Itchen Valley Probus Club (IVPC)

Written by Graham Jackson

This is the first in a short series of articles about Probus, a movement which began over sixty years ago, and, more specifically the local Itchen Valley Probus Club (IVPC) formed in 1989.

The Probus Club movement can be traced back to the mid-1960s, perhaps specifically to Welwyn Garden City Rotary Club whose President is believed to have organised a Coffee Morning for his retired friends. The was successful enough for him to form a luncheon club and the rest, as someone once said, is history. From the outset, Rotary Clubs have historically taken a pivotal role in the development of many Probus Clubs, including IVPC.

Whilst there is not a wholly comprehensive listing of Probus Clubs, it is believed that there are some 4000 independent clubs across the world with over half of them in the UK. In the 1970s Probus Clubs began to appear in New Zealand and Australia and can now be found in many countries in Africa and Asia as well as Europe and the United States.

So, what is Probus? It is an abbreviation of the first three letters of PROfesional and BUSiness, and indeed began as a home for men with a business background, but has become far wider over the years. Whilst each Club has its own rules about membership, many now embrace members who have held any positions of responsibility in their lives, including Government and Emergency Service employees.

Whilst the movement began for retired and semi-retired men, it has grown over the years to include women only and mixed Clubs. Whilst IVPC is a Men’s Club, there is also an IVPC Ladies Club. All the clubs are independent, have their own set of rules and there is very little in the way of central organisation, beyond the purchase of regalia.

In essence, Probus Clubs exist to provide a social forum, fellowship and friendship and most Clubs have no lower or upper age limits. Individual Club membership levels vary enormously from the low twenties up to the seventies and eighties. The Probus principle remains the same regardless of numbers. Most Clubs meet monthly for lunch, often with a speaker and many have a series of additional one off, or regular events throughout the year.

IVPC Men’s Club is looking for new members. It is a friendly Club fully upholding the Probus principle of fellowship. If you are a retired or semi-retired businessman who thinks Probus may be for you, take a look at the Club’s website entry at www.probusonline.org/itchen-valley/  You can make contact through the website and perhaps come along as a guest to one of our lunch meetings, held in the plush surroundings of the corporate entertaining facility at Eastleigh Football Club.

Our talk at the next lunch, to be held on February 12th is on the subject of ‘The nature of the Vercors – a secret corner of France’

In the next in this short series of articles, I shall look at the formation of Itchen Valley Probus Club, and trace its history up to the present time.