A Christmas 2023 Message to all the Members of Paignton Probus from its 2023-2024 Chairman Chris Martin.
Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our members, and their family members, a ‘Very Happy Christmas 2023’, and a ‘troubles-free New Year’ in 2024.
Secondly, I would like to thank you all very much for bearing with us and maintaining your support for your club this year during the restructuring of the way we now collect the club’s annual membership fee.
I am pleased to report that this necessary change in the way the annual membership fee is now collected, has, for this current membership year at least, stabilised the finances of your club. I would like to personally thank the club Treasurer Mr Charles Easterbrook for his hard work over many years, plus, his support and assistance during this recent change.
Our Meetings since September 2023.
All our meetings since our restart on 06th September have been well attended, it’s unlikely we will ever get 100% attendance, due to factors like, holidays, hospital appointments etc, family commitments, and of course, sickness. The speakers we have had at these meetings have given us very interesting, and at times entertaining, talks / presentations on a variety of topics. Finding these speakers and balancing the costs of them can be time consuming and hard work, but I think our speaker finder Mr Paul Young does a brilliant job – thanks Paul.
The Paignton Club.
This is a great venue I feel, and its staff, under the leadership of Trevor and Sue, really look after us well in all respects, thank you both, but please also pass our thanks and appreciations to ‘all’ the staff members at the Paignton Club.
All of the above-mentioned factors, together with our new monthly hamper draw, and the group gatherings in the bar area at the Paignton Club after each meeting, plus, the summer recess informal gatherings held in the Old Smoky Pub, have in my opinion, resulted in a very pleasant and friendly club to be a member of.
Club outings.
Whilst the planned train outing to Exmouth in late September / early October did not happen due to possibility of Industrial action by the train staff (*maybe we can try look at doing this trip at some point in the future), the train outing to see the Christmas Market on Exeter’s Cathedral Green did happen.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature, in the form of the British Weather, did try to dampen our spirits on this day, but she failed I feel, the best she managed was to dampen our overcoats. The Christmas Market looked even more festive with snow falling even if it was a bit chilly. The meal I booked for us at the Cote Brasserie Restaurant on the Cathedral’s Green was enjoyed by all who chose attended it. The bad weather plan I had prepared did come into play, this was a ‘free’ visit to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, which was light and warm, also interesting, and has a nice little café, it is also very close to the Central Railway Station. On the subject of railway, both the up train and the return train, which were without the need for us to change trains, were modern light and warm, and importantly ‘on time’.
The Christmas Lunch on Saturday 16th December.
The clubs historic ‘Dinner Monitor’ as he likes to call himself, Barry Ross, said to me he would like to once again look after the arrangements for this event, to which I replied fine. Although, as most of you will recall, I did ask you all at the beginning of this year if you would mind if this year anyway, it was held on a Saturday, this being in order that my hard-working teacher wife Liz could attend. Therefore, with the majority having said this was fine, I went ahead and booked the date Saturday 16th December 2023.
I would personally like to thank Barry and Iris for all the hard work they put in each year, together with Trevor and Sue from the Paignton Club of course, sorting out the menu, and then organising the seating arrangements and the draw for this event, all done in order that we may all to enjoy a lovely Christmas meal together – once again, thank you Barry and Iris.
A special ‘thank you’ must go to Mr John Osmond. John is a volunteer not a committee member, but he does great work for the club by taking the money and issuing the tickets for the Hamper Draw. He also, records who is attending and takes their money for our outings / trips, and for the Christmas Lunch. During the last month he has done all three functions and has moved house – amazing thank you so much John.
I have one further person that I wish to personally say ‘thank you to’ this is Tony Hare who works hard running the Paignton Probus Club Website, which if you haven’t looked at it yet, you really should – Thank You Tony.
Enough from me for now, but please do all have a Merry Christmas and New Year 2024 and remember to wrap up well and take care of yourselves during the coming cold months.
Chris Martin – Chairman.
Paignton Probus Club 