Celebrating 50 years of Probus in New Zealand
INTRODUCTION
ThelargenetworkofProbusclubsinNewZealandandAustraliaisavibrant testament to the concept that retirement from work ushers in years of active engagement with each other, with our communities and with the wider world. The Probus motto ‘Friendship, Fellowship and Fun’ allows a greatdealofvarietyinthewaysinwhichindividualclubschoosetoexpress theProbusphilosophyandnavigatetheProbusjourney.
Since the Kapiti Coast Probus Club was inaugurated in 1974 as the first ProbusclubintheSouthPacific,themovementhasspreadfromWhangarei in the north of New Zealand’s North Island, to Invercargill in the deep south ofitsSouthIslandtoNorfolkIslandandalloverAustralia.
Commencing with an account of the origins of Probus and the first club in theSouthPacificregion,KapitiCoast,thisGoldenJubileehistoryisarranged toreflectthediversitywhichflourishesundertheProbusumbrella.
Establishingclubsandclubstructure
Membership
Interestgroups
Activities
Guestspeakers
Outingsandtrips
CelebratingtheGoldenJubilee
This account has drawn heavily on The Probus story, Paul Henningham’s historyoftheProbusmovementpublishedin2006,whichoutlinestheorigin ofProbusanditsdevelopmentintheSouthPacific.Submissionsgenerously contributed by dozens of New Zealand clubs have been mined to demonstrate the wide range of ideas and experiences populating the Probusuniverse
IN THE BEGINNING
Coincidence and timing played important parts in the formation of Probus clubsinNewZealandandAustralia.ThemovementbeganinBritain.In1965, Harold Blanchard, a member of the Rotary Club of Caterham in Surrey, noticed that retired people who were not members of Rotary had little opportunity to meet new people or gain new experiences Rotarians listed the names of retired business and professional people who might be interestedinforminganeworganisation
Harold Blanchard’s Rotary Club agreed that he should form a committee which could form a club for retirees. On 22 February 1966, a meeting of 42 peopleunanimouslyagreedtoformaclubandchosethenameProbus,an amalgam of ‘professional’ and ‘business’ and, coincidently, the Latin for probity or virtue. The first Probus club met formally on 2 March 1966. Completely unknown to Harold Blanchard and the Caterham Rotary Club, FredCarnhilloftheRotaryClubofWelwynGardenCityhadbegunmeeting retired men for coffee. Fred’s Rotary Club agreed that a new club, without the Rotary obligations of service and regular attendance, could offer companionshipandintellectualstimulationtoretiredpeople.Thisnewclub wasnamedtheCampusClubfortheareawhereitwasformed.
The Council of Rotary International in Great Britain had noted that recent surveyshadfoundthatsocialisolationwascommonamongretiredpeople. Rotary’s primary obligation was to the disadvantaged and needy, but isolationaffectedamuchwidergroup.Councilmemberswereconsidering this issue when they heard about the Probus Club at Caterham and the Campus Club, which eventually changed its name to Probus. Rotary clubs were encouraged to consider forming similar clubs. Coincidence again played a part when the Probus movement spread to New Zealand and Australia.
PROBUS COMES TO THE SOUTH PACIFIC
In 1973, Gordon Roatz, a Rotarian and businessman from Paraparaumu, visited a cousin in Helensburgh, Scotland His cousin was a member of a Probus club which had been sponsored by the Rotary Club of Dumbarton. Gordon brought informative literature back to his own Rotary Club and secured the club’s agreement to take steps to form a Probus club which was likely to appeal to the growing number of retired people in the Kapiti region.
Rotary sponsorship and support were keys to the further development of ProbusintheSouthPacific.AnadvertisementintheKapitiObserverbrought 12 people to an initial meeting on 4 November 1974. Gordon had a simple slogan for Probus: ‘keep it simple, keep it interesting, keep it cheap’. Membershipgrewsteadily.
Not long afterwards, Jim King from the Rotary Club of Dumbarton, visited the Rotary Club of Parramatta North (now Parramatta City) and told membersofthesuccessoftheProbusmovementintheUnitedKingdom.At Jim King’s urging, the Dumbarton club sent information to the club in Parramatta.TheRotaryDistrictwhichincludedParramattatookuptheidea and established a Probus sub-committee. In November 1975, the Rotary Club of Hunter’s Hill in Sydney convened a meeting which resolved to sponsoraProbusclub.
TheProbusClubofHunter’sHillmetforthefirsttimeon3February1976.This firstAustralianProbusclubandthefirstclubinNewZealanddidnotknowof each other’s existence. It is a curious coincidence that the Rotary Club of Dumbartonplayedapartintheestablishmentofboth.
THE KAPITI COAST
PROBUS CLUB
Developingfromthatfirstmeetingon4November1974,thestructureofthe Kapiti Coast Club followed a model familiar to members through their membership of other organisations. An elected committee, headed by the expected executive committee – President, Secretary, Treasury – manages the club; other members elected to the committee often take on particular responsibilitiessuchasoutings,tripsandguestspeakers.
Like many Probus clubs, Kapiti Coast met in a succession of venues to accommodate growing numbers. There was soon a sufficient number of people to allow Kapiti Coast to sponsor a new club at Waikanae and, later, additional clubs in the region. The Kapiti Coast Club was originally a men’s club. The first ladies club in the area opened at Waikanae in 1991. Kapiti Coast became a ‘combined’ club with membership of both men and womenin2004.
Eileen Fluery was familiar with Probus through the membership of her husband,Colin.In2004,shewasoneofthefirstwomentobeamemberof the Kapiti Coast Combined Club. In common with many Probus members, Eileen coordinated morning teas and helped with other necessary chores which keep successful clubs running smoothly and became a member of theCommitteeand,in2009,thefirstwomanPresidentofKapitiCoast.Inher year as President, the Club celebrated its 35 Anniversary. Eileen made the cakeforthatevent.Shewasalsopresentatthe45thanniversaryasaPast Presidentandcutthecakeatthatevent.EileenisalifememberoftheClub.
Eileen was a Kindergarten teacher and a member of the Salvation Army. She was used to working with groups of people, and dealing with colleagues, staff and parents. The knowledge, skills and ethics she developed during her life helped her in her year as President and throughouthertimeinProbus.
She said “I have been helping people all my life and that continued when I joined Probus’. She reflected, ‘We were a happy lot. It’s still people looking after people, making lots of friends. They are friends youkeep’.
Perhaps Eileen’s words are an appropriate summary of Probus’s philosophy. Over the years, the Kapiti Coast Club has been addressed by guestspeakersandbyitsownmembers speakingontopicsoftheirchoice
Therearetripsandactivitiesandvigorousinterestgroupswithintheclub On 4November2024,theKapitiCoastProbusClubcelebrateditsGoldenJubilee –andtheGoldenJubileeoftheProbusmovementintheSouthPacific–with a gala luncheon. The Kapiti Coast story illustrates the important Probus themeswhichgivethishistoryitsstructure
1. GETTING THE SHOW ON THE ROAD
Aimsandgoalsarealwaysimportantindevelopingviableorganisations.The story of New Zealand Probus clubs reflects a complex goal, simply stated by theHastingsWindsorClub:‘Tostimulatethought,interestandparticipationin activities at a time of life when horizons are narrowing and opportunities to makenewfriendsarelimited’.
TheProbusideawasembracedsoenthusiasticallythat,by1981,therewere44 clubs in Australia and New Zealand As sponsors of new clubs, Rotarians became aware that the Probus movement could be, as Paul Henningham expressedit,‘haphazardandspasmodic’or‘plannedandsystematic’
A Probus Information Committee within Rotary soon became the Probus Information Centre, ready to guide Rotary clubs wishing to form Probus clubsusingamanual‘HowtoformaProbusClub’.
New clubs were accredited and provided with information to guide their development An early guideline, ‘How to run a Probus Club’, became the Probus Club Handbook. The Probus Centre – South Pacific (PCSP) adopted its own constitution and outlined its responsibilities which included promoting Probus, accrediting clubs, maintaining a register of clubs and publishingaProbusmagazineornewsletter In1985,theProbusCentreused itsownsmallofficeinRotarypremisesinParramatta.
By2006,PCSPhadaccreditedmorethan2,200Probusclubsandhadastaff ofthreepeople InAugust2011,alltheoperationsofPCSPwereassumedby a newly formed company based in New South Wales, called: Probus South Pacific Limited (PSPL) In February 2013, demonstrating their confidence in theneworganisation,RotarytransferredtheProbustrademarkstoPSPL.The assignment of the trademarks to PSPL put control of the Probus brand ‘whereitbelonged’,withProbus!
In2014,asmallbreakawaygroupestablishedProbusNewZealandInc.,and recruited around half the New Zealand Probus clubs and membership. Unfortunately, much of the disharmony at that time was based on misinformationaboutthestructureandcostsofbeingaffiliatedwithPSPL. Subsequently, PSPL successfully exerted its rights to its trademarked name andProbusNewZealandInc.becameFriendshipNewZealandInc.(FNZI)in 2016.
Sadly, the breakaway caused damage to the Probus brand. That said, the organisation of Probus within New Zealand has subsequently been strengthened and there continues to be a thriving Probus community with thousands of members across New Zealand, proudly enjoying Probus membership benefits. This includes the Kapiti Probus Club, the very first Probus Club in the Southern Hemisphere, which marked their Golden Anniversaryin2024.
Club structure
Probus clubs in New Zealand and Australia operate in three structures: men’s clubs, ladies clubs and combined clubs. The first ladies Probus clubs were formed in 1982 at St Heliers in New Zealand and Bateau Bay in New SouthWales.Theladiesclubsinitiallyuseddifferentcoloursandlogosfrom the men’s clubs but, by 1988, the familiar blue and yellow colours and the Probuslogo,registeredastrademarksin1983,wereusedbyallclubs.
TheEllerslieLadiesClub,establishedin1994,attractedmemberswithawide range of experience. The role of Treasurer in all clubs is demanding. The long-standing Ellerslie Club Treasurer has become familiar with financial reporting, dealing with Auckland City Council and the intricacies of grant applications. She has, of course, made friends with the many Probus Committee members and volunteers who have offered their skills and talentstokeeptheClubaliveandlively.Ladiesclubsdocontinuetoflourish, buttheemphasishasshiftedtocombinedclubs.
The Christchurch Kit Cat Club, established in 1997, was one of the first New Zealand clubs to combine men and women in the same club. The Dunedin NorthClub,formedin1993,admitteditsfirstwomanmember,FrancesRoss, in2023andelecteditsfirstwomanPresidentin2024.
Allowing women to join helped the Alexandra Club in Central Otago to attractmarriedcouplesandyoungermembers.TheStokeClubbeganasa men’s club in 1993. Unfortunately, with dwindling numbers, this club went into recess to re-group. The decision was made to become a combined club. Stoke Central Combined Probus was established in October 2004. Therewereonceseparatemen’sandwomen’sclubsinLevinbut,in1995,the club was chartered as a combined club. In 2008, when the Wellington Eastern Suburbs Club was 21 years old, it opened membership to women, givingprioritytothewivesofexistingmembers
Club names
ProbusClubnamestendtoberelatedtoaclub’sgeographicallocation,but therearevariations.TheProbusClubofMaungarakiWairarapaestablished in1992,chosethenameMaungarakibecauseitrepresentstheEasternHills areaofWairarapawheremanyofthefoundingmembersresided.
The original name of the Wellington Eastern Suburbs Club, established in 1987, was Mt Victoria Probus Club. At that time, Probus clubs required a RotaryClubsponsorandthisclubwassponsoredbyMtVictoriaRotaryClub. In 2004, the club’s name was changed to better reflect its geographical location.
TheWellingtonCombinedClub,formedin2003,foundthatnametobevery similartoalocaltaxicompany,anddidnotreflecttheClub’slocationinthe southern and eastern suburbs of Wellington. In such circumstances name changescanbewise.
The unusual name of the Kit Cat Club of Christchurch was drawn from Christopher Cat’s London tavern in 1702 when a Kit Cat Club met to debate the political problems of the day. The Christchurch Kit Cat Club did not aspire to the political ambitions of its forebears, but it encouraged its memberstotakepartindiscussionanddebate.
Committees
Voluntary work of various kinds often becomes an important commitment for people in later life. Membership of a Probus club committee is always time-consuming,oftenstressful,butalwaysrewarding.
In discussion with other Probus clubs, the Rutherford Club in Nelson discoveredanoft-repeatedpattern.Aclubmightstartoutwithahissanda roar,asenthusiasticmemberswillinglyraisetheirhandsandhappilyaccept the greatness thrust upon them. Ten years later, it’s a different story. Those eager beavers are now in their mid-seventies, and less keen to accept officewhenaskedtostand.
Committees can spawn new committees. The Hastings-Windsor Club formed a special committee to arrange celebrations of its twentieth anniversaryandanotherforthesilverjubileecelebrations.Thesecommittee positions helped their members to get to know fellow members of the club much more quickly. The Kapiti Central Combined Club recognises the contribution of its early committee members in laying the foundation for a vibrantclub.
Meeting venues
Many clubs have had to change venues – in some cases many times –whennumbersoutgrewameetingplace.TheKapitiCentralCombinedClub has been fortunate in having a stable venue and a great relationship with the Community Church where the club has continued to meet since its inaugurationin2010.
Attracting and keeping members
Retired people do not have a ‘right’ to Probus membership. Each prospective member has to be nominated, seconded, found suitable and theninvitedtomembershipofaparticularclub.
The Christchurch Kit Cat Club has had the benefit of a range of knowledge and experience through a wide variety of careers among its membership Christchurch is a university city with the club situated in a nearby suburb. Several Kit Cat members have university connections. Other members are drawn from a range of occupations and professions including the military, farming, manufacturing, medicine, education, public service and private businesses.
Geography can be a difficult factor inhibiting membership development. The Hanmer Springs Club covers the Hurunui and Amuri districts of North Canterbury, a very large geographical area with a small population. Since itsinceptiontheclubhasattractedamembershipbetween40and50.
The Wellington Combined Club, in a city where population is not a challenge, has noted that quite a number of those who joined in the early daysarestillmembers,butaswithmanytypesofclubs–Probusincluded–retaining and recruiting new members can be a challenge. In big cities, Probushastocompeteformemberswithmanyotherorganisations.
The Waiuku Club is located in a small farming community 20 kilometres from Pukekohe and the Glenbrook steel mill in South Auckland. There has alwaysbeenaverystrongcommunityspiritintheareaandWaiukuProbus Club always encourages semi-retired and retired people to join and participateintheclub’snumerousactivities.
In the 23 years since the Probus Club of Hauraki Plains was established, there have been many changes in membership, activities and goals. NgateaisasmallruraltownshipintheWaikatoregion,andthisisreflected in the membership of people who, in the past, have mainly come from farming backgrounds. In recent years with more people leaving the city for a quieter and more affordable retirement, members’ previous occupations have changed. There is now a much more varied cross-section of people from all walks of life contributing to the colourful warp and weft of the membership fabric. Retired small business owners, retail workers, teachers, officeworkersandnursesarenowtobefoundmakingupmoreandmoreof themembership.
The Makino Combined Club has been more than successful in attracting members. For many years, the club had a long waiting list of aspirants wishing to join – at one stage it stretched to 60! The size of the club membershipwasdictatedbythesizeofthevenue.Inrecentyears,alarger venuehasbeensecured,andmembershipnowstandsat240.
The Rutherford Club based in Nelson has considered the ups and downs whichmanyclubsshare Asmembersage,thoselovelyandvariedactivities of days gone by can dwindle to monthly meetings, sporadic outings, and theoccasionallunch WhyhastheRutherfordProbusClubnotemulatedthis pattern? That club puts it down to two very pertinent facts, for which they must thank early committees When nominating new would-be members, the club has always advised that new members should be younger than existing members and know from the start that they will be expected to contribute. Secondly, the club seeks nominees with varied professions and interests, who will be prepared to share their expertise with others From these two simple recommendations the club is buzzing with fascinating, exciting members – and sufficient and varied activities that anyone who seeksnewexperienceswillneverbedisappointed.
PromotionoftheProbusideahasbeenverysignificantinclubdevelopment. Atleft,theBlenheimClubcreatedamemorableadvertisement.Atright,the HaurakiPlainsClubtookadifferentapproach.
The growth of the Probus movement in the South Pacific has been spectacular.ByJune1985,only11yearsafterthefirstclubwasformed,there were 435 Probus clubs, including 41 ladies clubs, and a membership of about20,000.On22August1989,thePeregianBeachClubonQueensland’s SunshineCoastbecamethe1000 Probusclub th
Club cohesion
Keeping a club both cohesive and dynamic can be challenging. New Zealand clubs have developed a number of strategies to keep club life interesting and stimulating. From its first meeting, the Blenheim Club has followed advice that it should be ‘friendly, stimulating and simple’ The Christchurch South West Club publishes an annual membership address booklettohelpmemberstoconnectwitheachother
The Dunedin North Club has its own special award called the ‘Bob Todd Trophy’ which is presented annually. Robert Hamilton Todd, known as Bob, was President in 2003-2004 He died suddenly in August 2004 His wife, Daphne Iris Todd, a member of the Dunedin Ladies Probus Club had died a month earlier. The Todd family supplied a memorial trophy to each club, in memoryofBobandDaphne,requestingthattheybepresentedannuallyto amemberwhohasmadeanoutstandingcontributionthroughouttheyear. The award is made each March in recognition of service in the previous year.
Additional attractions can stimulate attendance at meetings. The Hauraki Plains Club added a book and jigsaw exchange table for members to browse on meeting days. This has been very popular. The Club also introduced a ‘show and tell’ table with a different theme each month. Memberscouldbringanitemwithasmallwrittendescription.Thiscouldbe something they had made, a souvenir from a holiday, or a family heirloom to name just three examples. ‘Show and tell’ has proved to be very successful as a means of getting to know new people. It is a great ice breaker.
TheMaungarakiWairarapaClubenjoystriviaquizzes.Membersformteams and work together to find the answers. The quizzes have been much enjoyedandarelikelytocontinue.
At the Mangere Bridge Club, traditions which began many years ago have endured. ‘ThePinkPig’isdisplayedtoreceivedonationsfortransgressionin amannersimilartotheSergeantatArmsintheRotarymovementtowhich Probus owes its genesis. All money is donated to a hospice. The gardeners amongst the club donate plants which are readily purchased at meetings and,ofcourse,rafflesselloutquickly.
The Hutt Combined Club has recognised that its history can enhance interest in the club More than 1,100 photos, all entered into albums with events and members named, give easy access to the history of the Club. The Christchurch Kit Cat Club has created three large ‘scrapbooks’ containing its history through monthly ‘Chit Chat’ newsletters and photographs–arealtreasure
The Russley Club celebrated its 25 Anniversary in 2023 with a sumptuous lunch at the Christchurch Golf Club, and the launch of its publication A History of the Russley Probus Club. This book records 25 Presidents, and all Committee members, and a roll-call of all 346 previous and current members.Fascinatingreportsonall32multi-daytoursareincluded,aswell as poems and songs from these tours, along with notes on the many day tripsenjoyedbymembers.
The Probus Club of Karori Inc was formed in 1991 and therefore celebrated their 30 year anniversary in December 2021. To mark the occasion, a small bookletofsome40-pluspageswasproducedusingmaterialthathadbeen stored in various members’ garages. Some of it was pretty tattered and many of the paper clips and staples had rusted with age. But what a joy it wastoreadallthehistoricaldetailsandtheblack-and-whiteprintedcopies ofthemonthlynewsletter.
From 2013 to 2019, the Newsletters were stored on a USB stick and subsequently on the Editor’s computers. There is no doubt that members whocelebratetheClub’s40 birthdayin2031willhavefunputtingtogether detailedmemoriesfromthissource.
The Christchurch South West Club plans to develop a video showing some oftheclub’shistoryandmilestonestoscreenbeforemeetingsformembers andvisitorstoseewhattheclubhastooffer.Forexample,theeveningTVNZ News featured ‘Probians sky diving off the Auckland Sky Tower’. Within ten minutes this inspired a man in the Christchurch area to enquire about Probusandfoundthatthenextmonthlymeetingwasthenextday.Hecame tothemeetingandbecameamember.
TheChristchurchearthquakesof2010/2011affectedtheKaiapoiregionbadly and had a significant impact on the Kaiapoi Combined Probus Club membership.
These difficulties were overcome however and membership at the time of the 50 anniversary stood at around 105, with two founding members still attendingmonthlymeetings. th
Finance
Probus cubs are non-political, non-sectarian and are not money-raising organisations, but expenses have to be met. Over many years applications have been made to Lotteries New Zealand for funds to allow members of the Alexandra Club to be subsidised on all club activities. This support meansthatmembersonlypay$20toattendinglocalactivitiesor$30tojoin adaytripbybusandamealatahotelorrestaurant.TheAotearoaGaming TrusthasprovidedfundstoenableAlexandraClubmemberstotraveloutof the Central Otago area to more remote and interesting places. Funds from ‘Up Charity’ provided the club with funds to purchase an overhead screen and data projector. The local New World supermarket provided funds of $3,000 for a public address system to enable those who are hearing impairedtohearspeakersmoreeasily.
In 1999, the Ellerslie Club benefited from the Auckland City Council policy that, if members are over 60 years of age or receive superannuation, the clubhadfreeuseofacommunityhallforupto10hourseachmonth.So,no rentwascharged Thischangedin2004whenrentpaymentscommenced
Fostering new clubs
The Christchurch Kit Cat Club had a long waiting list and, therefore, established the Russley Club. By 2011 membership of the Mana Combined Clubhadincreasedto120,themaximumnumberfireregulationspermitted at their meeting venue. There was also a waiting list of over 30. Subsequently, Plimmerton Rotary was approached and a new club, Whitby Probus,wasformed.
The Woburn Club was formed in 1999 when the Eastern Hutt Rotary Club sponsored a meeting of interested people at the Hutt Golf Club. So many people attended that the decision was made to form two clubs. People at the meeting were divided into two groups by splitting the room down the middle with individuals being given the option of crossing the line to stay withtheirfriends.ThetwoclubswerecalledWoburnandBoulcott.
In November 2019 the Milford Club was instrumental in the formation of the HobsonvilleProbusClub.Spear-headedbyPastPresidentWayneMcDonald, assisted by several Milford Club members, an Interest meeting was organised in November at which registrations were taken. A month later, a foundation meeting was held attended by Margaret Drake, NZ representative on the PSPL Board, and Clive Menkin, President of the Milford Rotary Club which was very supportive during the establishment of the HobsonvilleClub.Itwasverysatisfyingtoseethisthrivingnewclubgrowto amembershipofover100.
In1988,thelateHarryTolleyofMastertonRotaryapproachedChrisHorrocks, thePastPresidentofMastertonSouthRotaryClub,toexploreajointproject tosetupaProbusclub.Ateamsentoutinvitationsto45peoplewhocould be interested. To their surprise almost 90 arrived at the Masterton Club, to the horror of the manager who thought the Fire Brigade would arrive to close down the meeting as the room was filled to overflowing with people evensittingonthewindowsills.
MastertonProbusClubwasformedon26April1989with200membersand a waiting list. It wasn’t long before Chris Horrocks and Harry Tolley saw the needforanotherclubandsotheRuamahangaProbusClubwasformedin April 1990, followed by Greytown in July 1990, Maungaraki in May 1992, Waiohine in December 1992, Pahiatua in December 1993, Tauherenikau in June 1994 and Takahe, which became Chris Horrocks’s club, in November 1994 EightWairarapaProbusClubsinfiveyears,aremarkableachievement
The Waitakere Ladies Probus Club was formed in 1993 but there was such great interest and demand by women in the area, that in November 1995, the Waitakere Rotary Community Chairman, John Lister, called an ‘interest meeting’ to form another Probus Club: The Probus Ladies Club of Te Atatu. The Waterloo Club was formed in 2003 when the four other Probus clubs in theHuttallhadlongwaitinglists.
Overcoming difficulties
Every human organisation has its difficult times. A suggestion that New Zealand clubs should leave the Probus South Pacific organisation caused discussion and debate in many clubs. Members of the Glenfield Club discussed the issues. The members and the Committee came to a unanimous decision to remain part of the worldwide fellowship of Probus. The club has never regretted the decision and its membership has grown. Naturally, clubs which chose to depart from Probus South Pacific were not entitled to use the Probus name or logo. Probus South Pacific realised that there was a need for improved communication and understanding of its role.Fairnessis,ofcourse,essential.In2000,acapitationfeetosupportthe central Probus office replaced the old voluntary fee of 50 cents for each member.
During the 2022-2023 year, the Mosgiel Ladies Club addressed the suggestion from a small number of members that the club should break awayfromPSPLandformacompletelyseparateclubwithouttheneedfora ‘mother ship’. After several months debating the issue, it was decided that the motion to stay with or to leave PSPL should be decided by secret ballot at the annual general meeting, presided over by two Justices of the Peace. It was gratifying to find that the great majority of members voted to continue as before. About ten ladies left the club but, since March 2023, numbershaverecovered.
Joining with other clubs
Getting together within a club is enjoyable, but there are many benefits when clubs get together. In June 1983, the first issue of Probian News featuredatriptoNewZealandenjoyedbyagroupofAustralianclubs.Judy Blanchard, widow of Colin Blanchard who founded the first club in Caterham, Surrey, was a very welcome visitor in 1987. Probians enjoy welcomingvisitorsfromotherclubswherevertheyarelocated.
In 1987, the Probus Association of Western Australia invited clubs from the entireregiontoaSeptemberfesttoexchangeinformationandideasaswell asenjoywineandwildflowers.Brisbanewasthefocusofaninternational
gathering which was timed to coincide with Expo 88. The first get-together to use the term ‘Rendezvous’ brought Probians to South Australia in 1991. In 1995, visitors from North America came to a Rendezvous in Christchurch. Probus ‘Rendezvous’ enable clubs to hear ideas from other clubs. The idea became so popular that a special committee was established to ensure thatclaimsfortheprivilegeofhostingaRendezvousdidnotconflict.In2008 theChristchurchRendezvouswasreportedtobeoneofthemostsuccessful with Probians attending from Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United Kingdom. Hornby Club was part of the committee of 12 drawn from clubs in the region to arrange the program. The Rendezvous began with a Cathedral Service and a visit to the Christchurch Town Hall, finishing at the worldfamousAirForceMuseum.
The Central Palmerston North Club enjoyed the experience of leadership in a Probus Rendezvous. A smallish but highly successful event gave the club the chance to showcase the wider region to Probus cousins from Australia, aswellasNewZealandProbians.TheThamesClubhasalsoenjoyedProbus Rendezvous In1997,theclubwenttoaProbusRendezvousinPerth,travelled to Monkey Mia and to Rottnest Island before enjoying wine tasting in the BarossaValleyandabitofgoldpanningatBallarat
Marilyn Werry and her husband, David, were on a cruise starting in Sydney andcallinginatWellingtonfortheday.Marilynhadbeenpresidentoftheir club.Theget-togetherinitiatedanexchangeofnewsletters,asinatwincity relationship. David has also been a President of their club. Several Raumati members entertained the Canadian visitors at lunch at The Backbencher, aniconicpubandeateryinWellington.Afterwards,MarilynandDavidWerry joinedagroupofRaumatimembersonavisittoTePapaMuseumandthe GallipoliExhibition.
The Te Atatu Ladies Club has established a liaison with Waitakere and Henderson Ladies Probus Clubs with members invited to join in activities or excursions. The Eastern Hutt Ladies Club last joined forces with the Woburn Club to celebrate the festive season at the ever-popular Pines restaurant. As well as delicious food they had a spectacular view over Cook Strait. The Eastern Hutt members were very grateful to the Woburn Club for including them as the Eastern Hutt membership was too small to go alone. The Isel Ladies Club held a very popular Housie morning event annually with membersfromotherclubsinvited
Communication
Communication between Probus South Pacific and between clubs and members is essential in ensuring that Probus flourishes. In 1983, the Probus Information Centre began to publish a quarterly magazine. Before long, ProbusNewsgrewinsizeanddiversityofcontent.
Club newsletters became more and more important. The Russley Club’s In Touch newsletter was launched when the club began. The first issue was dated 22 June 1998. In Touch has served the club and its members extremelywell,keepingmembersinformedofwhatishappeningatRussley Probus.Morethan270editionshavebeencirculated.Thisisatestamentto thepassionandpersistenceoftheeditorsandcontributorsinkeepingevery memberuptodatewiththeclub’sactivities.
Probus clubs need to be well in touch with the modern world. The Milford Combined Club, for instance, maintains a website which highlights the club’s interest groups and guest speakers and provides information for members of upcoming events and has links to the club’s newsletters and PSPL resources. Having an online presence has proved to be another avenueformembershipenquiriesandapplications
2. PEOPLE POWER
Interesting members
Probusisallaboutpeople.Discoveringthelifestories,interestsandopinions available within a club is one of the joys of Probus membership. The Isel LadiesClub,forinstance,foundthattheirmembershaveledinterestingand varied lives, even if they didn’t think so. There is always something that has been achieved or has survived. The only way to know what a person has done in their life is to ask! Some of the Isel examples are bird rescue, building houses in third world countries for Habitat for Humanity, silver smithing, nannying for the rich in Europe, world-wide travels, teaching EnglishtoItalianchildreninLondon,greyhoundrescue,farming,community volunteering,bringingupfamilies,joiningthetechnologicalage
The Makino Club has its share of interesting characters, one of whom was sufficientlytalentedtodrawcaricaturestosupportthehumorousstorieshe told couched in nostalgic verse Another was a worldclass left hand golfer andothershaveexcelledincroquetandbowls.Aninterestinghistoricevent involved a member who was a noted florist in the area In 1953 the late QueenElizabethIIwasinPalmerstonNorthonherfirstNewZealandvisitand there was a luncheon in her honour A club member prepared the floral arrangements for the Queen’s table and also supplied the champagne glasseswhichwereusedontheRoyaltable.
Longstanding and aged members
Longer life expectancy is one of the great benefits of the modern world. Radio and television news bulletins, newspapers and science programs abound with research showing that social interaction, willingness to learn and embracing new experiences enhance both quality of life and life expectancy.
The Alexandra Club has 10 members in its ‘Over 90’ group. A special dinner celebratedtheseremarkablemembers.
SomeoftheAlexandraClub’s‘over90’members
Ten of the 120 foundation members of the Christchurch Kit Cat Club, established in 1997, remain active in the club With his family, a member of the Hauraki Plains Club climbed Mt Taranaki on his 90 birthday, achieving theofficialrecordfortheoldestpersontoclimbthemountain
th IvanHansen,at97yearsold,isanactivememberoftheRollestonClub Ivan compiles and runs a radio show. Every Sunday afternoon a pre-recorded show of classical music, entitled Opus 22, is broadcast on Plains FM Ivan is alsoresponsiblefordeliveringanoperaticprogramme,Opus33,twiceeach month.Preparationforeachprogramcantakeanythingfrom40minutesto 3hoursdependingoncontentandfittingthepiecesofmusictotheallotted time.A10minutepieceofmusictofillthegapattheendofthehourneeds tobejustthat–not9or11minutes!Ivanbelievesthattheolderpersoncan suffer from the malady of ‘not having enough to do’. He enjoys having deadlinestomeetandschedulestoobserve.Ivan’scontributiontotheradio worldisashiningexampleofstayingengaged,connectedandactive.
At77yearsold,PhilVoycejoinedtheThamesProbusClubinSeptember1990 missing being a foundation member by a month. Phil developed Probus friendships that took him into his 100th year. His every conversation shared withtheclubwasstimulating,positive,cheekyand–often–aboutaProbus adventure. Betty Logan, the first woman to be President of the Waikanae Central Cub remained active in the club until her death at 102. There have been many centenarians in the Waiuku Club whose birthdays are celebratedwithaspecialmorningteaandabirthdaycake.
Marking milestones
The Milford Combined Club’s twentieth anniversary celebration featured several of the club’s foundation members, a number of whom remain actively involved in the club and maintain a close interest in its activities. Theclub’sfirstPresident,BeverleyJones,assistedwithcuttingthetwentieth anniversary cake with Warwick Smith, who was President of Milford Rotary Clubatthetimeoftheclub’sinaugurationin2003.
TheFranklinCombinedClubcelebrateditsfoundationmembers,picturedwiththe President,JoyWalker.FromleftVivenneStembridge,BarbaraCooper,BettyAuld, MurrayAuld,IanStembridge,NormaWalker
The oldest surviving inaugural member of the Mosgiel Ladies Club cutthecakeattheclub’ssilverjubilee celebrations Thecakewasdecorated withtheblueandgoldProbuscolours.
Mangere Bridge members and the Te Atatu Ladies Club enjoyed similar cakesattheircelebrations.
The Central Palmerston North Club produced a 70 page illustrated booklet ‘The First Decade’ in 2016 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of its foundation.Acopywasgiventoeachmemberfreeofcharge.
TheTeAtatuLadiesClubcelebrateditstwentiethanniversaryin2015witha luncheon at Soljan’s Winery Estate, returning five years later to the same venue to celebrate the club’s silver jubilee. Memorabilia given to members attending these milestones included items with the club’s insignia; a blue pen, a note pad and coffee mug for 20 years, and a silver pen, wine glass and coaster for the 25 . Each year generous members have donated a decoratedanniversarycake. th
Influential people
TheBethlehemClubinTaurangaowesagreatdealtoNevilleHardy.Neville wastheclub’sfounder.Hewasaquietman,reserved,verykindandalways ready to assist. He never pushed his opinions but, when asked, he offered very wise counsel. His other enduring talent: being impossible to say NO to. Neville believed there was potential for a Probus club in Bethlehem, Tauranga. On behalf of Rotary, he hired the Bethlehem Community Church hall, and placed a column advertisement in the ‘Sun’, a local community newspaper The plan was to form a steering committee On Thursday 12th August 2010, Neville bought a couple of packets of biscuits, boiled the jug andcateredfor14people Approximately140turnedup Withapologiesand wordofmouththenumbersgrewto160.
ElizabethPhillips,thefirstPresidentoftheBethlehemClubwasaverystrong woman Her first comment was, ‘l am the master of delegation’ She also had a vision. She envisioned a small friendly club with a maximum of 80 members
3. NOURISHING INTERESTS
SubmissionsfromNewZealandProbusclubsdemonstratethatamultiplicity ofmembers’interestsandenthusiasmscanbecontainedwithinaclub.The longevity of interest groups within various clubs is testament to their ongoingappeal.
Walking is a very popular activity. Three walking groups are among the 21 interest groups at the Combined Club of Hutt. ‘A walk for everyone’ is the club’stheme.
The Kapiti Central Combined ClubhasaMENZgroupwhich tackles serious subjects including visiting the Life Flight Trust hangars at Wellingtonairportwherethey wereinspiredbytheworkofa plumber, Peter Button, to establish Life Flight after New Zealand’s worst maritime disaster, the sinking of the Wahine at the entrance to WellingtonHarbouron10April 1968. Thebeautyofthenaturalworldwasappreciatedby thesewalkersofthePoriruaClub
Many of the interest groups which were formed when Waikanae Central Club was established in 1995 continue. These include gardening, walking, cycling, live theatre, cinema, travel, computers, wine appreciation and books.
The Combined Club of Hutt’s other interest groups include music appreciation(2)bookgroups(2)travel,movies,artsandcrafts(2)lunch(3) currentaffairsdiscussion,andpétanque.’Dinnerfor8onthe8 (whichcan involve20–30members)isaverypopulargroup.TheGardeninggrouphas visited many significant gardens, shared cuttings and solved various gardeningproblems.
TheOherahiClubalsoenjoysgatheringaroundthetable
InterestgroupsattheManaCombinedClubhaveincludedtabletennis,ten pin bowls, cinema, dining out, pétanque, music, walking, excursions, cards, scrabble,playreading,ploughman'slunch,wineappreciationandcraft.
TheWaiukuCluboffersseveralinterestgroups:walking,sketching,lunching, petrol heads, singing, storytelling, movies, crafts and books. In May 1997, a speaker at a meeting of the Ellerslie Club suggested ‘writing for grandchildren’. The writing group was born and has endured for 21 years. About 7 or 8 members meet once each month and have a lot of laughs readingthestoriesandgivingeachotherideas.
The Glenfield Club maintains a movie group, a summer walking group, a book chat group and comes together for both ethnic and Sunday lunches. Monthly newsletters ensure that members know when each event is happening.
In the early days of the Rutherford Club in Nelson, interest groups included walkers,trampers,andphotographers.
ArthurDavisoftheWaterlooClubwasextremelysuccessful
The Rutherford Club interest groups soon expanded to groups engaged in history, computers, four-wheel driving, embroidery and patchwork, movies, pétanque, gardening, genealogy, gardening, and dining. ‘Guess Who’s coming to Dinner’ began early. The book group and mahjong began in 2006 Cycling and golf followed in 2007 with the ‘Lunch Bunch’ starting in 2011. Later came bridge and ‘The Scribes’. The ‘Looking Out’ group is a relativenewcomerprovidingaforumfordiscussion
The Rutherford-Nelson 4WD activities were legendary but have been supplantedbycycling,enhancedbytheadventofe-bikes Aquarterofthe members come regularly on the weekly rides – and for coffee of course –and many also ride the more challenging expeditions that are combined withclubmulti-daytripsaway.
The names of interest groups in the Rutherford-Nelson Club have changed inresponsetowhimandfashion Originallyknownasthe‘TwoWheelTerrors’ the riders are now content to be the ‘Cycling Group’, while ‘Photographers’ became the ‘Happy Snappers’, ‘Patchwork’ became ‘Craft’ and ‘The Trampers’ adopted the ‘Social Climbers’ name. Imagination was obviously at play on Monday morning walks when names such as ‘Civilised Strollers’, ‘Flat Earth Walking Talking Society’ and ‘Magical Monday Womblers’ appeared.Inthelastdecade,thegroupnamehasremainedmorestaidas simply‘TheMondayWalkers’.TheEllerslieClubformedawalkinggroupwith the name ‘Probus Moodlers’. To moodle is to indulge in ‘long, inefficient, happyidling’.Walkingshouldbeagentleoccupation.
WhiletheaverageageofthefirstmembersoftheChartwellClub,Hamilton, was possibly younger than the average age in 2024, the club still offers a rangeofregularactivitiesforitsmembers.Whilemanyofthegroupsoffered in 1997 no longer exist, the club has a walking group, two craft groups, a cameraclub,amahjonggroup,andamen’sgroup.
MembersoftheRutherfordClubembarkedontheAlpstoOceancycletrail.
Special interest groups in the Makino Club include garden appreciation, cards, scrabble, twilight croquet, pétanque, walking, opera in the cottage, book club, car rallies, an annual picnic and special lunches. There are others. The club’s tea groups are particularly popular. The tea groups meet monthly in members’ homes for a shared meal. These groups provide valuable added support especially to a member needing a helping hand. The Porirua Club has activity groups which provide socialising and good times. These have included: crafts, walking, movies, lunch and dinner groups,cardplayingandbookclub.
CovidchangedthefaceofsocietyinsomanywaysandProbusclubswere certainly not exempt. The Hauraki Plains Club, like many others, had to adaptandremodelitselftofitthenewcircumstancesofthe2020s.Assoon as Covid 19 lockdowns were over, the Christchurch South West Club launched an array of smaller group activities including movies, cribbage, knit and craft, pétanque, Court theatre, walking and coffee mornings. Severalhavecontinued.
During Covid 19 lockdowns, the Christchurch South West Club continued to publishmonthlynewsletters,aswellasinstitutingaphoninglisttomaintain connectivity with members The newsletters included poems by member GrahamFreear.
The Epsom Combined Club found that the Covid 19 experience had a less than desirable outcome. The club had, over the years, grown to a healthy membershipof100members.ManyclubsfoundthatregroupingafterCovid lockdownswasdifficult.Socialdistancinghadmadesomemembersafraid to participate in meetings in crowded rooms. The membership fell. Fortunately, the club’s mixed membership, where companionship and optimism prevail, has allowed the numbers to increase towards previous magic100.
The Milford Club found that the arrival of COVID presented new challenges. On the positive side, COVID taught the club the value of social connections and their importance in preventing isolation and loneliness, a foundation plank in Probus philosophy. The Milford Committee quickly embraced the technology afforded by Zoom meetings and devised ways to keep in contact with members. A telephone tree was set up whereby each Committee Member made regular calls to a group of members. As well as thewelcomeconversations,therewasanaddedbenefitofdevelopingnew friendshipsduringthoselonglockdownweeksandmonths.
During this time, the Milford newsletter editor adapted regular monthly issues and they became ‘COVID editions’, to which members submitted photographs, recipes, and interesting stories of their newly-discovered and re-discovered pastimes. Links were also on the club’s website to PSPL’s regular ‘Staying Connected’ series which provided a wealth of interesting andusefulinformation,activitiesandnews.
COVID struck during Alan Stevens’s presidency of the Waterloo Club. Meetings were cancelled nine times between 2020 and 2022 The club sent out weekly newsletters to members, attaching jokes, stories and videos, hoping to maintain members’ morale The President also regularly phoned members, particularly those living alone. Some interest groups, including the readers, adopted Zoom meetings, and others resumed when the Governmenttraffic-lightsystemallowed–withrestrictions–suchassocial distancinginthewalkinggroup Whentheclubwasabletoresumeholding meetings, the caterer did not. The Secretary arranged individually bagged morningteas!
4. ACTIVITIES
Inventiveactivitieshelptokeepclubsvibrantandactive.MeetingsattheTe Atatu Ladies Club have included Quiz selections, the extremely popular biannual‘soupandrolls’day,theoccasionalbingogames,fashionshowsand celebrating Royalty: Queen Elizabeth’s birthdays, milestones of her long reign, and King Charles’s III Coronation. Members have participated in ‘themed’ meetings arranged for ANZAC Day, Mothers’ Day, St Patrick’s Day, Easter,MardiGras,spring(withfloral‘bonnets’)and,morerecently,PROBUS Month. Members’ birthdays are acknowledged with a card and chocolate andmilestonebirthdaysarecelebratedwithanindividualisedcake.
FashionparadesconductedbytheLadiesProbusClubofPapakuraCentral are always enjoyed by all, with members wearing the garments and showingofftheircatwalkskills.
The Ellerslie Club began its weekly games morning in 2011. The group plays Majhong,Rummikub,Scrabbleandothergames.InMarch2018astitchcraft groupbegantomeetonceeachmonth.TheEpsomClubenjoysanannual Trivial Pursuit day. The club is delighted that so many names and numbers are stored in elderly brains, ready to pop out. Every month the Eastern Hutt LadiesClubhasa‘cafecrawl’samplingthebestcoffeethatLowerHuttcan offerwithanever-changingvarietyofcafes.TheKitCatClubparticipatedin the Celebration of Canterbury’s 150 year anniversary Some members dressed in period attire danced a delightful Quadrille, a dance fashionable in late 18 and 19 century European colonies The Kit Cat Club also held a ‘Not Strictly Ballroom’ tea dance evening combined with the then newly formedRussleyClub
An annual picnic in January is one of the highlights of the Hutt Combined Club year. Each picnic has its own theme and there are team games and competitions with prize giving as a highlight Several clubs, including Morrinsville,holdpopularsoupluncheons.
Supporting communities
Being active and engaged often means that Probians are involved in their wider communities and support important social causes. Probus clubs are notfundraisingorganisationsandarenotcommittedtocommunityservice in the same ways as Rotary clubs, but many clubs have developed relationshipswithintheircommunities.
LifeFlightisanessentialservice.TheKapitiCentralClubadmiredtheTrust’swork.
SeveralmembersoftheknittinggroupintheChristchurchSouthWestClub made Trauma Teddy bears which were later presented to St John Ambulance, to give to traumatized young children in Ukraine. Over the years, the Maungaraki Wairarapa Club members have made knitted items and donated them to the Masterton neonatal unit for newborn babies. There have been lots of very lucky babies kept warm by these beautifully handmadeitems.
The Te Atatu Ladies Club has run an annual food collection to support the local Salvation Army. For some years members knitted and donated warm items to Middlemore Hospital and SHINE (Safer Homes in New Zealand Everyday),andmorerecently,toOneBigFamily.AnartificialChristmastree, donated to the children’s ward at Waitakere Hospital, was decorated by memberseachyearbetween2006and2016.
5. EXPANDING HORIZONS
Guest speakers at Probus meetings are invaluable in stimulating interest andcuriosityandinfillingknowledgegaps.
TheMosgielLadiesClub’slistofguestspeakersdemonstratesadiversityof topics Some interesting speakers over the years have been a prison chaplain, a marriage celebrant, a store detective, an antiques dealer, a popularlocalchefandawomanwhohadspenttwelveyearsasanun
TheHaurakiPlainsClubhashadsomefascinatingspeakersincludingthree NZ Police dog handlers who demonstrate the amazing abilities of their highlytrainedanimals Tohaveasmallpouchofmarijuanahiddenonyour person and then have a dog come through the door with his handler, be walked along a line of people of whom you are one – and then have that dog suddenly sit down next to you and stare at you with concentrated interestisauniqueexperience
The Eastern Hutt Ladies Club also has a speaker each month They have included the Wellington harbour master who delivered a very informative and entertaining talk about his job. Another interesting speaker was a photographer and director of the TV program Country Calendar which every New Zealander will know as the longest running program in the country. It’s been going longer than Probus! Two others of note were a representative from Zealandia, the famous fenced wildlife sanctuary in Wellington, a very popular place for tourists and locals alike and the Ignite Sports Trust coordinator, who spoke about the work they do with young peoplewhoareatriskofdroppingoutofschooltooearlyandoftenending upontheslipperyslopetoalifeofcrime.
TheLevinCombinedClubhashadmanyinterestingguestspeakersamong them a journalist who worked at the White House and a coroner from Palmerston North. The Wellington Central Combined Club invited Dame Catherine Healy from the New Zealand Sex Workers Union. Dame Catherine was a wonderful speaker, had no notes, and dispelled many of the myths abouttheindustryshehasworkedinformanyyears.
Guest speaker topics at the Maungaraki Wairarapa Club have included localhistory,growingtreecrops,theambulanceservice,mountainclimbing, living in overseas locations, trips people have taken far and wide, scientific glassblowingandcheesemakingjusttonameafew.
Guest speakers at the Rolleston Club have included Dick Taylor, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist in 1974. His stories of his training before those Games held in Christchurch prompted much laughter. Joy Reid,aformerEuropeCorrespondentforTVNZregaledmemberswithstories ranging from Royal weddings right though to reporting from stricken war zones. The most moving speaker was Peter Majendie who talked on planning, creating and implementing the exhibition involving the 185 white chairsfollowingthedevastatingFebruary2011Christchurchearthquakes.
The subjects chosen by speakers at the Stoke Combined Club have includedmotorbiketouringintheHimalayas;GreyPowerandBankingand ‘HowtorecogniseScams’.MaiaHegglun,alocalNelsonsculptorspokeofhis commissioned work ‘Taurapa’ the steel sculpture on the Matai River embankment.
Being based in central Wellington, the Central Wellington Club has the advantage of a plethora of speakers to draw from, ranging from expoliticians (both national and local), public servants, judiciary, diplomats and visiting firemen or women In addition, there are research institutions, culturalorganisations,artgalleriesandmuseums.
At least one guest speaker dressed to suit his topic. The first speaker of the ChartwellClubinHamiltonwasarosegrowerwhoarrivedinhisshortsand singlet.AmongthewealthofexcellentspeakersatmeetingsoftheGlenfield Clubwasaguestwhobroughtalonghispetterrierwhosatandlistenedto hisowner.Obviously,havingheardthetalkbefore,thedogstoodupwalked overtothepianoand‘christened’it.
Club members can be engaging speakers. The Christchurch Kit Cat Club features members as ‘guest’ speakers. The meetings begin with a member speaking for about 15 minutes. Topics were not restricted but normally covered either personal life stories or hobbies or travel experiences. The EllerslieClubalsohasatraditionofmembers’‘mini’speeches.Eachmonthly meeting of Rotorua East Club features an ‘ice-breaker’ speech by a member.
ThePanmureClubhasmember‘mini’talks.AttheWoburnClub,interesting LifeandTimespresentationsdisplaytherichbackgroundsandexperiences ofmembers.TheHastingsWindsorClubhas2minutememberspeechesat its meetings. Members are thus able to share a memory from their life’s journey.
The Levin Combined Club’s own member speakers share stories of their many and varies lives and experiences. Many members are active in the community and have received local community and civic awards and appearedintheNewYearHonourslist
Abroadermembershipallowsvariationofsubjectsandexperienceswhenit comestothe10minutetalksegmentofmeetingsoftheHaurakiPlainsClub. Members talk first hand of their experiences in being a volunteer firefighter orhavingdoneaskydiveasadare.
The Mana Combined Club has a slightly different form of member participation at meetings Some members have been prepared to write, acquire costumes and perform roles to provide entertainment at our monthly meetings This further expresses the club’s aim to foster fun, friendshipandfellowship.
5. GETTING OUT AND ABOUT Outings
Alwaysreadytolearn:theMillfordCombinedClub listeningattentivelyattheTeHanaTeAoMarama MaraeMaoriCulturalCentre
Others, like Panmure and Papakura, organise monthly bus trips. The Isel Ladies Club had annual mystery bus tours which were well supported. The Mosgiel Ladies Club members have enjoyed mystery tours and the Hastings
Probians tend to be enthusiastic and experienced travellers, always willing to learn more on both extended trips and shorter outings nearer home. As one Probian expressed it, outings and trips enable Probians to enjoy ‘excursions’ which were never part of their school curricula.
Some clubs arrange bus trips and outings at irregularintervals.
TheTeAtatuLadiesClublearntagreatdealontheir Sugarworkstour Windsor Club also developed a tradition of mysterytrips. Tripshave taken members to Waikato, Wanganui,Auckland andWellington.
TheCombinedClubofHutthasvisitedRangipoUndergroundPowerStation, Clydesdales farm (towed round the paddock on a sled drawn by the Clydesdales!),a RecyclingCentre,OstrichFarm,MovieCentre,Kapiti(twice) and Mana Islands, Vineyards, Olive Groves, Life Flight Rescue Centre, RNZAF Ohakea, Police dog obedience training centre, Nga Manu Nature Reserve, a major grocery chain’s warehouse, a large garden, a railway, Mt Bruce NationalWildlifeCentre,VintageAviatorMuseum,AlpacaFarm,Stonehenge –thelistgoeson!
Trips every two months are a very popular and important part of the Rotorua East program. Being centrally located in the North Island, the club has easy access to the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Taupo areas. Places like Ohope, Maketu, Tauranga and Waihi on the Pacific coastline are close enough for a day in the sun! Rotorua sits on a geothermal fault line which crossestheNorthIslandsoRotoruaEastincludestripstothemudpoolsand geysersandallthetouristattractionsinthisareawhichinclude18lakes.The Tongariro National Park is close enough for a day’s visit, so several trips have been made to the volcano Mt Ruapehu to ride the gondola up to the skifieldsandcaféforlunch.Therearebrilliantpanoramicviews!.
Thejoyofsharingameal,whetherlunchordinner,featuresinthestoriesof manyProbusclubs TheWoburnClubarrangesmonthlydinneroutings
The Blenheim Probus Club, established in 1992, demonstrates that club outings are not necessarily glamorous. Blenheim’s interesting and rather different monthly outings have included a visit to their Council sewerage plant and ponds and a Marlborough bottling plant where a lot of Marlborough wines are bottled for export and local markets Boat trips on thefamousMarlboroughSoundsincludedvisitingadisusedwhalingstation andaheritagesheepfarmonArapawaIsland
StimulatingcuriosityandthethirstforknowledgeisoneofthegreatbenefitsofProbus membership.Here,membersoftheKaiapoiCombinedClubareexaminingand ponderingonasightattheWillowbankWildlifeReserve.
A pause for reflection was the keynote for the Johnsonville Club when the membersvisitedPukeahuNationalWarMemorialParkinWellington,aplace forNewZealanderstorememberandreflectonthecountry’sexperienceof war, military conflict and peacekeeping. Created in 2015, the Park is also a place for memorials from countries with which New Zealand has a shared military heritage. The United Kingdom’s monument comprises a memorial treetakingtheformofthetrunksofanEnglishRoyalOakandaNewZealand Pohutukawaintertwiningtoformonesinglecanopy.Asilhouetteofasingle soldier can be seen between the branches representing the union of two countrieswhichhavestoodsidebysideintimesofconflictandpeace.
The Levin Combined Club makes an annual visit to its local Horowhenua College to meet and mingle with the students who have put their names forward for the Prefect team for the coming year. This is a great chance to keep in touch with the younger generation and to find out about their ambitionsandgoals–anditisgreattoseethestudentsenjoychattingwith
‘oldies’!ThestaffalsovaluesProbianinputfromthesechats.Inthefollowing year the head student team comes to one of the Probus meetings – it is alwaysofgreatinteresttoseewhowasactuallyelected.
The Maungaraki Wairarapa Club takes an interest in local businesses. The club has visited local food producing businesses, including a local bread making business which supplies the town and greater region. The club has visitedacompanywhichweavesandmanufacturesmohairintowonderful blankets,throwsandassortedaccessories.Theclubhasalsovisitedalocal printing company which prints a wide array of printed materials for local andnationalcompanies.
The Milford Combined Club outings encompass wide-ranging experiences withvisitstohistorichomes,gardens,specialityfarms,artcentresandboat rides.ThereisalsoculturalinvolvementsuchasthefulldayspentattheTe Hana Marae. There have also been opportunities to learn about different religions by visiting the Buddhist Temple, Jewish Synagogue and Anglican HolyTrinityCathedralinParnell,Auckland
Life can be adventurous for members of the Stoke Central Combined Club in the Nelson-Marlborough region. They have enjoyed an exhilarating ride on the Skywire and a visit to hidden Second World War bunkers The ChristchurchKitCatClubcombinedexercisewithanoutingonGolfCroquet mornings at a local croquet club The Waterloo Club promoted the annual golf tournament for Probus clubs in the Wellington area and donated a specialtrophy
Between2009and2013,theWaterlooCluboffered‘AProbus-likemeetingin a bus’ which were memorable outings giving members low-cost and stress-freeopportunitiestolearnaboutlocalandregionallife
The Eastern Hutt members have enjoyed visits to places as diverse as the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences where they had a most interesting look around one of NZs foremost scientific establishments, learning about the unique geology of the shaky isles, to Hills hat factory, wherehatsofallkindsaremade,notjustfashionhats.Thisfactorysupplies militaryandpoliceheadgearforNewZealandandoverseas,particularlythe Pacificnations.
Trips
Venturing overseas is by no means an unusual enterprise for New Zealand Probus club members. Members of the Chartwell Club, Hamilton, have enjoyed a trip between Adelaide and Ayers Rock and visited Floriade in Canberra as wellasenjoyingaPacificCruise.
The Ellerslie Club mounts a poster at each meeting about the next outing with the words WHERE, WHEN, HOW MUCH prominently displayed so that members can make an informed decision.
The Christchurch Kit Cat Club also ventures far and wide. Two groups travelled to the Chatham Islands, a group visit Tasmaniain2004foratourof9 days, 22 members undertook a tour to TheMakinoClubexploredthePacific SouthAustraliain2011andasmallgroupvisitedNorfolkIsland.
The Combined Club of Hutt has visited the Chatham Islands twice. The WaterlooClubhasfoundoverseastraveltobeanexcitingpartoftheclub’s activities. In 2006, fourteen members had a memorable week at a farm lodgeontheChathamIslands.Amazingmealsfeaturedwhitebait,crayfish, bluecod,roastwildporkandevenincludedaswancasserole.Alocalguide transported the travellers in his van each day with delicious packed lunches. Most of the group went home with large parcels of blue cod after anamazingweek.
TheThamesClubwentup,upandaway
In 2009, eight members of the Waterloo Club joined fourteen Waikanae Probus Club members for Opera in the Ruins on Norfolk Island. Wonderful nightly concerts from Brisbane’s Operatif! Opera and Song Company featuring NZ tenor Benjamin Makisi. The final night was beautiful music underthestarsintheoriginalprisonruins.
On a recent trip, the Manurewa Ladies Club steered through the Waikato fog,acrossthegreenpasturesoftheHaurakiPlains,throughthetownshipof ThamestotheupperendknownasGrahamstownarrivingatTheGoldmine Experience on the site of the Golden Crown Mine. Members were guided through the history of one of the largest 1868 ‘Gold Bonanza' strikes in New Zealand.ThemembersheardtheStamperwithhugebeamsroarintolife–earmuffswererequired–thenoisewouldoncehavebeenconstantduring the days and probably the nights too! Hard hats on, torch in hand, the Manurewa ladies were led through one of the shafts into the hill meeting mannequins hard at work. Further along, the pick marks and quartz veins could be seen in the walls as there is still gold in the hills. Soon there was lightattheendofthetunnel
The Maungaraki Wairarapa Club tried a different approach for one of its trips. Members embarked on a trip to the South Island using only public transport The trip started with a train ride to Wellington, then a Ferry to Picton,followedbyatraintoChristchurch.TheytravelledontheTranzAlpine Express to Greymouth, Where they spent a few days exploring the area which included gold mines, forestry, West Coast Pubs, and numerous other points of interest They returned to Christchurch on the TranzAlpine Express andthenflewtoWellingtonandcaughtthetrainbacktoMasterton.Ahuge amountoforganisingandawonderfultimewashad
Joining with other Probus clubs can be very enjoyable as the Franklin Club found In March 2023. The club embarked on an overnight trip from HelensvilletoDargavilleandbackagainontheKaiparaHarbourandalong the Northern Wairoa River with Kaipara Harbour Tours on the Kewpie Too. They invited friends from Hobsonville Combined, Howick Combined and Ngatea Combined Probus Clubs to join them. A total of 22 people enjoyed thistrip.
PoweringalongaboardtheKewpieToo Onerahimemberswerehappyinthe Hobbitworld
The Onerahi Club travelled on to the farm where the Hobbiton movie was setandwherethe‘LordoftheRings’andtheHobbitonTrilogieswerefilmed bySirPeterJackson.
Onerahi members were joined by another group and found the tour guide to be a very articulate and witty young man who proceeded to outline the work which started in March 1999 to create 39 Hobbit cottages using untreatedtimber,plywoodandpolystyrene.Anoaktreewasboughtinfrom MatamataandartificialleaveswereboughtinfromTaiwanandwiredonto thebranchesforthefilm’LordoftheRings’andfortheHobbittrilogyin2009.
Thecottageswereallrebuiltofpermanentmaterialsandtheoaktreewhich stands high above the village, or Shire, was an artificial tree made of steel and silicon. Like the oak from Matamata, the leaves were wired on, confusing the birds who landed on the leaves when the wind blew. It still looks very real. An artificial pond which was made for the film became a home for a colony of frogs whose croaking was drowning out the actors dialogue. So, the frogs were caught and relocated, only to return the followingday.Thefirstfilmtookthreemonthstomake,thenextonly12days. At its peak there were over 500 people on site. The guide also described someofthe"tricks"usedbythefilmmakerstogettheresultsrequired.Very clever and funny! The walk around the 'Shire' takes about one and a half hours.
High spots for many members of the Russley Club are brilliantly planned, wellmanagedtours.Thesetours,betweenfiveandtwelvedayslong,always featurecateringandaccommodationofahighstandard.Therehavebeen tours to most districts of the South and North Islands, as well as to most states of Australia. Russley believes that tours are not just informative, they areadventure,fellowship,andfun.
SeekingknowledgeandunderstandingisoneaspectofProbianlife,butProbiansare neverafraidtohavefun.TheRutherfordClubinNelsonstagedaChristmasballet
Some trips can be memorable for all the wrong reasons. The Wellington CentralClubendureda13hourferrytripasstrongwindspreventedtheferry from berthing in Picton. The crossing usually three and a half hours. It is difficulttofullyappreciatethewideopenspaceoftheMolesworthwhenyou arriveatyourhotelat3.00amandhavetobeontheroadagainat7.30am. The driver for the day proved to be a treasure trove of historical facts and anecdotes about the people and the places on the trip in the four wheel drive bus from Blenheim through the Taylor Pass, up the Awatere Valley to MolesworthStation.
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
ForProbusclubsalloverNewZealand,2024wasaveryspecialyearmarking theGoldenJubileeofProbusintheSouthPacific.Fromitsbeginningwiththe Kapiti Coast Club, the Probus movement has spread through New Zealand from north to south. The Honourable Casey Costello, Minister for Seniors, in herletterofcongratulationshighlightedthesignificanceofProbus:
‘Theserviceandtirelesscommitmentofeachclubto connectingwithandsupportingolderpeopleoverthelast50 yearshasmadeapositivecontributiontomanycommunities acrossNewZealand’.
‘Friendship, Fellowship and Fun’, the Probus motto, has proved to be an accommodatingumbrellacoveringarichvarietyofactivitiesandactions.
The Golden Jubilee has been marked in many ways. Probus South Pacific Limited issued a special booklet full of useful information for clubs to use during the Golden Jubilee year. A striking 50 years’ logo, highlighting the blue and gold Probus colours, was designed to adorn everything from a congratulatorycertificateavailabletoeachProbusmembertoaspecialgift setmarkingtheanniversary
A sample media release was included in the anniversary booklet. Before long,itemsaboutProbusanditsGoldenJubileeappearedinnewspapers In Nelson,aphotographwaspublishedshowingtheProbusSouthPacificchair, Michael Ransom and Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough district Probus Chair,RobinJohansencuttingtheGoldenJubileecakeatthecelebrationat the Nelson Golf Club Michael Ransom and the Probus South Pacific chief executive officer, Silvana Martignago spoke at the party. The importance of Probus in combatting isolation among the elderly was emphasised A performancebythesteampunkbandthe‘MaffickingWhooperups’ensured thatProbianswouldbeseenas‘withit’
Thelargecakeenjoyedbymembersofthe ChristchurchClub
On 13 November 2024, the Blenheim Sun included a photograph of Blenheim members, Christine Hipkins, Ann Soal and Elaine Warner on page 3 beneath the headline, ‘50 years of Probus’. The Blenheim Club celebrated with a morning tea at Lansdowne Park attended by the Mayor. A special cake was the highlight. Celebratory cakes have become a Probus keynote followed by the Christchurch Club with its richly decorated cake featuring the Golden Jubilee symbol and the Probus colours.
Kapiti Coast, the club where it all began, celebrated its first 25 years by suggestingthatclubscontributetothecompilationofatimecapsuletobe heldintheProbusSouthPacificoffice.1December2024wassetasthedate for unveiling the time capsule. Kapiti Coast was busy with Golden Jubilee celebrations.Therewasaphotographiccompetitionandapoetryandshort story competition as part of its celebrations. The 13 entries were assessed. Jasmine Thompson won the short story contest with her entry, ‘Shoes’ and the winning poem was ‘Dishwasher Duet’ by Ellen Hannigan. The entries werecompiledintoasmallbookletformemberstodownloadandenjoy.
On 30 July 2024, The NZ Herald anticipated the grand days of celebration with an article about the club and the planned gala luncheon at the Southward Car Museum in early November where past and present members of the Kapiti Coast Club would be welcomed. The Kapiti Coast President, Richard Chilton was photographed complete with the club’s ‘chain’ofPresidents’names.
Celebrationsofsignificantmilestonesarealwaysimportant.However,clubs all over New Zealand continue to plan a vigorous future. The Kapiti Coast Club, for instance, has thought carefully about the joys and challenges to come. Maintaining relevance was predicted to be an important consideration. Kapiti Coast recognises that its community continues to include a significant number of retirees, many of whom have come from other places. The club plans to reach out to more recent members of the community to provide a forum where they can meet new people, find activities that interest them and support them in leading meaningful and worthwhilelives.
The club anticipates that interest groups within the club will continue to be important in keeping the club active and alive. Carpool outings and automobile adventures are planned to involve as many members as possible so that the normal monthly meeting is not the only opportunity to meetandmixwithlike-mindedpeople.
Richard Chilton has recognised that complacency can be a challenge Membersarehappytoattendmeetings,butmanyarereluctanttohelpwith the administration of the club Kapiti Coast realises that it could be a continuing battle to persuade members to step up and help run the club. Richard Chilton is, however, optimistic: ‘We have survived 50 years – with goodmanagementwecanlookforwardtothenext50years’.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE EVENT
CONCLUSION
Many clubs have looked to the future and recognised that both challenges andopportunitieslieahead.
The Hauraki Plains Club believes that people get out of life what they put intoit–andsoitiswithProbusandthinksthatitwouldbefascinatingtobe abletolookintothefutureandseehowtheProbusconcepthasdeveloped. Whoknows,maybeTripsandTreatswillberunningtripstoMars!
MakinomemberssaythatmostProbiansarehappypeopleandthatthisis contagious,Probusopensthedoortonewfriendships,newexperiencesand new horizons. The outings offer social interaction and benefit members’ physical and mental wellbeing. Probus, Makino feels, provides the social interactionwhichhelpsmemberstosettleintoretirement.
Pat Fargher, a life member of the Thames Club believes that we need friendsmoreasweage;weneedpeopletolistentous,friendstoenjoytime with, to laugh with and to help us get a spring back in our steps. Having enjoyedthebenefitsfromembracingtheprinciplesofProbusfriendshipfor morethan33years,Patencouragesallmemberstotakeeveryopportunity tomakeanewfriend.
The Otari Club summed up its view of the benefits of Probus: keeping up particularlywhenclubmembersareretiredorsemi-retired Thisisacritical role the Otari club believes must continue. As well as being a social club bringing together a wide range of people from all walks of life for the enjoyment of each other’s company, Probus clubs also help to fill a knowledgegap
The range of guest speakers at the Otari Club has addressed a real need Members soak up information about the things that are changing in the worldaroundus Therewillbemanychangesinthefuture Sofar,speakers havecoveredadiverserangeoftopicsincluding:
1. ArtificialIntelligence
2. Marketingourweatherforecastingsystem
3. Re-introductionofKiwiintotheWellingtonhillsuburbs
4. Theuseofintelligentlightinginfilmandtheatre
5 Themanagementofouroralhistory
6. Environmentalissues
7 BroadcastinginNewZealand
8. NZPolitics
The list could go on. Probus is a way of keeping older people thinking and challenging understandings of the world. Otari Probus Club prides itself on the quality of their speakers and the fact that they give members that challenge.TheOtariClubpromotescriticalthinking.
th
In the 25 anniversary history of the Russley Club, the founding President, RogerMurdoch,reflectedonthefactorswhichmadetheclubsuccessful:
Agoodwell-locatedvenuewithbuiltinmorningteacatering. Interestingguestandclubmembertalks. Daytripswereimportantearlyonformemberstogettoknow eachother
Thoseinvolvingbustravelandlunchbuiltinhavebeen especiallypopular
Thelongertripshavebeenamajorcontributiontowardsthe specialdevelopingRussleyculturewhichiswellknownoutside theclub.
Thecommittee'shandlingofthedifficultthreeyearsofCovid Itwillbeinterestingtoseehowthesecharacteristicsevolveas thefutureunfolds
The Porirua Club believes that Probus is all about enjoying the fellowship of like-minded people by getting to know other active retirees in the local community. The Stoke Central Combined Club describes itself as focused on a timeless recipe: a continued quest to learn, social interaction and ‘goodold’plainfun.
ClubsalloverNewZealandarecompilingcalendarsofmeetings,speakers, tripsandoutingsandplanningtosupporttheircommunities.Thesecond50 yearswillbeasbusyasthefirst.
Copyright©ProbusSouthPacificLimited
Textcopyrightandphotocopyright©theindividualcopyrightowners,2025. Everyefforthasbeenmadetocorrectlyattributetherightsofcopyrightholders.
You are permitted to copy and distribute this publication provided that in doing so, you are not permitted to change, amend, revise or vary any part of the publication.Allotherrightsarereserved.
WrittenbyHelenGregory,prominenthistorianandauthor,assistedby RobinJohansen,ProbusDistrictChair.
DesignedandpublishedbyProbusSouthPacificLimited.
ISBN:978-0-646-72661-8
As we celebrate 50 remarkable years of PROBUS, let’s take a moment to journey down the memory lane and reflect on the rich history that brought us here. From its humble beginnings as a space for retired professionals to connect, PROBUS has grown into a vibrant and cherished community built on fun, friendship and shared experiences.
This golden milestone is a tribute to the dedication, spirit and camaraderie that have defined PROBUS through the decades - a legacy built by its members and one that continues to inspire...!