Tuesday, 21 June 2022

Probus Club of Croydon

Mr HODGETT (Croydon) (12:38): I rise today to speak about one of the wonderful community groups within my electorate, the Croydon Probus Club. The Croydon Probus Club was first established on 6 June 1984 by the Rotary Club of Croydon, originally only consisting of male members. In 2005 the club introduced ladies into the club, and to this date the club has an equal balance of males and females across both the management committee and the general membership.

It was an absolute pleasure to be invited along to their recent June meeting at Club Kilsyth. This was not only a meeting but also a celebration of one of the members of the club, Dick Neilson, on his upcoming 100th birthday. It was delightful to spend some time with Dick and learn more about his interests. Dick loved to play golf and only stopped playing a few years ago. He also has a wonderful love and talent for reciting poetry. In honour of this momentous occasion I presented Dick with a commemorative certificate and a gift as a keepsake. During my visit to the club I was also able to catch up and speak with other members and to hear about the upcoming events and outings the club has planned for the rest of the year and beyond.

The club also offers a great way for senior members of the community who are retired or semi-retired to keep active and have fun whilst also offering plenty of opportunities for meeting new friends, socialising and even finding new interests. I want to give a special thankyou to Alan Philcott and Rosemary Buchanan, the presidents of the Croydon Probus Club, for the invitation to be part of this special occasion and for the warm welcome I received by the club. I look forward to visiting the club again in the very near future.