Bridgwater Blake Probus Club - members information and news items

The Bridgwater Blake

Probus Club

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THE BRIDGWATER BLAKE PROBUS CLUB IS WHERE RETIRED MEN CAN MEET UP

ON THE MORNING OF THE FIRST TUESDAY IN EACH MONTH FOR A SOCIAL GET TOGETHER

AND HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE BEFORE SETTLING DOWN TO LISTEN TO A SPEAKER

OUR FORTHCOMING SPEAKERS ARE SHOWN UNDER THE'EVENTS' HEADING

AFTER THE SPEAKER OUR CLUB DOMESTIC AFFAIRS ARE DISCUSSED

AND WE WIND UP AT AROUND 12 NOON

AS TIME GOES BY WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS AND ANYONE

WHO IS INTERESTED CAN COME ALONG TO A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AND SEE IF IT SUITS THEM

OUR HONORARY SECRETARY'S PHONE NUMBER IS SHOWN AT 'CONTACT US '

WE MEET AT THE BRIDGWATER PANTOMIME SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS

YOU WILL FIND THIS ALONG THE SIDE ALLEY PAST BIFFENS IN WEMBDON ROAD

THERE IS A CAR PARK THERE

THESE ARE A SAMPLE OF OUR MEETINGS

JULY 2009 MEETING

Some 36 members were present and our speaker was Tony Rich who resides at Nether Stowey and who spent his working life producing good quality Cheeses.

Tony is in full command of his subject and had some healthy samples close at hand for us to sample later

Grahame Lock is seen in earnest discussion with Tony who might be saying if the cheese does not work with mice then please do not blame me.

	Tony worked for many years at Stowey Court and has a wide knowledge of all sorts of cheeses which he said 'make themselves'. However you have to have precise conditions at the time you put the ingredients together. That is the key to the end result. During his career Tony spent time in New Zealand and Canada passing on his technical know how to cheese making businesses and hence you might find good quality Cheddar in those far off places.
	Stan Homer (left),our Speakers Secretary looks quietly pleased with himself whilst Gerry Kitton is perhaps trying to get him to say Cheese for the camera.
AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING - SPEAKER RICHARD GRUNDY TOOK US TO TRISTAN DA CUNHA FAR AWAY IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC
	Discovered and first lived on some 500 years ago Tristan has a fascinating history. The ingenuity and community spirit of the inhabitants is a real eye opener when compared with the relatively hectic lives of those of us here in the British Isles. The wildlife is spectacular and Richard's slides were excellent.
	Richard, seen in the centre was the senior school teacher on the island for 3 years and was made part of the island family during his time there. Elwyn Davies on the left was the Headteacher at Wembdon School for many years so they were kindred spirits in their professional world.
	The Albatross and Rockhopper penguins were two of his neighbours on the island and they are depicted here amongst his keepsakes along with a box which held locally caught Rock Lobsters tails. Richard delivers talks to Junior Schools in Somerset and the paperwork is a sample of the children's answers to questions after his talk which of course is a Geography lesson.

Here we are in February 2010 with Di and Les ready to serve us our coffee before we settle down for the talk
	Di and Les Till look very smart in their new Pantomime Society pullovers and invariably make us very welcome at the Pantomime Society H.Q.in Wembdon Road
The modern day Speakers make use of Laptop computers linked to a Projector and to loud speakers. Tony's equipment is very well engineered into its housing. Safety First is always in mind and trailing cables are avoided as far as possible.
	Here is our speaker - Tony Bagwell from Taunton. His talk was based on an A.A. Book of long ago which had many pen and ink drawings of historical places within the County of Somerset. Now, several decades later he has been to the exact venues and photographed them with a digital camera and this provide the basis of his talk. We think the word 'fascinating' is appropriate to this fairly recent history story.
Ready for the off we see Vice President Mike Needs on the left alongside our Hon.Secretary Tony Chapman. When the talk finishes and the Speaker has been suitably thanked these two gentlemen will be involved in taking us through the Annual General Meeting procedures which will conclude with Mike taking over as President. In modern day parlance I suppose they can be said to be 'chilling out'
	Before the kick off there is quite a bit of chit chat when the members put the world to rights. Gordon Taylor is studying the equipment and is wisely keeping his hands in his pockets.
Tony sees photography as a great hobby and is to be congratulated on the way he puts these shows on to raise money for the Leukaemia Research fund well known as CLIC. He has raised some thousands of pounds for this cause and we were pleased to be able to contribute on this occasion.
	Finally, Grahame Lock, a former President, placed the President's Badge of Office around Mike Need's shoulders and wished him well for 2010. Mike is well known in Bridgwater and at one time was a local Councillor. The Hon. Secretary, Tony Chapman, can be seen making a note of the events.

THE SUN WAS SHINING FOR OUR MARCH MEETING WHEN THE TOPIC WAS "GENTLE SIDE OF JAZZ"
HOWEVER THE BUILDERS WERE IN THE CAR PARK SO THE FIRST CHALLENGE WAS TO GET IN
	We had been aware for some time that Biffens the Panto Societies' next door neighbours were going to house their vehicles in a covered enclosure and here it was under construction
Driving skills were put to the test and when you were successful and got indoors there was the usual welcoming coffee and biscuits
	Here we are settling down and some 42 of us managed to get in with no report of damage to any cars. The silver "box" on the table is where the JAZZ music in all its various styles will emerge from. Fred Crook is far left. Stan Homer is in the black jumper complimented by George Robbins in red and sat alongside Phil Alison
Our speaker Dennis Martin prefers the "Gentle side of Jazz" and so it proved to be. For our ears he produced samples of the instruments that could be used and we heard their effects.We went from New Orleans to Hoagy Carmichael and his "Stardust" plus a rill on the trumpet from Louis Armstrong and even the tune of "Abide with me " that we all know so well, started off as jazz. Most of us were considerably enlightened and John Bishop proposed the vote of thanks which met with a resounding round of applause.

	Les Till did his weeks P.E. in one session by getting us all out safely and full marks to him for all his help. John Willis and Roy Taylor are seen above wondering when to board their trusty steed and head for Cannington. Whilst Robin Mobsby on the left could be thought to be on his country estate with a few of his cars but he is not likely to be on the move just yet. Optimism prevails and quite possibly if the weather keeps fine and helps the builders the scene will have changed somewhat by the time the next meeting comes round. We shall see.

JULY 2009 MEETING

Some 36 members were present and our speaker was Tony Rich who resides at Nether Stowey and who spent his working life producing good quality Cheeses.

Here we are in February 2010 with Di and Les ready to serve us our coffee before we settle down for the talk

Di and Les Till look very smart in their new Pantomime Society pullovers and invariably make us very welcome at the Pantomime Society H.Q.in Wembdon Road

The modern day Speakers make use of Laptop computers linked to a Projector and to loud speakers.

Tony's equipment is very well engineered into its housing. Safety First is always in mind and trailing cables are avoided as far as possible.

Here is our speaker - Tony Bagwell from Taunton.

His talk was based on an A.A. Book of long ago which had many pen and ink drawings of historical places within the County of Somerset.

Now, several decades later he has been to the exact venues and photographed them with a digital camera and this provide the basis of his talk.

We think the word 'fascinating' is appropriate to this fairly recent history story.

Ready for the off we see Vice President Mike Needs on the left alongside our Hon.Secretary Tony Chapman.

When the talk finishes and the Speaker has been suitably thanked these two gentlemen will be involved in taking us through the Annual General Meeting procedures which will conclude with Mike taking over as President.

In modern day parlance I suppose they can be said to be 'chilling out'

Before the kick off there is quite a bit of chit chat when the members put the world to rights. Gordon Taylor is studying the equipment and is wisely keeping his hands in his pockets.

Tony sees photography as a great hobby and is to be congratulated on the way he puts these shows on to raise money for the Leukaemia Research fund well known as CLIC.

He has raised some thousands of pounds for this cause and we were pleased to be able to contribute on this occasion.

Finally, Grahame Lock, a former President, placed the President's Badge of Office around Mike Need's shoulders and wished him well for 2010.

Mike is well known in Bridgwater and at one time was a local Councillor.

The Hon. Secretary, Tony Chapman, can be seen making a note of the events.

THE SUN WAS SHINING FOR OUR MARCH MEETING WHEN THE TOPIC WAS "GENTLE SIDE OF JAZZ"

HOWEVER THE BUILDERS WERE IN THE CAR PARK SO THE FIRST CHALLENGE WAS TO GET IN

We had been aware for some time that Biffens the Panto Societies' next door neighbours were going to house their vehicles in a covered enclosure and here it was under construction

Driving skills were put to the test and when you were successful and got indoors there was the usual welcoming coffee and biscuits

Here we are settling down and some 42 of us managed to get in with no report of damage to any cars. The silver "box" on the table is where the JAZZ music in all its various styles will emerge from.

Fred Crook is far left. Stan Homer is in the black jumper complimented by George Robbins in red and sat alongside Phil Alison

Les Till did his weeks P.E. in one session by getting us all out safely and full marks to him for all his help.

John Willis and Roy Taylor are seen above wondering when to board their trusty steed and head for Cannington.

Whilst Robin Mobsby on the left could be thought to be on his country estate with a few of his cars but he is not likely to be on the move just yet.

Optimism prevails and quite possibly if the weather keeps fine and helps the builders the scene will have changed somewhat by the time the next meeting comes round. We shall see.