Events

Future and then past events are listed in this section

FUTURE.

Llandudno & North Wales 2025

A stunnimg holiday based on the picturesque town of Llandudno is planned for 11- 17 September 2025.  

PAST

Stunning Shropshire Holiday - October 2022

Twenty-two Probus members and companions enjoyed a five-day tour of beautiful autumnal Shropshire in mid-October, taking in the historic towns of  Ironbridge, Shrewsbury and Llangollen in the foothills of Wales. 

01 September 2022 - Treasure hunt

Twenty Probus Club of Farnham Members, partners and friends took part in a Walking Treasure Hunt of Farnham on the afternoon of Thursday 1st September.  The Treasure Hunt was organised by the Club Secretary who set 30 observational questions in central Farnham covering parts of Castle Street, West Street, The Borough and Downing Street.  Teams set off from The Bush Hotel at 2.30 pm  and  re-grouped at  4.00 pm to have their answers checked.  Whilst the answer sheets were reviewed by the organiser, everyone partook of an excellent cream tea in the Bush garden provided by the hotel.  

Thankfully the weather was warm and sunny, perfect for a relaxing walk around the town seeking out answers.  First prize of a bottle of prosecco was awarded to 'The Old Comptonians', namely Robin and Mandy Broadway, a newly joined Member of the Club.   Hugh Evans, 'The Bug Hunter' was awarded second prize of a box of chocolates.   A most enjoyable afternoon was had by all.

10 August 2022 - Royal Military Academy

Under cloudless blue skies and in the gathering heat of a sub tropical summer's day, a small group of us from Probus attended the Commandant’s Parade at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. This is the penultimate parade for senior officer cadets prior to their final commissioning parade to be held two days later which is known as the Sovereign’s Parade. The entire Sandhurst cadet complement takes part. The Parade was scheduled to take place earlier this year because of the heatwave and we were asked to arrive at 08.00 hours 

The main format of the parade was as follows:-

The Commandant Is received with a general salute after which he inspects the Parade. 

The Sovereign’s Platoon present arms.

The Sovereign’s Platoon troops the Sovereign’s Banner

The Parade marches past in slow and quick time

The Parade advances in Review order

The Commandant addresses the Parade

The Commandant rehearses the presentation of the Queen’s Medal, the International Award, the international Sword and the Sword of Honour

The Parade pays its final compliment to the Commandant (his final parade in this case)

The Sovereigns’ Banner, the Colours and the Senior Division march off.

The Adjutant rides his horse up the steps and into the doors of the Grand Entrance. 

Commandant walks to the Grand Entrance and enters Old College 

In summary, the whole gripping ethos of Sandhurst is of a community of highly disciplined, united men and women magnificently beautiful and impressive as they uphold the Sandhurst motto “ Serve to lead”.

 Monday 12 June 2023 - Canal cruise

An enjoyable cruise was enjoyed on the Basingstoke canal.

Friday 14 July 2023 - Vineyard visit

Despite the awful weather, an enjoyable visit was made to the Penn Croft Winery, Crondall 

01 - 05 October 2023 - West Norfolk Holiday  

Thanks very much to Hugh Trotter and Max Hubbard, 28 members, spouses and friends of the Probus Club of Farnham enjoyed a fabulous 4 night break at the 4 star Knights Hill Hotel & Spa, just outside King’s Lynn, Norfolk.

On the way there, masterfully chauffeured by Alan Lambkin of Amport & District Coach Co, we called at Wicken Fen for coffee.  Sadly very few of its reputed 9,000 species were in evidence.  On to Ely, where NFU & others had provided stunning decoration of the Cathedral for Harvest Festival services, some of which were under way as we wandered around, while others lunched in its Almonry Restaurant.  Having settled into our rooms and unpacked, some of us tested the spa swimming pool.  We then set a pattern of rearranging the furniture in the hotel’s lounges for convivial pre-supper drinks, followed by trying to remember what menu one had pre-chosen for the day, and then tea or coffee in the lounge. 

After breakfast on Monday, Alan drove us skilfully to Holkham Hall, where we were met by staff who outlined the Coke family origins and directed us to a detailed exhibition and audio-visual presentation of its innovative, chequered four-hundred-year history, which clarified the different contributions of various generations (from Sir Edward Coke. Queen Elizabeth’s Attorney General & James 1st’s Lord Chancellor to the current Thomas Coke, 8th Earl of Leicester).   The tour of the house included the elaborate marble hall, visits to the Strangers Wing, some of the State apartments and the kitchens.   We marvelled at the views of the estate from the windows and the library of ‘cosmography’ and the extensive collection accumulated by Thomas Coke (1st Earl of Leicester) on his Grand Tour in the early 1700s.  After lunch we were driven to the Walled Garden which, after lying derelict for about 20 years, is being restored by degrees.  Designed by Samuel Wyatt in the late 1700’s, its 6 acres are divided into ‘rooms’ (frameyard, vineyard, exotic garden, ornamental garden, kitchen garden and cutting garden).   The weather was kind, so that before Alan returned us to the hotel, we were able to enjoy hot chocolate, coffee and tea from the kiosk.

Tuesday was a ‘seal spotting trip’ from Morston Quay to Blakeney Point.   Both grey and common seals were spotted, both ‘bottling’ and Bulls, cows and pups sunning themselves on sandbanks, as these appeared out of the falling tide.  We also saw egrets, guillemots, oyster catchers, terns feeding in a frenzy (probably on whitebait) & gulls.  A clearly defined ‘front’ made a spectacular cloudscape, which morphed into a typical sunny East Anglian sky for our return trip to the quay.

Alan then ferried us along the coast to Sheringham, where we lunched before catching the Poppy Railway steam train back along the coast to Holt and so back to the hotel.

Wednesday we travelled the short distance to Sandringham estate, a 21st birthday present from Queen Victoria to her eldest son, Edward (later King Edward VII).   We were met by Bernard, a former General Manager of the Knights Hill Hotel, who explained what the King was doing to reshape the garden, before guiding us to the front of the House and the house stewards.   Our party was then split into smaller groups to tour the rooms, which each had very knowledgeable guides to inform us about the family’s routines and the furniture changes the King had made since his Mother’s death.  We envied the size of the puzzle table and were amused by the positioning of the card table in front of a mirror!  The various 4 poster beds were sumptuous, but slightly intimidating.  Down in the ‘gun corridor’ we were amazed by the beautiful, exquisite horse bronzes.  After light refreshments in the Stable Yard, we wandered by the lakeside across to the 16th Century and stunningly decorated Church of St Mary Magdelene.

Alan returned us to the hotel for a swift turn round and drive to Castle Acre Priory, a Cluniac house thought to have been founded in1089 by William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey.  At the dissolution of the monasteries, it was acquired by the Duke of Norfolk.  Although a ruin, the west front of the Priory is amongst the finest and best-preserved monastic buildings in England.   The Prior’s lodgings in particular are very fine and the excellent audio commentary gives a good picture of the life of not only the monk’s, but also the inhabitants of the surrounding village and the Prior’s visitors to the foundation.

After breakfast on Thursday, we loaded our baggage and selves into the coach for Alan to drive us to Oxburgh Hall.  This moated manor house was built in 1492 for the Bedingfeld family, who live there to this day. Sir Henry Bedingfeld was Queen Elizabeth I’s gaoler during her sister Mary’s reign and then refused to renounce his Catholicism under her own reign.  It is dark for a family home, but that is to better preserve the fabrics.  The priests hole was not open to view, but the embroidered bed hangings, embroidered at Hardwick Hall between 1570 and 1585 by Mary Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick, whilst the former was in the custody of the Earl of Shrewsbury, Bess of Hardwick’s husband, were on show in one of the bedrooms.

Alan then drove us to the bus station at Bury St Edmunds, where British Sugar’s presence in the town was very clear from the smell.  Here there was time for a quick visit to St Edmundsbury Cathedral, which unfortunately was being laid up for a 250 seat dinner later that evening, and a meal in the Pilgrim’s Kitchen for some of us.  Then a struggle back up to the bus station, where Alan picked us up again and drove back to the Hart without incident via a pit-stop at South Mimms services.

Thanks again for everybody’s company and hope those who were unable to be with us are now better, although they were very much missed.  Thanks also again very much to Hugh Trotter and Max Hubbard and a massive thank you to Alan Lambkin for his excellent transportation of the group.  Thanks also to our chauffeurs for picking us up, belatedly, at the Hart.  

Now here’s to Scotland next year!

Roger Bradley