How we have enjoyed ourselves

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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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                     "So which team am I in?"                                        "How's that for style?"

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                       "Not as good as this...."                                      "... and just look at that result. Perfect!"

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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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                                                  ready to go

 

"amazed by the sheer scale of the operation"

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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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"Pity we couldn't walk. What's for lunch?"

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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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       "There's a lot of coloured balls here.                      "... and you throw the balls in that direction"

                 Which one's mine?"

 

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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Visit to Chawton House

 29 Novembe r. A group of 18 Probus members, their partners, friends and guests enjoyed a wonderful visit to Chawton House, a Grade II* listed Elizabethan manor house near Alton, Hampshire.  The house has strong connections to Jane Austen’s family, the previous owners having included her brother, Edward, and Jane herself lived nearby in Chawton village for several years and was a frequent visitor to the house.

The visit included a fascinating private tour of the house, led by extremely knowledgable guides who had a passionate interest in the house, its contents and the previous owners over several centuries, followed by a superb home cooked, two-course roast lunch served in the rustic charm of the house’s original kitchens.

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             "Now, that's very interesting ..."                                        "What's over here?

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"That was a lovely main clourse, what's for pudding?"

 

 

Coffee Morning

 

20 November. Our latest coffee morning, and the last for this year, saw 18 members, together with guests, meet at The Labouring Man, Coldwaltham where they were delighted to find that the pub's Christmas decorations were up and shining brightly. The coffee was enhanced by the excellent home made biscuits, making the morning most enjoyable.

 

Lunch at the Clink Restaurant

31 October. Some 25 members and partners were hoping to go to the Clink Reestaurant, Sutton for lunch. However, due to circumstances well beyond our control, it had to be cancelled.

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Autumn Walk

20 October. The Autumn Walk was to have started from The Three Crowns pub in Wisborough Green. A good number of members and friends had planned to take part. However, being England in October, the weather had the final say and the walk had to be cancelled. But non disperate! The next walk will be on 8 February.

Visit to Christ's Hospital

25 September.  Although almost literally on our doorstep in Storrington, there are many people who have not visited the historic Christs Hospital School, established over 470 years ago.  The Storrington & District Probus Club rectified that when 28 members and partners had a tour of the school site and museum. 

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We were treated to the school band parade playing all the pupils into lunch followed by a tour including the chapel, the theatre, Big School, and other areas, led by the pupils themselves.  After High Tea in the marvellous Dining Hall we visited the Museum, which holds over 100,000 artefacts from the past, most being in storage, but nevertheless so many on display that one marvels at it all.  

 

A very interesting afternoon was enjoyed by all.

 

 

 

Coffee Morning

22 September 25 very happy people enjoyed the latest Probus Coffee Morning at The White Horse in Pulborough. Very good coffee and the chef provided home made biscuits. A very nice touch was that he had made them just before we arrived at 10.30: so they were still warm when served. A number of people commented "what a thoughtful and delightful surprise."

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Summer Walk

23 August. The walking group of 10 members met at the Chequers Inn, Rowhook at
10.30am for a 4 mile circular walk. The walk was a pleasant mix of open fields and woodlands, highlights along the way were the magnificent views over West Sussex.

Arriving back at the Chequers at 12.30pm, the walk had given everyone a good appetite for lunch, which was pre ordered, so only a short wait to be served: the food was excellent.

 

  Everyone enjoy the walk and lunch, and all looking forward to next walk in October. Leader, Alan French, was given thanks for organising the walk.


 

Skittles and BBQ

17 August. Event organiser, Richard Green, introduced the non-Probus members attending their first skittle event.

Another hugely successful evening ensued, with 29 participants, enjoying glorious weather, food and friendship.

There was one game of 'killer' - three live skittles which after a tense final round resulted in Hazel Green winning the ladies prize and Cliff Palmer the mens.

After the BBQ we played a combined ladies/mens game of  a 'single life 'killer' - one miss, and your out!  The winner of this was Jean Patterson.

The evening concluded with the presentation of prizes to the winners by Rob Neal-Smith, our new President.  He thanked Richard for organising the event and hoped there would be many more to come. He also confessed to not hitting one skittle throughout the competitions!

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Hazel Green receiving her Ladies Competition prize

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Cliff Palmer clutching his Men’s Competition prize

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Jean Patterson being warmly congratulated for winning the killer competition

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