THE Probus Club of Salisbury is marking four decades of bringing retired people together.

This year is the 40th anniversary of the group, a friendship and fellowship association for retired gentlemen from a professional or business background.

The origins of Probus clubs can be traced back to the mid 1960s, and are generally accepted to have started as an off-shoot of Rotary Clubs.

The Probus Club of Salisbury was formed on July 22, 1983, with the first annual general meeting taking place at the Old House Restaurant.

President of the Rotary Club of Salisbury, Pat Mullins, functioned as chair and 23 members were present.

Pat Mullins presenting the first president, Stanley Beard, with his Badge of Office, which was donated by Rotary, in 1983

Since those humble beginnings, the club has gone from strength to strength, offering two meetings a month, and with guest speakers bringing a diverse range of topics for presentation and discussion – including crop circles, Sweeney Todd, The Amesbury Archer, pollution and many more.

Current president, Brian Sharpe, said: “We are a vibrant, friendly, and comfortable group, open to new ideas, welcoming to guests and keen to embrace and encourage new members.

“It is a privilege to have been elected President of such a club on our 40th Anniversary.”

Current president of the Probus Club of Salisbury, Brian Sharpe

As well as meeting regularly, the club has also organised a number of visits and excursions over the years.

The first summer outing was to Bowood House and Sheldon Manor, on June 20, 1984, while Robert Key, MP for Salisbury at the time, arranged a visit to the Palace of Westminster on November 20, 1985.

Other places of interest visited include Windsor Castle, Littlecote House, RAF Museum Hendon, Kingston Lacy, The Sail Training Ship Nelson, and Brownsea Island, while theatre visits and National Trust properties have also been popular.

Recent visits have included The Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovil and Bletchley Park Codebreakers Museum.

A recent meeting of the Probus Club of Salisbury

Salisbury Probus will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary later in the year, at the annual Christmas Lunch, where members’ wives and partners are invited to attend.

Currently, the group meets twice a month at the White Hart Hotel in Salisbury.

One of these meetings includes a formal, themed lunch, usually celebrating a notable event in past British history, such as the Battle of Britain, Waterloo, and Trafalgar, while informal lunches are also held each month.

For more details of the Probus Club of Salisbury, visit www.salisburyprobus.co.uk, or contact the club secretary by email to SalisburyProbus@gmail.com.