How we have enjoyed ourselves

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Antiques Afternoon

29 October 2024. 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 2024. ​​​​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 2024. 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 2024. 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 2024. 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 2024. 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 2024. A match at at Shipley was followed by lunch at the George and Dragon.

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Early Summer Walk

20 June 2024. 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 2024. 23 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 2024. 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 2024. 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 2024. 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 2024. 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

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19 March 2024. 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 2024. 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 2024. 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 2024. 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 2024. 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 2024. 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 2023. 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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Coffee Morning

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20 November 2023. 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 2023. 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 2023. 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.

Visit to Christ's Hospital

25 September 2023.  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. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

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.

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Coffee Morning

22 September 2023. 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 2023. Ten members completed a 4-mile circular walk. Afterwards, lunch was eaten at the Chequers Inn, Rowhook.
 

Skittles and BBQ

17 August 2023. Another hugely successful evening, with 29 participants, enjoying glorious weather, bbq food and friendship. The "killer" games were won by Hazel Green (ladies) and Cliff Palmer (mens). The combined ladies/mens game of "single-life killer" was won by Jean Patterson.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​