THE Club Chairman, Bill Major, opened the final meeting of 2014, on Monday, December 15 at the Abbey Hotel, Malvern.

He noted what a very successful year it had been with a wide range of interesting and often challenging speakers. Membership had increased and the Christmas Lunch had brought so many together for what had been a most enjoyable experience. Special mention was made of the raffle held after the lunch when the watercolour painting, kindly donated by Judy Foulsham, helped to raise £177 which has been donated to St Richards Hospice.

Probus members are invited to present brief accounts of their careers and on this occasion Geoff Bishop and Tony Bates had the honour! In a very relaxed and informal manner Geoff spoke of his life as an innocent scientific officer whilst Tony explained how being a trawler deckhand then a map-maker in the army led him into teaching.

Don Wood will launch our 2015 programme on Monday, January 5 with a talk entitled, The Battle of Lake Nyassa: WW1 in East Africa. We meet in the Abbey Hotel, Malvern. Refreshments are available from 10am and the meeting begins at 10.30am

The programme for the first half of 2015 is available in Malvern Library in the small cabinet on the right hand side as you enter the main library. For further information please e-mail t.batesworc@btinternet.com

TONY BATES