How we have enjoyed ourselves

2025

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Early Spring Walk 

29 April. Sixteen members and guests met at 10.30am at the Foresters Arms Kirdford for coffee and biscuits before commencing the 3½mile circular walk at 11am. The weather was gloriously sunny and warm - it was a real pleasure to be walking in the countryside with friends. The terrain consisted of, mostly level, paths alongside fields some with horses and rare breed sheep and cows, streams with bridges and several woodland areas decked

with bluebells and other lovely wild flowers. Altogether very enjoyable. Photographs were taken of members and surroundings by Brian Stow. Returning to the Foresters Arms at 1pm everybody was ready for their very excellent lunch. Service was prompt

and the staff attentive. Leaving at 2.30pm all members expressed how much they

enjoyed the walk and lunch.

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Visit to Eltham Palace

23 April. We had another very successful day out this week with a trip by coach to visit Eltham Palace. Being the beginning of the school term immediately after Easter, it was relatively quiet and the Club enjoyed both the gardens and a private guided tour of the Palace without having to make the usual allowances for other visitors.

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Coffee Morning

20 March. Our second of the year, this was another great social event at The Crown, Cootham. Some 30 members, spouses and friends enjoyed a good chat, coffee and biscuits.

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Afternoon Quiz

4 March. Our popular quiz event at the Methodist Hall, Sullington was attended by 38 members and guests. A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon during which Andrew provided the questions, Sheila marked the answers sheets, and Vanessa and Anna provided excellent tea and cakes.

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The winners were "The Singles" team - Rob, Tim, Mike and guest Michael - who each received a suitable prize. The winners of the Wooden Spoon were the aptly-named "Old Crocks" team (who shall remain anonymous!). But win or not, everyone had a great time.

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Ten-pin Bowling Match

27 February. Skillfully organised by Euan Crowther, our annual match against Chanctonbury PROBUS Club was an enjoyable, sociable and close-run competition. The match was followed by lunch at the Black Horse during which Paul Weaver announced the result, awarded the coveted trophy to our winning team of Andrew, Cliff and Richard, and presented a bottle of wine to the player with the highest score - embarrassingly himself! As we won, Chanctonbury Club will organise next year's competition. 

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Winter Walk

19 February  Nine members and partners enjoyed this month's walk starting from the Half Moon Inn at Northchapel. We walked through woods, along farm tracks past four farms and across fields, returning to the Half Moon for an excellent lunch at this historic inn where a warm log fire awaited us.

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​​​​​​​​​​​Coffee Morning

22 January  At the Queen's Head, West Chiltington, 38 members, wives, partners and friends enjoyed coffee and cakes in convivial fellowship.

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Viennese Concert

5 January  Held at the Assembly Hall, Worthing and featuring the Worthing Symphony Orchestra, we enjoyed a wide selection of long-established music with a few less familiar pieces. Sitting in the balcony gave us a good view of the orchestra with excellent sound.

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2024

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- a busy year -​

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Coffee Morning​

26 November This time, we visited the Labouring Man in Codwaltham.

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Lunch at Northbrook Catering College

21 November  After an absence of some 20 years, 32 members and partners returned to the Arundel Restaurant at Northbrook College for a lunch which was cooked and served by the catering students as part of their NVQ courses.  

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We enjoyed a sumptuous 3-course meal and afterwards congratulated the students on the quality of the food and service we received. There was a feeling that we should return there again in the near future.

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Thursford Christmas Spectacular

15 November  Organised by our friends at Chanctonbury PROBUS Club, a number of members and partners enjoyed a 3 days / 2 nights trip to Thursford for the annual Christmas Spectacular.

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Antiques Afternoon

29 October  Simon Langton of Denhams gave an interesting talk which included his personal and professional life to a large group of members, partners, Friends and a prospective member at the Old School House, Storrington. He then valued a number of items brought along in the hope of rriches beyond belief (which didn't happen!). The afternoon ended with tea and cakes that our ladies kindly organised.​

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Autumn Walk

18 October ​​​ ​We plan a social walk followed by lunch every other month.  This month we started and finished at the recently re-opened Black Horse Inn at Atherington. We ambled across fields to the Arun river at Littlehampton and then back beside the golf course and Climping Beach.  Twelve members and partners from the club enjoyed an unexpected sunny morning's walk followed by an excellent lunch at the Black Horse.

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Coffee Morning

23 September  Driving rain this morning did not prevent 25 members, spouses, partners and friends driving to the White Horse, Mare Hill, Pulborough for our September coffee morning. In addition to the coffee, they were treated to home-made biscuits baked earlier that morning. A good time was had by all -  including three potential new members who were welcomed and joined in the various chats. By the time we departed the sun was out and the rain had gone.

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Wine Tasting

​ 4 September  Don reports a very enjoyable, interesting and informative morning was spent at Court Garden Vineyard by the 13 members and partners who visited that sunny September morning. It was followed by a wine tasting and a very nice lunch.

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Skittles and BBQ

22 August  Another hugely successful evening was enjoyed by the 31 participants and with good food and company.​ There was game of Killer - 3 Lives Skittles - which, after a tense final round, resulted in Jean Patterson winning the ladies prize and Andrew Boultee the mens.

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The evening concluded with the presentation of prizes to the winners by Peter Edwards our new president.  He especially thanked Hazel and Richard for organising this event, hoping there will be many more to come.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Coffee Morning

19 July  A group of 17 Members, their partners and Friends enjoyed coffee, biscuits and amiable conversation in the delightful, warm and sunny garden of Findon Manor Hotel.

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Petanque

26 June  A match at at Shipley was followed by lunch at the George and Dragon.​​​

 

Early Summer Walk

20 June  A small but select group completed a four mile walk ending with lunch at the Three Crowns, Wisborough Green.

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Coffee Morning

30 May  Twenty-three guests attended a very enjoyable coffee morning at The Labouring Man. The superb coffee, both decaf & regular, with an abundance of delicious biscuits made specially that morning for us were very much appreciated by all.

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Visit to Polesden Lacy

17 May  Eight members of the club visited Polesden Lacey on a sunny May day. On arrival we toured the house which is full of interesting furniture and beautiful paintings.The house also featured an exhibition of drawings, particularly of trees.

The front of the house has been recently redecorated, and the clock with four faces has been fully overhauled and the clock faces repainted. The house has five defined gardens, which are well maintained, in addition to orchards and bee hives. The grounds stretch to 1500 acres, and which include a number of excellent walks. The house has also featured on the tv programme, Hidden Treasures of the National Trust.

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Spring Walk

26 April  The club finally managed to hold a walk after cancelling the previous two walks due to the weather. Seventeen members and partners walked the 31/2 miles from the village green at Lurgashall, around the local area, and then retired to the Three Horseshoes pub in neighbouring Lickfold for lunch.​​​​​​​​

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New Age Kurling​

17 April  Sixteen members and partners spent a hugely enjoyable afternoon playing New Age Kurling at Chanctonbury Leisure Centre in Storrington. Similar to traditional Curling, in NAK the “rubber” stones run on bearings so can be played on any smooth flat surface; a novel and different experience without the cold and slip hazard of playing on ice!! All the equipment was provided courtesy of Horsham District Council and their staff provided initial instruction, organised the competitive part of the event and tracked the score from each game onto a league table using the official scored format. Despite the “intense” but friendly competition it was a convivial afternoon with great fun had by all.​​​​​​​​​​

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Coffee Morning​

 27 March  A very successful coffee morning at the White Horse in Pulborough. We had 32 attendees which appears to be a record, certainly in the last five years or so. We enjoyed plenty of chat, good coffee & homemade biscuits.

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Visit to Vitacress Wholesale Nursey, Runcton​​

19 March  Twenty Probus members and their guests met at Runcton to visit the Vitacress commercial nurseries which employ about 350 people. We were very impressed with the scale of the operation  as well as the quality of the products and the degree of automation. These days, Vitacress produce herbs for all the major British supermarkets under strict quality control. They also grow a large quantity of lavender plants. They were founded in 195 in Alresford growing watercress. They have diversified into herbs and now produce 80 million packets a year and 20 millions pots. By belonging to a wider European group they can supply plants at virtually all times of the year. The modern glasshouses cover about 16 hectares and there is a considerable amount of automation but growing plants and recognising disease and insect attack still requires human knowledge and experience. Many of the problems are resolved by using natural plants and other insects rather than chemicals. How the environment is controlled was also of much interest to the Probus members. Overall, the two-hour visit was full of interest and thoroughly enjoyed by all.

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Winter Walk​

27 February  We had planned to walk along part of the Wey & Arun canal followed by lunch in Wisborough Green.  Whilst it was dry and sunny that day, the recent wet weather made the walk impossible.  Undeterred by this setback, 11 members of the club met at the Three Crowns just for a sociable lunch anyway.​​​​​​​​​

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Ten-pin Bowling​

5 February  We have a lighthearted ten pin bowling challenge match against Chanctobury PROBUS Club every February at the Out of Bounds centre in Rustington.  This year, 30 members from both clubs spent the morning having a go, supported by a number of the members' wives who were not bowling themselves. After two games the scores showed that Chanctonbury had won the match, both overall and for the individual winner, taking their revenge on us from the previous year.

Everyone retired to the Black Horse pub in Findon for an excellent lunch. All-in-all, a great annual event.​
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Coffee Morning

24 January  A really good turnout! Thirty members, partners and Friends enjoyed excellent coffee and cakes at our first bi-monthly coffee mornings, this time at the Crown Inn, Cootham. Organised, as ever, by Don.

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Quiz Afternoon

17 January  A great quiz afternoon in Sullington Village Hall. Thanks to Andrew and Sheila who set the questions, 31 competitors in small teams fought for the honour of chocolate prizes. In a close-run finish, the Fryern Team overcame the competition to receive the acolade and chocolates.

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New Year Concert

7 January  We started 2024 by going to the Assembly Rooms, Worthing for a concert. 23 members, partners and Friends attended and enjoyed the music and each others' company.

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2023

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29 Novembe r  Visit to Chawton House.

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20 November  Coffee Morning at The Labouring Man.

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20 October  Autumn Walk and lunch at The Three Crowns, Wisborough Green.

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​​​22 September  Coffee Morning at The White Horse, Pulborough.

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​​​23 August  Summer Walk and lunch at the Chequers Inn, Rowhook.

17 August  Skittles and BBQ at The Spur, Slindon.