barley risotto with vegan or traditional parmesan
    7. Desserts
  7. Dark chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream and white chocolate sauce
  8. Lemon tart, toasted Italian meringue and lemon zest
  9. Sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream

If you would like to attend this event please send your menu choices to Bruce,
(b.sims469@btinternet.com) or phone him on 01638 741286.

Our preferred payment method is by bank transfer to Sort Code 40-34-38,
Acct No 11159488 and account name Probus Club of Newmarket.

We hope we will have the pleasure of seeing you at the celebration.

AGM 2026.

The AGM will be held on Wednesday 17th September 2025 at 10:00am for 10:30 in the Masonic Hall, Newmarket.

The agenda is as follows.

  1. General Bits.
    1. Chairman’s opening remarks.
    2. Apologies for absence.
    3. Minutes of the previous AGM (previously circulated electronically and included below after the appendices.)
    4. Matters arising from the previous AGM minutes.
  2. Reports.
    1. Chairman’s Report.
    2. Treasurer’s Report.
    3. Secretary and Programme Arranger’s Report.
    4. Communications Officer’s Report.
  3. Election and Appointment of Officers and Accounts Examiner.
    1. Chairman
    2. Vice Chairman
    3. Treasurer
    4. Communications Officer
    5. Secretary
    6. Committee Members

    7. Accounts Examiner
  4. The Club’s Future, including the proposal for the admission of ladies to the Club
    1. Formal proposal for the admission of ladies (Motion)
    2. Formal proposal for the classes of membership (Motion)
    3. Formal proposal for subscription rates for 2025/26 (Motion)
    4. Formal proposal for the adoption of the new rules and constitution. (Motion)
  5. Any other relevant business.
  6. The chairman’s closing remarks.

Appendix A – Formal Proposals to be made by the Committee at the AGM

  1. The Committee proposes that ladies be admitted to the Club as full members.

    2. If proposal a. passes then

  2. The Committee proposes that there should be two main classes of membership, Full Membership and Joint Membership. (Note: Full membership would be as provided now and Joint Membership to cover pairs).
    Casual attendance, as under ‘Membership’ in the amended rules, will be allowed but a fee will probably be charged.

    3. If proposal b. passes then

  3. The Committee proposes the adoption of the new rules and constitution. (As seen at Appendix B)

    Finally

  4. The Committee proposes that the annual subscription rates for 2025/26 be £75 for a Full Member and £100 for Joint Membership. The charge for casual attendance shall be £5 per session.

Appendix B – Proposed Amendments to Rules and Constitution for The Probus Club of Newmarket (Post AGM 2025)

Title. The club shall be called THE PROBUS CLUB OF NEWMARKET.

Object. The aim of the club is to provide a social outlet for those who are retired or semi-retired; fostering fellowship and extending interests through activities such as meetings, talks and outings.

Membership. Membership shall be open to any person residing in the general Newmarket area.

There shall be two main classes of membership; Full Membership and Joint Membership. Joint membership is not restricted to partners but may include a friend, work colleague or family member.

Casual attendees, such as guests of members or members of the public, will be welcome to attend Club events, but will usually be charged a fee. The fee level for attending in-house meetings, such as talks and presentations, shall be decided at the AGM. Guests will be charged the appropriate rate for external events such as meals and visits.

Constitution. There shall be a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary, a Communications Officer and a Programme Arranger. The affairs of the Club shall be managed by a committee, consisting of these Officers, and they shall be elected from and by the members at each Annual General Meeting.

Four members of the committee shall form a quorum.

The Chairman shall be re-elected each year, as with other officers, but his tenure shall not exceed three years. He shall become an ex-officio member of the Committee for the years following his final term as Chairman.

The Committee may co-opt additional members to assist with the management of the Club’s affairs.

Annual General Meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of September each year. Notice of such meeting will be given at the previous ordinary meeting of the Club.

Special General Meetings shall be called by the Honorary Secretary at the request of not less than five members of the Club or 20% of the membership, whichever is the greater, and shall give the members at least two weeks’ notice of any such meeting.

Voting at any meeting shall be by the showing of hands or by ballot if so requested. In the event of an equal division of votes, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

Subscriptions. The annual subscriptions for the membership classes will be agreed at the Annual General Meeting and shall be payable in September of each year. Members joining during the course of the financial year will be asked to pay 25% of the annual subscription for each quarter, or part quarter, of the remainder of the financial year (commencing on the 1st of September).

Accounts. The Income and Expenditure Account, for the period to the end of August each year, shall be prepared and presented for approval at the Annual General Meeting after examination by a person appointed at the previous Annual General Meeting. An account in the name of the Club shall be opened at a local bank and authority for operation of the account shall be in accordance with the decisions of the Committee.

MINUTES of the Newmarket Probus Club Annual General Meeting 2024.
Venue: The Masonic Club of Newmarket
Date/Time: 18th September 2024, commencing at 10.30am.
Agenda
No.		 ITEM  
1

Chairman’s Opening Remarks

The chairman welcomed attendees to the meeting and commented that this AGM was probably the 45th since the club was formed in the mid-70’s. He informed the meeting that the agenda, together with the accounts and the previous minutes, would appear on the projector screen.
2 Apologies for Absence were received from:- Roy May, Roy Peacock and David Sparkes. 17 members were in attendance (see attendance list).
3 Minutes of last year’s AGM had been circulated prior to the meeting.
It was proposed by Barry Popplewell, seconded by Bruce Sims and agreed by all that the minutes, as presented, formed an accurate record of the 2023 AGM.
The minutes were then signed by the Chairman and Secretary.
4 Matters Arising from the Minutes of the 2023 AGM
There were no matters arising.
5 Chairman’s Report
I intend being quite short with my presentation and trust my fellow committee members will do the same. We have a lot to get by and the sooner as we get to the item 11 the better.
You might recall on my election I showed this slide showing my aims for the club.
Going through it:-
I’ve tried to maintain the current way of operating.
I feel the comms have improved and we have achieved much publicity thanks to the twice monthly meeting reports in the Newmarket Journal and the notification of our meetings in the CB8 magazine and the Newmarket Flyer. Unfortunately, this increased publicity has not seen an increase in new members.
Membership is down nearly 10%, with the attendant loss of income, as you will hear from the Treasurer.
The ladies’ membership issue has still to be addressed.
Our programme, overseen by Pat King, has seen a very good range of speakers and topics, external visits and ladies’ lunches throughout the year, which I feel has been enjoyed by the majority of members.
Meetings – In summary (I’m sure Pat will elaborate on this) we have had 18 meetings during the year:- the AGM, 14 speakers, three partner lunches and two external visits and trips.
I should like now to thank my committee, who you elected last year, for all the support given me: First the Officers:-

  • Bruce Simms, The Treasurer for his guardianship of the funds and his way has guided me throughout the year on not only matters financial and others.
  • Mike Beetham has kept us in touch through the internet and emails. I thank him for the work and keeping us all in the picture throughout the year. In particular his help to me in proof and improving my dictates! If I had been born later, I’m sure I would have been labelled as dyslexia.
  • Pat King has worn several hats throughout the year. As Secretary he has dealt with health and safety matters, membership and the issuing agenda for meetings and the writing of minutes. He also serves as the programme coordinator and has overseen an excellent year. He has been a tower of strength to me, someone with whom I can float ideas, give tasks and who stands in for me when I’ve been unable to make the meetings. I owe a great debt to him for the advice he offered me throughout the year.

Now over to the other committee members

  • Roy May is always a steady rock who I can rely for sound advice and help when needed, as is the past chairman, John Kiteley.
  • Towards the beginning of this year, we co-opted John Hales on to the committee in recognition of his sterling work at our meetings when he meets speakers, looks after the visual aid equipment and is an excellent hand when required.

I thank all the committee members for the sterling work that they have done throughout the year and for the support they have given me throughout the year.
Also, I want to thank Barry Popplewell for always being available to give advice, fixing the Projector when needed and for resurrecting the sound system which on occasions has proved to be needed!
Before concluding, I must note my concerns for the club (as shown on the screen).

  • There is a need to increase membership, not only from financial point but also attendance for speakers.
  • There is also a need for members to be more proactive – serving on committee and giving ideas.
6 Treasurer’s Report

  1. Copies of the signed accounts for the past year had previously been circulated by email.
    The treasurer expanded on the various elements of the accounts, highlighting the areas of expenditure as well as the healthy situation of our finances.
    The accumulated fund at the end of the year was £4,125.
    After some discussion, it was proposed by Barry Popplewell, seconded by Arthur Nuttall and agreed by all that the accounts be adopted.
  2. The treasurer suggested that there was no need to increase the subscription level for the 2024/25 FY, and that the annual subscription level should remain at £65.
  3. Membership stood at 26?.
  4. The treasurer proposed a vote of thanks to Jack Watson for examining and certifying the past year’s accounts.
7 Web Co-ordinator/Communication Officer’s Report
Mike Beetham reported that all was well on the communications front.
8 Secretary’s Report

  1. Membership losses:- included Roy Peacock, Peter Golding, Huntly Taylor, Jack Watson, and John Falcon.
  2. Membership Gains:- Syd Crossley was our only gain in the year.
  3. Health and Safety issues:- The club’s electrical equipment was being tested periodically by the secretary. The Annual test by an electrical company was due.
9 Programme Arranger’s Report.

  1. The way that the past year has operated:
    There was, again, neither volunteer nor nominee for this role and so the organisation of the events and speakers, enjoyed by members over the past year, has turned out to be a joint effort by the committee and others.
  2. Summary of speakers/events over the past year
    We have enjoyed a wide range of speakers, with topics including:-
    Richard Gibbon’s “D-Day Preparations”
    David Broughton’s “Signs of the Times”
    John Dudney’s “Footsteps In The Snow”
    Derek Adams’ “Exposure – Snapshots from the Life of Lee Miller”
    Edward Gildea’s talk on “Circumnavigation and How It Turned Me Green.”
    Gerry Watson’s talk on his fundraising bike ride around the Mille Miglia race route.
    Tom Comins and “Carnivorus Plants and Their Care”
    John Dudeney’s talk on “Shackleton and the Endurance Expedition”
    Phil McGahan’s presentation on the EAAA
    And latterly, Susan Grossley’s talk on “Policing and Financial Crime in Regency London and Cambridge”.
    External events included:-
    A Christmas lunch at the Heath Court Hotel, a lunch at West Suffolk College, a visit to the Claas factory, courtesy of Alastair Tulloch and a river trip on the Cam followed by lunch at the Fen Ditton Plough.
10 Election and Appointment of Officers and Accounts Examiner

Office Nominee Proposer Seconder Agreed
Chairman John Gentleman Barry Popplewell Roger Nussey Yes
Vice Chair Pat King Peter Ford Arthur Nuttall Yes
Treasurer Bruce Sims Peter Ford Arthur Nuttall Yes
Comms Officer Mike Beetham Peter Ford Arthur Nuttall Yes
Secretary Pat King Peter Ford Arthur Nuttall Yes
Committee Member Roy May Peter Ford Arthur Nuttall Yes
Committee Member John Kiteley Peter Ford Arthur Nuttall Yes
Committee Member John Hales Peter Ford Arthur Nuttall Yes
 
Accounts Examiner Stuart Vause Peter Ford Arthur Nuttall Yes

(Note:- the nominees for Vice Chair to Accounts Examiner were proposed and seconded en-bloc)

11 The Club’s Future

The way ahead for the club in the light of falling membership.

Two main problems caused by falling membership levels:-

  1. Income potential diminishing.
  2. Reduced speaker audience levels.

Possible solutions:-

  1. Carry on as we are and run down our funds to pay for the next few years.
  2. Admit wives/partners (and, maybe, single females) as members, thereby possibly increasing income and attendance.

Much discussion ensued. It was generally accepted that, in this day and age, the admittance of women (particularly wives and partners) to an organisation such as ours is both normal and necessary.
Resolution for way ahead
Motion:- “That the committee, at an early meeting, should discuss the staged admittance of women to our Probus Club and prepare a proposal for the way ahead . That proposal could then, if thought necessary, be put before an EGM later in the year.”

Proposer:- Mike Beetham
Seconder:- Barry Oliver
For: – All
Against:- None
Abstentions:- None

Barry Oliver suggested that we should use a formal, personalised letter when inviting our guests and agreed to produce a draft for consideration.
12 Any Other Relevant Business
There was none
13 The New Chairman’s Closing Remarks
The chairman thanked members for attending the AGM and then closed the meeting at 11.30am.

The Talk for our Meeting on Wednesday 3rd September 2025.

The speaker will be the Reverend Sarah Lock who is a curate in the joint parish of “Beyton with Hessett”.

Her subject is the Doxa Project.

Before undertaking holy orders Sarah ran her own business. She is also a Trustee of the Doxa Project Charity.

Sarah in Kenya in her role as Trustee of the Doxa Project Charity.

The Doxa Project is a UK-based charity working in Kwa Murugi, Nakuru, Kenya, to break the cycle of poverty by providing education, clean water, and other community support services, including a school sponsorship scheme and a community centre. Founded in 2012, the project also supports women with business start-ups and works to provide food, health, and social care to the community.

Have you booked for the visit to Porters’ Lodge?

Visit to Porters’ Lodge Garden and Tearoom Wednesday 23rd July 2025.

Date/Time: Wednesday 23rd July 2025, 11:00am.
Venue: Porters Lodge, Icknield Way, Cavenham, IP28 6DB

Cost: £20 per head including Entry to Garden and Sandwiches, Cake with unlimited tea and coffee.

Format: Arrive at 11:00am, assemble for individual selection of sandwiches and briefing about the Garden and a short informal walk round the with experts on hand to answer questions etc.

Following the Garden tour return to the Tea Room area for eats at 11:45am approximately.

Those not wishing to take the walk may wait in the tea room and take coffee or tea.

Navigation: Porters Lodge, Post Code IP28 6DB, is a distance of about 9 miles from the Newmarket Clock Tower, driving time 15 minutes. From Newmarket head for Kentford and the B1506. Pass through Kentford towards the A14 and after the Cycle Park on left, pass under the A14 and turn left onto Icknield Way. Continue, it is a narrow road, over the first crossroads, continue for a mile or so, Porters Lodge Car park will be on the left in the trees. It’s marked.

Guests: All are welcome including friends, relatives etc

Booking: Via our Treasurer, Bruce Sims, b.sims469@btinternet.com / 01638 741286

Hope to see you and yours on this outing. Any queries etc please ring John 07947140097.

For more details on Porter’s Lodge www.porterslodge.co.uk.

The Talk for our Meeting on Wednesday 2nd July 2025.

The speaker will be Peter Biggs who spent much of his career as a submariner.

His subject will be “Coalmines to Submarines.”

Peter has provided the following notes as an introduction to himself and his talk.

A little bit about me – I come from a long line of coal miners on the Derbyshire / Nottingham border.

At the age of 15, I had the opportunity to leave school and join my friends and family at the local coal mine. However, after experiencing a school trip to the mine, I decided that this was not the path I wanted to pursue. Consequently, I chose to continue my education and remained in school until the age of 16. When I left school, I still did not want to be a coal miner, so I joined the Royal Navy.

After initial training I joined my first ship HMS Eagle, an aircraft carrier, a 16-year-old, with 2500 other sailors. During the next 2 years I spent time in the Mediterranean and finished with a year going round the world, including South Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

Once back in the UK I was then drafted into submarines, not a job I volunteered for. However, I then spent 26 years either underwater in various types of submarines, or in nuclear bunkers!

After the Royal Navy I worked for a London Law firm as their Post and Courier Manager for 5 years, this was followed by various managerial roles in and around London.

I moved to Ipswich in 2005 so my wife could look after her mother following her father’s death. I worked at a call centre in Ipswich for 11 years, starting as the Facilities Manager which later led to handling health and safety. I earned a Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health, allowing me to provide health and safety training and advice to various companies across the UK. I retired in 2017.

‘Coalmines to Submarines’

The 15-year-old who did not want to work underground but actually finished up underwater for a large part of his working life.

The first part of the presentation covers coal mining, where I lived, starting in 1872.

The second part charts the story of the start of the submarine service in the UK and how submarines evolved to be what they are today.

Please note that Ladies are welcome to attend this meeting.

The Talk for our Meeting on Wednesday 18th June 2025.

The speaker will be Dr John Dudeney who spent 40 years as a research scientist and then as the Deputy Director of the British Antarctic Survey. In his work John travelled to Antarctica often and spent two winters there in the late 1960s. In retirement he has become engaged in research on the political history of Antarctica from the 1880s through to the present day. He has published several papers in recent years that have looked at myths that surround the British explorers of the heroic age, with emphasis on Shackleton and Bruce. He lectures widely on Antarctic matters, including annual visits to Antarctic as a historian/guide. This will be John’s third visit to the Club and another interesting presentation is anticipated. His subject will be “The Adventures of the Swedish National Antarctic Expedition 1901-03.

John in earlier days with a friend!

The Swedish National Antarctic Expedition was one of the several expeditions launched from Europe at the turn of the last Century – the start of the “heroic” era. It aimed to winter on the Eastern side of the Antarctic Peninsula in 1902, as well as carry out ship-based exploration around South Georgia and Terre del Fuego. Everything went according to plan until January 1903 when a series of major mishaps occurred which led to an almost unbelievable sequence of adventures and the expedition ship the coincidences which occupied the whole of 1903, and rank as just a great a saga of human endeavour and courage and those of Shackleton a decade later. And unlike Shackleton, they even saved the ship’s cat and were awarded a medal for doing so!

Expedition’s Ship

The Antarctic trapped in pack ice

Note that wives/partners of members are welcome to attend this meeting.

The Talk for our Meeting on Wednesday 4th June 2025.

The speaker will be Dr Neil Dickinson. His subject will be “Arsenic’s Toxic Legacy: People, Places, Pests and Peppermints”.

Dr Neil Dickinson spent his working life as an industrial chemist. Whilst Neil has also enjoyed a variety of other interests he has always been particularly fascinated by the ingenuity and brilliance of humans over history to develop resources and shape them to their own needs, be it for great good or to terrible ends, and sometimes for both.

He presents several illustrated talks on various topics with, when appropriate, a degree of humour attached. He always looks forward to questions from the audience at the end of the talks which can reveal some fascinating further details and discussion.

His subject at our meeting on Wednesday 4th June is “Arsenic’s Toxic Legacy: People, Places, Pests and Peppermints” a look at how, during the 19th and 20th centuries, arsenic and its compounds appeared to offer marvellous solutions particularly in the spheres of medicine, fashion, design and pest control so long as an increasingly blind-eye was turned to the problem of its dreadful toxicity. The talk considers a few deliberate and accidental poisonings as well as linking the once major uses of arsenic with its supply in vast quantities across the world from the former tin and copper mines of Devon and Cornwall. It also provides technical information, surprise, history, horror and humour in balanced measure; after hearing this talk, the thought of a mouth-cooling peppermint lozenge might induce a more spine-chilling feeling!

Note that wives/partners of members are welcome to attend this meeting.

The Talk for our Meeting on Wednesday 21st May 2025.

The speaker will be Mike Wabe. His subject will be “From Twang to Bang” .

Mike has spoken to the Club on a number of occasions.

He is based in Thetford, Norfolk and has had a long and varied career.

He was for 29 years a police officer, followed by 4 years as a manager for Autoglass,
then by 10 years as a prison officer and ending with 3 years as an Inclusion Manager in a secondary school!

He is now a Town Crier and has been a speaker for over 20 years.

The title of Mike’s talk is “From Twang to Bang” in which he traces the evolution of warfare with the English army from the longbow to the musket.

In the past we have found Mike to be an amusing and interesting speaker with a wealth of knowledge.

Note that wives/partners of members are welcome to attend this meeting.

Visit to The RAF Regiment Museum, Honnington, Wednesday 7th May 2025.

RAF Honington is about 22 miles from Newmarket Clock Tower and around 40 minutes driving time. I visited the Heritage centre this week to recce our visit and I was very impressed with the setup, once a laborious entry procedure had been undertaken! Regarding the museum I can do no better than record the views of a visitor on Trip Adviser:

“The Centre was extremely well designed, magnificently laid out and contains many exhibits from documents, armoured vehicles and firearms. The Curator gave us a most excellent tour through the history of the Regiment lasting around two hours. Every aspect of time was described and every question was answered, again in a most friendly manner.

We all departed feeling quite humbled like visiting dignitaries thinking how brilliantly the RAF Regiment have served our country. True Unsung Heroes and we would certainly recommend that anyone who is interested in such matters should attend and support this brilliant Heritage Centre.”

I concur with this visitor. I found it to be a fantastic collection that charts the history of the Regiment in great detail with many real life exbibits.

Our visit is planned to take place on Wednesday 7th May between 1030hrs and 1230hrs (with a midsession break for a coffee).

As the Centre is on an active military base, we will need to prebook and bring an acceptable photographic ID with us such a UK driving licence or passport for the issuing of a base pass. In order to make the projected start time we should arrive at RAF Honington main entrance by 10.10hrs at the very latest. Car sharing would be a good idea if possible.

The museum has several seating areas so visitors may rest whilst being briefed in the various sections. The whole area is wheelchair friendly and several wheelchairs are available for the use of visitors. There is also a NAFFI wagon on site where tea and coffee may be obtained.

Please bring some small change with you so donations may be made for your coffee.

At the end of the visit, we plan to take a Pub lunch on the way home at the Elveden Inn.

Their summer menu is due out next week and will be sent to you by email and also placed on our website. Their meal should cost no more than £30 per head for a main and dessert. All drinks including coffees, to be ordered and paid for separately.

Look out for the email with further details! Please book your place on this trip with Bruce, our Treasurer, asap, once the menu is available.

The Talk for our Meeting on Wednesday 16th April 2025.

The speaker will be Terry Holloway who has given excellent presentations to the club in the past.

Terry has a distinguished flying career with over 8,500 hours of private flying in 188 aircraft types. After 34 years as an engineering officer, obtaining the rank of Group Captain in the Royal Air Force, Terry joined the Marshall Group of Companies fulfilling high ranking positions.

He is recognised as an aviation expert and aviation historian. He has appeared on TV, and on radio, to talk about topical aviation manners. We are sure his presentation will be very interesting and informative.

Ladies are welcome to attend this meeting.

The Talk for our Meeting on Wednesday 2nd April 2025.

The speaker will be Sarah Doig and her subject is

A-Z of Cambridge: places, people, history.

The talk will include fascinating and little-known facts about the city, as well as tales of the famous people who lived there and visited Cambridge over the centuries.

Sarah’s CV reads:

I grew up in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, leaving to study music at university. I also have a postgraduate qualification in Librarianship & Information Studies. After a twenty-year career in the Foreign Office, I moved back to Suffolk, and made a radical shift to being self-employed.

Local history research and writing takes up the majority of my time. My passion is for writing readable and accessible local history, aimed at enthusing and informing those who simply want to know more about the places in which they live or the counties and towns they visit. Since 2013, I have had eleven local history books published. Details of these and of some of the magazine articles I have written can be found on the relevant website page.

Over the years, I have also built-up considerable expertise in self-publishing, including typesetting and book production.
I am an established and popular speaker on the East-Anglian circuit. I give talks to a wide range of organisations, including history societies, U3A groups, Probus clubs and Women’s Institute. A complete list of the talks I currently offer can be found on the relevant website page.

I am a trustee and current Chair of the Friends of Suffolk Archives. I am also on the Council of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History.

I combine all these activities with my professional music-making. I perform across East Anglia and further afield.

Please note that Ladies are welcome to attend this meeting.

The Talk for our Meeting on Wednesday 19th March 2025.

The speaker will be Karl Lumbers, a representative of Trinity House. He will be speaking about the history and current work of the Authority.

The mission of Trinity House, amongst other things, is as a General Lighthouse Authority, to deliver a reliable, efficient and cost-effective aids to navigation service, for the benefit and safety of all mariners.

Furthermore, as a charity they help to ensure that British commercial shipping is crewed by well-trained men and women and that mariners in need of all ages and backgrounds are supported in a number of ways either directly by them or through grants to other maritime charities and initiatives.

Trinity House works closely with a number of highly-regarded national and international organisations, including the Northern Lighthouse Board, Irish Lights, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, the UK Hydrographic Office and the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) , to name just a few.

It looks to be an informative and interesting talk.

Please note that Ladies are invited to this meeting.

Lunch at Edmunds, Bury St Edmunds, on Wednesday 5th March 2025.

The following is the menu for our next visit to West Suffolk College.

Menu

  1. Chicken and Ham Hock Terrine, Piccalilli, Quail Egg, Tarragon Mayonnaise, Soda Bread

  2. Blow Torched Mackerel, Beetroot, Fennel and Apple, Mixed Seeds

  3. Jerusalem Artichoke Velouté, Pear, Walnut, Cheddar Beignet (V)

  4. Braised Beef, Watercress Puree, Glazed Carrots, Tender Stem Broccoli, Madeira and Truffle Jus (GF)

  5. Cod, Turnip, Parley Sauce, Mussel, Watercress Salad

    Served with Pommes Anna

  6. Wild Mushroom Tortellini, Spinach, Amaretto Crumb (V)

  7. Duo OF Desserts:

    Dark Chocolate and Miso Caramel Tart,

    Yoghurt Ice Cream and Rhubarb Crème Brûlée

  8. Biscuits and Cheese

  9. Coffee

(GF) gluten free (V) vegetarian

If you wish to attend this event please let Bruce Sims (b.sims469@btinternet.com) know your menu choics as soon as possible. Partners are invited to this event.

Further details of the arrangements for the day will be provided as soon as they are available.

The talk for our meeting on 5th February 2025.

John Fulton will be our speaker on Wednesday 5th February 2025.

The history of Mary’s Meals.

Mary’s Meals grew out of a charity called Scottish International Relief (SIR), which was set up after Magnus MacFarlane-
Barrow and his brother Fergus took aid from their home in Argyll, Scotland, to Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, during the
conflict in 1992.

Over the next 10 years, SIR expanded. It began building homes for abandoned children in Romania, helped returning
refugees in Liberia by setting up mobile clinics, and continued to deliver material aid to Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina as
well as funding many additional projects.

SIR relied heavily on the generosity of local people in the village of Dalmally in Argyll, Scotland, who diligently donated
food, blankets and other items of aid, which were then stored in the family shed. That same shed still serves as the global
headquarters of Mary’s Meals to this day.

Mary’s Meals was founded in 2002.

The Mary’s Meals campaign was born in 2002 when Magnus visited Malawi during a famine and met a mother dying from
AIDS. When Magnus asked her eldest son Edward what his dreams were in life, he replied simply: “I want to have enough
food to eat and to go to school one day.”

That moment was a key part of the inspiration which led to the founding of Mary’s Meals, which began by feeding just 200
children in Malawi in 2002. Now over 2,000,000 children have been fed.

The charity is named in honour of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who brought up her own child in poverty.

The talk for our meeting on 15th January 2025.

The speaker will be Kevin Boardman and his subject is “The Slave Trade and Civil Rights”.

Kevin is a retired teacher of 40 years’ experience. Born in Norfolk… moved to Suffolk as part of missionary work for our southern neighbours! He is a keen sportsman, a cricket coach and a lifelong learner.

He started his career as a PE teacher… got old, fat and slow – gravitated to the pastoral side as a Head of Year. A deputy/assistant head by 31 – a post he maintained for over 20 years.

The subject of his talk is the Black Peoples of America, their enslavement and the fight for civil rights.

This is really two topics in one. How the trade started and changed the United States of America. Then how those changes needed responding to to allow the black peoples of America a chance for some equality. Was slavery really abolished by the Civil war? Who or what was Jim Crow? What were sharecroppers? Who was Emmett Till and why was he a catalyst in the civil rights movement?

Note that wives/partners of members are welcome to attend this meeting.

The talk for our meeting on 6th November 2024.

Our speaker on Wednesday 6th November will be Group Captain David Broughton MBE, RAF Rtd. He spent 31 years in the RAF as a navigator and a staff officer in a wide range of posts dealing with research and policy into navigation systems and weapon fields. After his RAF career he was the Director of the Royal Institute of Navigation, and a specialist lecturer in Navigation at Nottingham University. More important, from the point of view of his subject, “The Aries Flights”, David has flown on 23 Aries flights – of which 21 reached the North Geographic Pole. Perhaps he will tell us about the other two as well!

The first Aries Flight departed the UK on 10 May 1945, 2 days after VE day, it was the World’s first flight to both Geographic and Magnetic North Poles. David’s talk will relate to this flight and the subsequent flights that lead to the development of air navigation in polar regions.

The talk for our meeting on 20th November 2024.

Our speaker on 20th November 2024 will be Oliver Wright of JS Wright and Sons who are the trusted guardians for preserving the traditional generation and re-generation of English cricket bat willow.

It all began in 1894 when Jessie Samuel Wright founded the company after being approached to supply willow trees to make cricket bats for W.G. Grace. Today, they supply top quality clefts to the world’s best known cricket bat makers.

Oliver joined JS Wright & Sons in 2005, having spent the previous fifteen years working in London. His main role is the inspecting and valuing of clients’ cricket bat willow trees, which involves extensive travel throughout England and Wales. The company takes great pride in the quality of their service, and the integrity of their business and how they work with their clients. Oliver’s hobbies include sport and travel, and he has two daughters who are growing up rapidly.

The talk for our meeting on 2nd October 2024.

Our speaker at our next meeting on Wednesday 2nd October will be Margo Harrison. Margo has been a volunteer and speaker for “Hearing Dogs for Deaf People” for about 15 years. Her hearing loss was gradual, beginning possibly in her 30s.

She will speak more about her story during her presentation.

She is a lip reader and will be accompanied by Linus, her second Hearing Dog. They have been together for 5 years. He is a blue roan cocker spaniel, a very laid-back boy with a slightly cheeky trait! Both her Hearing Dogs went to work with Margo when she worked as a senior nurse at West Suffolk Hospital.

Her talk will cover the work of the charity.
I feel sure that the subject of the talk will appeal to our “other halves” and wives and partners are cordially invited to join us on this day. We meet at the Masonic Hall at 10 o’clock and look forward to welcoming our partners.

PLEASE NOTE: PARTNERS ARE INVITED TO THIS PARTICULAR MEETING.

AGM Wednesday 18th September 2024.

The AGM will take place in the Masonic Hall, Newmarket at 10.00 for 10.30am.

The following documents relate to the AGM.

Message from the Chairman.

A full and interesting programme has been planned by the current committee for the coming year and it should be on the web site quite soon. However, most importantly, our AGM is scheduled for the 18th September which I hope you will attend as there are important things we need to discuss.

Our Probus club appears to be at the crossroads. Membership is down as we seem unable to attract the younger males to replace those we have lost. The reduction in membership affects not only the financial position of the club but also the attendance at meetings. Numbers at times have been embarrassingly low!

I feel the time has arrived when we need to decide: Do we continue to accept a dwindling membership and eventual closure or do we try seriously to increase it?

Over the past year we have attempted to attract new members through increased publicity, which has not been successful. A possible solution would be to admit ladies. I floated the idea a few weeks ago and thank you to those members who responded. We now need to decide whether or not to take the issue further.

Members who responded were virtually all in favour of admitting ladies but raised the following questions:

  • Would ladies be happy in the present location as its drab and unattractive?
  • Is the current location expensive to hire compared to other venues?
  • Would an annual membership be possible for a couple?
  • Would a monthly meeting attract more members?

These and other questions need to be addressed although not necessarily answered at the coming AGM but certainly over the coming months. Your views are important and must be heard. I look forward to hearing them.

I hope to see you at the AGM on the 18th.

John

MINUTES of the Newmarket Probus Club Annual General Meeting

Venue: The Masonic Club of Newmarket

Date/Time: 20th September 2023, commencing at 10.30am.

Agenda No.

ITEM

1

Chairman’s Opening Remarks

The chairman welcomed attendees to the meeting, gave a brief resume of the past year’s activities as well as the highlights of his four years in post.

2

Apologies for Absence were received from:-

Jack Watson. See attendance list for others.

17 members were in attendance.

3

Minutes of last year’s AGM had been circulated prior to the meeting.

It was proposed by John Kiteley, seconded by Bruce Sims and agreed by all that the minutes, as presented, formed an accurate record of the 2022 AGM.

The minutes were then signed by the Chairman and Secretary.

4

Matters Arising from the Minutes of March’s EGM

There were no matters arising.

5

Chairman’s
Report

The chairman thanked the office holders for their contribution to the smooth running of the club, both for the past year and for the whole four years of  his  tenure.

He then went on to highlight the fact that we currently had no nominees for the roles of vice chair or speaker finder and urged everyone to give consideration to volunteering for those posts.

6

Treasurer’s
Report

a.       Copies of the signed accounts for the past year had previously been circulated by email.

The treasurer expanded on the various elements of the accounts, highlighting the areas of expenditure as well as the healthy situation of our finances. The shortfall experienced during the 2022/23 FY was £147 but the room hire had been paid until the end of the year. The accumulated fund at the end of the year was £4,200.

After some discussion, it was proposed by Mike Beetham, seconded by Arthur Nuttall and agreed by all that the accounts be adopted.

b.       The treasurer suggested that there was no need to increase the subscription level for the 2023/24 FY. It was proposed by Mike Beetham, seconded by Barry Popplewell and agreed by all that the annual subscription level should remain at £65.

c.       Membership stood at 30.

d.      The treasurer proposed a vote of thanks to Jack Watson for examining and certifying the accounts now that John Ansell felt that he could no longer fulfil that role.

e.       Graham Kent proposed a vote of thanks to Bruce Sims for the sterling work that he carried out as treasurer for our club. That was duly taken.

 

 

7

Web Co-ordinator/Communication Officer’s Report

a)    Mike Beetham commented on his smooth take-up to this post and thanked Barry Popplewell for all his help in so doing.

b)   Mike outlined the duties that he had inherited, including sending out the calling notices prior to each event and emails on various matters, and said that he would start attending to the website in the near future.

c)    A vote of thanks was given to Mike for all his work over the past year.

 

8.

Secretary’s Report

a)   Membership losses included  John Falcon, John Ansell and Robert Dorman.

b)  Health and Safety issues:- The club’s electrical equipment was being tested periodically by the secretary. The Annual test by an electrical company was due.

c)   The Secretary should have thanked John Hales and Tony Malindine for the part that they play in the ‘Meet and Greet’ team.

9.

Programme Arranger’s Report.

a)    The way that the past year has operated:

There was no volunteer nor nominee for this role and so PK, helped by others, like Bruce Sims, Jon Kiteley and John Gentleman, managed to organise the speakers and events that have been enjoyed over the past year.

b)    Summary of speakers/events over the past year

We have enjoyed a wide range of speakers, with topics including: –

Peter Norman’s “Villages East of Newmarket”

Edmund Brookes “To the Russian Border and Back”

Mike Wabe “Life and Death in a Victorian Gaol”

Bill Butcher, talking about life as a Newmarket PCSO

Patricia Hodgkins with her John Constable presentation.

David Caulfield’s “Songs and Stories from the 60s and 70s”

A very sobering talk on the Cuban Missile Crisis by Richard Gibbons

And latterly, “The Wonderful World of Wine” by Gary Griffiths.

External events included: –

A Christmas lunch at the Heath Court Hotel, lunches at pubs, a meal at West Suffolk College and an on-site talk by Jenny King on the history of the church of St Martin at Exning.

c)     Way ahead for Programme Arranging (until another officer has been found).

The committee members have agreed to share the duties.  Committee members will take it in turns to organise talks and events and PK will also maintain the overall programme.

10

Election of Officers and Accounts Examiner

The current Club Officers comprise:-

John Kiteley (Chairman)

Bruce Sims (Treasurer)

Roy May (Committee Member)

Mike Beetham (Communications Officer)

Pat King (Secretary and Speaker Arranger)

Accounts Examiner: – Jack Watson

 

Overview

  • John Kiteley had served as Chairman since the 2019 AGM.
  • John Gentleman has agreed to take on the Chairmanship
    from the 2023 AGM
  • Jack Watson kindly agreed to take over from John Ansell as Accounts Examiner
  • Pat King, Mike Beetham and Bruce Sims agreed to stand again as Secretary, Communications Officer and Treasurer respectively.
  • Roy May agreed to stand again as Committee Member.
  • No nominations had been received for the posts of Vice Chair or Speaker Finder.

Office

Nominee

Proposer

Seconder

In favour?

Elected?

Chairman

John Gentleman

Barry Popplewell

Arthur Nuttall

All

Yes

Vice chairman

None

 

 

 

 

Treasurer

Bruce Sims

Pat King

Arthur Nuttall

All

Yes

Communications Officer

Mike Beetham

Alasdair Tulloch

John Gentleman

All

Yes

Secretary

Pat King

Arthur Nuttall

John Gentleman

All

Yes

Speaker Arranger

None

 

 

 

 

Committee Member

Roy May

John Gentleman

John Kiteley

All

Yes

 

Accounts Examiner

Jack Watson

Bruce Sims

Pat King

All

Yes

 

 

11

Any Other Relevant Business

There was none.

 

12

New Chairman’s Closing Remarks

John Gentleman thanked the members for attending the AGM and for voting him in as the new Chairman.

He went on to thank John Kiteley for remaining chairman for the past four years, including through the Covid crisis, reminded him that he would still be able to sit on the committee in his role of Past Chairman and presented him with his badge and a bottle of wine.

The new Chairman gave a short, Powerpoint assisted talk
on his vision for the coming years, announced that the formal part of the
meeting was closed (at around 11.15am) and that there would be a talk by a
“Mystery Speaker”

The “Mystery Speaker” turned to be none other than John Gentleman who provided a

“Getting to Know Your New Chairman”

talk on his life as a local lad, his career in the Royal Air Force and his post-retirement activities.

Signed:

                                                                                                            

J Gentleman                                                P M King

Chairman                                                    Secretary

Date                                                            Date

THE PROBUS CLUB OF NEWMARKET

AGENDA for THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Venue: – The Masonic Club, Newmarket.

Date: – 18th September 2024

  1. Chairman’s opening remarks
  2. Apologies for absence
  3. Minutes of the previous AGM
  4. Matters arising from the previous AGM minutes
  5. Chairman’s Report.
  6. Treasurer’s Report.
  7. Communications Officer’s Report.
  8. Secretary’s Report.
  9. Programme Arranger’s Report.
  10. Election and Appointment of Officers and Accounts Examiner.
    1. Chairman
    2. Vice Chairman
    3. Treasurer
    4. Communications Officer
    5. Secretary
    6. Committee members
    7. Accounts Examiner
  11. The Club’s Future
    The way ahead for the club in the light of diminishing membership.
  12. Any other relevant business.
  13. The new chairman’s closing remarks.

The AGM will be followed by a talk.

Accounts 2023/24

THE PROBUS CLUB OF NEWMARKET

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st AUGUST 2024

2022/2023 INCOME 2023/2024
2015.00 Membership Subscriptions 1690.00
0.00 Donations 0.00
81.60 Surplus from Lunches -60.75
0.00 Surplus from Outings & Activities -11.71
0.00 In Hand re. Next Outing 0.0
10.00 Sale of Ties,Badges etc 10.00
18.32 Bank Interest 50.38
0.00 Miscellaneous 0.00
£2124.92 £1677.92
EXPENDITURE
1310.00 Hire of Hall up to Dec.2024 910.00
0.00 Coffee and Biscuits 0.00
0.00 AGM Buffet 0.00
0.00 Gratuities 100.00
71.92 Insurance 75.27
0.00 Probus Publications 0.00
0.00 Chairman’s Name-Bar 37.15
71.20 Bank Charges 69.20
749.00 Speaker Expenses 493.00
0.00 Probus Goods 0.00
0.00 Remembrance Day Wreath 0.00
70.20 Miscellaneous 68.63
Officers’ Expenses
0.00 Hon Secretary 0.00
0.00 Hon Treasurer 0.00
0.00 Hon Programme Arranger 0.00
£2272.32 £1753.25
£-147.40 Surplus £-75.33
Accumulated Fund
4347.95 Balance in Hand on 1st September 2023 4200.55
-147.40 Surplus for Year Ended 31st August 2024 -75.33
£4347.95 £4125.22
2636.06 Represented at HSBC Plc by 2686
Business Manager Account
1491.31 Treasurer Account 926.73
0.00 Less outstanding cheque. 0.00
73.18 Cash in Hand 512.05
£4200.25 £4125.22
___________________________Hon Treasurer
Report of the Hon Accounts Examiner to the Members of the Probus Club of Newmarket
I have examined the accounts of the Club for the year ended 31st August 2024 and in my opinion they give a true and accurate view of the Surplus for the year and of the Accumulated Fund of the Club.
31st August 2024 ___________________________Hon Accounts Examiner

The talk for our meeting on September 4th 2024.

Our speaker will be Susan Grossley and the title of her talk is

“Policing and Financial Crime in Regency London and Cambridge.”

Susan studied at Cambridge University having spent some of her childhood in Newmarket. She has been in love with words ever since she realised, at age three, that those squiggles on the page actually meant something. She edited the school newspaper and did lots more reading and writing at university where she studied English.
For twenty-five years she ran her own anti-money laundering consultancy, which gave her almost limitless opportunity to write about her very favourite subject: money laundering. and her obsession with understanding the mechanics and motivations of financial crime has only grown.
Over the years she has combined her interests and has written a series of seven historical crime novels set in London in the 1820s.

From The Chairman:

With Easter approaching , we can hopefully look forward to some better weather or at least some longer periods without rain! I hope the coming of Spring sees an increased attendance at our meetings. Pat King, our secretary, has produced a very good flyer on the Newmarket Probus, aimed at recruiting new members. We will have some copies available at our meetings for members to take and hand out. We have also taken action to try and bring attention to our club through announcements in the Newmarket Journal and local magazines such as CB8 and the Newmarket Flyer. However, could I again ask current members to help recruit new members by bringing a friend along to one of these meetings to see what a friendly bunch we are and have the chance to enjoy an interesting presentation!
The first months of 2024 have seen a varied programme for the club. The three speakers to date have given interesting and, in some cases, thought provoking talks. Bruce Sims, our Treasurer, records most of the talks given to the Club and these are available for members to borrow if they have either missed the original presentation or wish to go over things again! Our visit to the St Edmund’s Restaurant, West Suffolk College, at the beginning of March saw a very delicious and interesting meal served by the enthusiastic and capable students of the College. It was enjoyed and appreciated by all who attended. Our thanks go to Bruce for making the arrangements. The restaurant is open at various times, during college term time, to the public and further details on menus and opening hours may be found at edmunds.wsc.ac.uk. I strongly recommend a visit particularly to one of their themed evenings.
In the coming months we have a very full programme planned including several events to which members may bring wives, partners and friends. – On May 2nd (note the day change it’s a Thursday!) we will be visiting the Claas Factory at Little Saxham followed by lunch and on Wednesday 17th July we plan a boat trip on the River Cam followed by a riverside pub lunch. Please note the dates in your family’s diary! I look forward to seeing you at the meetings.

John

Newmarket Probus Summer Outing Wednesday 17th July 2024

This year’s Newmarket Probus Summer Outing will be to the Plough Inn at Fen Ditton where after taking an hour and a half’s river trip we will partake a buffet in the grounds of the Plough. Fen Ditton is 13 miles from the centre of Newmarket and less than an half hour’s drive. Those not wishing to take the river trip may join the group for the buffet. The event is open for members and their partners and friends. The more the merrier!

We have booked two boats, each taking 12 passengers (see below). Places will be allocated on “a first come first served basis”. Should all 24 places be taken, a reserve list will be made and should this list reach around eight to ten a third boat could be booked. Also, if not wanting to go on the boats, members and their guests are welcome to join the party for lunch. There are good river views from the Plough as are the food and drink! It promises to be a very good outing.

The price of the function is £35 per head for the river cruise and buffet and £20 for those only taking the buffet.

Date: Wednesday 17th July 2024
Timings: 10:45am at the Plough for an 11 o’clock sail. Return at 12:30pm for lunch.
Those arriving for lunch only should arrive by 12:30pm.
Parking: The Plough has a big car park and some limited disabled parking slots. The pubs Post Code is CB5 8SX.
Booking: Please book through Bruce our Treasurer either at our meetings or directly by contacting Bruce at home. His details are in the Members’ Handbook. Payment should be made with your booking preferably by using BACS.

Our Bank details Sort Code 40-34-38 / Acct No 11159488
Boats: Both boats are very comfortable and easily boarded.
Buffet: The buffet will be served on one of the Plough’s covered patios where there will be ample chairs and tables for all.

Further details will be available nearer the time.

The Plough is a premium pub, bar and restaurant located in the picturesque village of Fen Ditton. It has stunning riverside views from its large beer garden. Address:
The Plough
Green End
Fen Ditton
Cambridge CB5 8SX.
A patio at The Plough like the one we will have for our exclusive use, plenty of tables and chairs. Also, it’s covered if it rains!
Princess Charlotte a modern catamaran river cruiser with comfortable seating for 12 passengers. She has a flat deck, making it ideal for ease of access
Rosie a traditional narrowboat built to carry up to 12 passengers in comfort.
The boarding area at the end of the Beer Garden is very level and makes boarding easy for all.

The talk for our meeting on July 3rd 2024.

Our speaker will be Phil McGahan, representing the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) service.

The EAAA which is a charity providing life-saving critical care 24 hours-a-day, 365 days-a-year by air and road.
From road traffic collisions to cardiac arrests to medical emergencies, their specialist doctors, critical care paramedics and pilots bring the advanced skills, equipment and medicine directly to families in East Anglia in the fastest time possible. EAAA covers Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Since their launch in 2000 they have attended over 30,000 lifesaving missions, touching the lives of many thousands of people. The crew comprises specialist pre-hospital doctors and critical care paramedics, operating out of two high-tech helicopters 24 hours a day from the Norwich base and from 07:00 until midnight from the Cambridge base.

AEAA was the first air ambulance in the country to attend helicopter emergency medical incidents in the hours of darkness to unknown and unlit sites.

It promises to be an interesting and informative presentation.

The talk for our meeting on June 19th 2024.

Our next speaker is Dr Dr John Dudeney.

John has over 50 years of professional, and a lifelong passion, in matters relating to the Antarctic.

His subject will be the stunning story of Ernest Shackleton and his Endurance crew. In 1914 he and a crew of 27 men set sail for the South Atlantic on board a ship called the Endurance. The object of the expedition was to cross the Antarctic overland. In October 1915, still over half a continent away from their intended base, the ship was trapped, then crushed in ice. It promises to be an interesting talk.

You might remember that, at his last presentation, John’s voice faded somewhat and parts were difficult to hear. Fear not, this time we will have our PA system up and running!

The talk for our meeting on June 5th 2024.

Our next speaker is Mike Wabe.

Mike has given several interesting talks to our Probus Club over the years. His subject on the 5th will be Witches and Witch Hunting in East Anglia.

The trailer for the talk is as follows:

Magic is one of those subjects that interests everyone, even if it is only a passing interest. Witches have always been associated with magic, so discover how a witch hunting mania swept through East Anglia. Hear how this man, Matthew Hopkins, spread terror amongst the populace and learn how he caused the deaths of so many women, although there were some men as well. Discover when the witch craze finally ended (or has it?) and see what you can do to protect yourself from a witch’s spell.
Mike is based in Thetford, Norfolk, His work history is 29 years a police officer, followed by 4 years as a manager for Autoglass, then by 10 years as a prison officer and ending with 3 years as an Inclusion Manager in a secondary school. He is now a Town Crier and has been giving presentations for over 20 years.

The talk for our meeting on May 15th 2024.

Our next speaker Tom Cummings.

Tom is a local man who grows and then sells carnivorous plants at local Farmers’ Markets. His talk will be on Carnivorous Plants and Their Care. He will also bring to the meeting a selection of his plants for sale.

Visit to CLAAS UK, Thursday 2nd May 2024.

Pre Visit

Please let Bruce know the names, mobile numbers, email address and car registrations of all attending, so we can fill in the attendance form ahead of the visit. This will generate the visitor badges in advance. These details are required for the H&S and fire regulations, so Claas know who is on site.

Programme

10.30 Arrival at CLASS UK, Saxham, Bury St Edmunds, P28 6QZ Welcome & Refreshments in the JAGUAR Room

11.00 Company presentation in the LEXION Room

11.30 Full site tour to include Technopares, Parts Logistics, CLAAS Academy and the Customer Experience Centre

13.00 Buffet lunch in the JAGUAR Room

14.00 Departure

Please contact jjgent20@gmail.com or call 07947140097 if you have any queries relating to the trip.

Access from the A14

Travelling east, take junction 41, signed Risby. Follow the slip road to the turning for Risby, then immediately turn right for the bridge, to go over the A14. Follow the road round past Calor Gas, right, and then turn left into the CLAAS UK site and the main car park, which is on the left.

Travelling from the west: take junction 41, follow the slip road past the front of the CLAAS UK site, turn left and left again into the site, then into the car park, as above.

Entrance is by the main door (‘2’ on the site map) which is surrounded in the CLAAS green colour. On entering, take the left door into the show room (called ‘Technoparc’) and go to the reception desk. Visitor badges should be ready for everyone attending. Additional ones can be created for anyone extra.

The talk for our meeting on April 17th 2024.

Our next speaker Nigel Sutton.

Title: Scams and Cyber Crime

Nigel Sutton works for Cambridgeshire Constabulary within the Specialist Crime Team at Police HQ, and is a former police officer with over 20 years policing experience. In 2016, he was part of a small team of officers who established the force cyber investigation unit. His current role profile is Fraud and Cyber Security Advisor, he is part of a national Cyber Protect network which requires him to engage and provide information to businesses and local communities about the local threat of Cybercrime, this work includes identifying vulnerabilities and conducting assessments and providing security advice using materials and guidance from the National Cyber Security Centre in London and other sources. A secondary role is the Cyber Choices officer, a national programme led by the National Crime Agency in which he works with partners to educate and prevent young people becoming involved in cyber related criminal activity.
He will talk to us about how criminals use, email, texts, mobile phones, social media to send scams intending us all to believe they are genuine when they are certainly not. Nigel will provide information on how best to protect our online devices and accounts using advice from the National Cyber Security Centre, (Part of GCHQ) with plenty of time for questions and answers. If you have ever wondered how criminals know our telephone numbers and email addresses, well Nigel will tell us!

The talk for our meeting on April 3rd 2024.

Our next speaker is ex RAF Regiment Warrant Officer “Mac” MacDonald.

Mac is the Public Engagement Co-ordinator for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) in the east of England. Prior to this role he spent 39 years in the RAF Regiment, finishing as the Station Warrant Officer (i.e. responsible for discipline on the base – comparable to the regimental sergeant major in the Army!) at RAF Honington. Mac will speak about the work of the CWGC.
The CWGC is a global organisation, caring for war graves at 23,000 locations in more than 150 countries and territories. It commemorates almost 1.7 million individuals, ensuring that all the Commonwealth men and women who died during both world wars are commemorated in a manner befitting their sacrifice.
Their global estate is run by a multinational and multilingual workforce numbering approximately 1,300 – the vast majority of whom are gardeners and stone masons.
Since its establishment by Royal Charter CWG’S have constructed 2,500 war cemeteries and plots, erected headstones over graves and where the remains are missing, inscribed the names of the dead on permanent memorials. More than a million burials are now commemorated at military and civil sites around the world.
Their work is constant, amending records, searching for missing names, building new memorials and where historical inequalities in commemoration are found, ensuring all those who fell are equally remembered.
The CWGC also have a duty to ensure, its sites remain well visited so remembrance of the war dead continues, creating information centres, volunteering opportunities and education programmes designed to engage and educate generations to come.
Pictured: Bayeux British Military Cemetery where nearly 4000 British soldiers are buried. It is the largest British Military cemetery of the Second World War in France. The adjacent memorial commemorates the unidentified Commonwealth soldier who fell during the Battle of Normandy.

The talk for our meeting on March 20th 2024.

Jerry Watson

Wheelie Miglia” in 2019 Jerry Watson decided to cycle the route of the 1955 Mille Miglia (1000 miles around Italy) on a bike he made from Bambo; for his charity “Tourdesands”. The talk will take you on a tour of the route comparing his ride with the epic drive of Stirling Moss

The talk for our meeting on February 21st 2024.

Edmund Brookes

Edmund is a member of Granta Probus Club, Cambridge, who travels to places many of us would like to visit, often to the remotest and furthest corners of the British Isles, as well as continental Europse. He has visited Ireland many times both on business and holiday trips and will talk about the Wild Atlantic Way. This is a 2,100km almost circumnavigation of the whole island of Ireland from near the Fastnet Rock in County Cork, to the Mountains of Mourne in County Down. Cliffs, Mountains, Beaches, Vistas and the odd surprise on the way are all covered as well as Peat Bogs.

The speaker for our meeting on February the 7th 2024.

Edward Gildea

Edward’s life changed as a result of taking part in the 2014 and 2018 Clipper Around the World Yacht Races.
Until then, he was moderately concerned about the state of our planet, recycling and using trains conscientiously. Sailing 40,000 miles across the oceans from Australia back to London and then from Uruguay to Australia changed all that. It gave him a powerful connection to the planet.
“Helming is a form of mindfulness. One of my skippers had a rule ‘Helm and Breathe’. The only other thing you were allowed to do at the helm was breathe. Not talk, drink, laugh, point out a breaching whale… just breathe. You then felt every shift in the breeze on your cheek, every movement of the boat under your feet, every changing sound of the wake at your stern…“You connect to the planet.” Edward Gildea
These powerful experiences, coupled with the birth two of his grandsons while at sea, turned him into a committed green activist.
High altitude trekking and mountaineering also provided formative experiences, increasing his awareness of the 2 billion people whose agriculture depends on the slow melting of snows and glaciers.

Probus Lunch 6th March 2024 at West Suffolk College,
Bury St Edmunds.

Please let Bruce Sims have your choices of starter and main course, and pay, as soon as possible.

The cost is £30 per head.

The Menu is as follows:

      Starters.

  1. Cauliflower velouté (v)(gf)
    Curry, golden raisins and coriander
  2. Crispy pork cheek (gf)
    Black pudding, rhubarb and pork crackling
  3. Mi-cuit salmon
    Brioche, mallard moat, quails egg, hollandaise roe

       Mains.

  1. Plaice
    Salsify, tenderstem brocoli, hazelnut, parmesan, goats cheese
  2. Wild mushroom and flagoulet bean fricassée (v)
    Braised baby leek, kale and walnut pesto, pecorino and goats cheese
  3. Chicken breast
    Confit leg, sprouting broccoli, hazlenut and pomme anna

    Duo of desserts

(attendees will be served each of these desserts)

  1. Poached rhubarb trifle (n)
    Orange custard, parkin and almond cream
  2. Chocolate delice
    Vanilla poached pear and yoghurt sorbet

Report on the Newmarket Probus Branch AGM.

Our AGM was held in the Masonic Hall on Wednesday20 September. Seventeen members attended. The Chairman and Secretary reports were accepted as was that of the Treasurer who reported a slight loss on the year of £147.40 but this was negated somewhat in that the hire of the hall for the remainder of this year had been paid and hence contributed to the loss. The overall financial position of the Club was very sound and stood at approximately £4200. The treasurer recommended, and the meeting agreed that subscriptions be held at their current level.
The following Officers were elected:

Chairman John Gentleman
Secretary Pat King
Treasurer Bruce Sims
Communications Officer Mike Beetham
Committee Member Roy May

The outgoing Chairman, John Kiteley will serve as an ex-officio member of the Committee.

The meeting concluded with a short presentation by the new Chairman which he concluded with his hopes for the future. These are shown in the following bullet points

  1. Maintain the current ‘modus operandi’ for the time being.
  2. Increase communications and publicity.
  3. Consult members as. to:
    1. Frequency of meetings – twice a month? monthly?
    2. Format of meetings – balance of speakers, visits and lunches.
    3. Increasing Membership – more publicity, open to ladies?
    4. Exploring co-operation with other similar groups.
    5. Encourage more member participation –introducing new members, recommending speakers and events, serving on the
      committee.

It’s your club and needs your support in all areas .

The speaker for our meeting on January the 17th 2024.

Derek Adams, a Suffolk / Essex based photographer, who is also a poet and author, is the guest speaker at our next meeting on Wednesday 17th January. He will be speaking about his latest book: ‘EXPOSURE Snap shots from the life of Lee Miller’ which focuses on the extraordinary life of the American photographer Lee Miller.
Elizabeth ‘Lee’ Miller was a fashion model in New City in the 1920s before going to Paris where she became a fashion and fine art photographer. During the Second World War she was a war correspondent for Vogue, covering events such as the London Blitz, the liberation of Paris and the concentration camps at Buchenwald and Dachau.
It was a very interesting and informative talk.

Christmas Lunch 2023

The Probus Christmas Lunch was held at the Heath Court Hotel on the 6th December 2023.

The menu for the lunch was as follows:
Haddock Fillet
on crushed potatoes & peas
Traditional Roast Turkey
crisp roast potatoes, and rich gravy
Roast Beef
roasted potatoes and Yorkshire pudding
Carrot Wellington and Spiced Marmalade (Ve)

Carrots, mushrooms and spinach with a carrot, orange and
ginger spiced marmalade wrapped in a puff pastry case


All served with a selection of vegetables.
Our gravy is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free

Traditional British Christmas Pudding ((VE) & (GF) option available
simply served with lashings of brandy infused custard
Raspberry Frangipane Tart (VE) (GF)

filled with raspberry jam & almond frangipane topped with
raspberries & almond lakes

Chocolate Orange (Ve)

Crisp chocolate bourbon and digestive biscuit crumb topped with a
rich chocolate orange truffle mousse

Cheese & biscuits
cheese selection with crackers and red onion jam

Tea, Coffee & Mince Pies

The feedback from this event was very good and we are pleased that this event turned out to be so successful.

From The Chairman:

I begin by wishing you all a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year and during 2024 I hope to see as many of you as possible at our meetings and events. Your committee has assembled a very interesting and wide-ranging programme for the next nine months. Latest details may be seen on this web site and I suggest you bookmark this page to give you easy access. Please try to visit the web site, which Mike Beetham is developing into a useful tool for our use and information, regularly. Over the past couple of years, attendance at our meetings has been on the decrease although I was heartened by the numbers at the last of our 2023 talks and at the annual Christmas lunch which from feedback was much enjoyed. Could I make a New Year’s request of members to try and bring a friend, neighbour or acquaintance along to one of our meetings? There is always the possibility that they will like what they see and join us permanently, as has happened recently.