The Probus Club of Basingstoke has just had its 33rd Annual General Meeting and appointed a new President. Gerry Anslow has taken on the mantle from retiring President Tony Atchison, to head up this social club for retired business executives. Gerry, who in 1995, took early retirement from AWE Aldermaston, where, prior to privatisation, he was a Principal Scientific Officer, now heads up this all male organisation as it enters its 34th year of operation. He became a member of the Probus Club in 2003 and until a year ago had served as their Honorary Secretary for six years.
Mr Anslow, who has lived in Kempshott since 1976 with his wife Joan, has two adult children and three grandchildren who live in Lychpit, and says of the appointment “I am following in the footsteps of some illustrious members of Basingstoke professions, commerce and industry who were the movers and shakers of yesteryear in the local business community.”
Probus clubs were originally founded in 1965 to provide fellowship for retired members of Rotary but today the criteria for membership has been widened with the result that there are now over 4000 clubs worldwide and in the UK there are in excess of 180,000 members.
Gerry continued “Despite the high levels of involvement throughout the country, here in Basingstoke we still need to recruit members to bring in new thinking and yet provide continuity with our ethos of providing a social outlet for like minded men. With the present trend for retiring at a higher age than in the past we are keen to find a small number of new entrants who are needed to keep the club making progress.”
The club meets twice in most months for lunch and an evening meeting at which there is a guest speaker. They also have a social calendar that involves members’ wives, with outside trips, special lunches and a Christmas dinner.
Potential members can contact their secretary Bryan Harvey on 01256 321473 or bryanharvey@talktalk.net
There is a separate Ladies’ Probus club who can be contacted on 01256 780907.
Probus Club of Basingstoke 
You must be logged in to post a comment.