Based in Brockenhurst

Rhinefield Probus Meeting Report July, August & September 2015

 

The latter part of the summer has been very eventful for the Rhinefield Probus Club. In addition to the well attended monthly club meetings a number of major visits and functions have taken place.

The annual golf competition took place in late July at The Dibden Golf Centre in perfect weather  with a good turnout of members supplemented by guests from another local Probus Club. The game was followed by a light dinner. In a closely fought competition Peter Parrott won the Rhinefield Tankard and therefore has the doubtful honour of arranging the competition next year.

The weather makes a huge difference to outdoor events. Tuesday 11th August and Thursday 13th were days of rain and wind. On Wednesday the 12th, the in between day, the sun shone and it was a warm short sleeved sort of day so the club members made the most of their visit to Highclere Castle, the location for the Downton Abbey television series. It turned out to be an inspired choice for not only was the historic house of great interest to the followers of the TV programme but a previous owner, the 5th Earl Carnarvon, sponsored the excavation in Egypt where he and Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun. The extensive Tutankhamun exhibition in the Castle is alone worth the visit.

Taking to the water, in August club members were treated to trips around the Solent on The Alison Macgregor a specially adapted vessel for the disabled and their carers which operates, year round, out of Hythe Marina manned by experienced volunteer crews.

Then in September, there was a sea trip from Bournemouth on The Waverley. This is the world’s last sea going passenger paddle steamship in operation and provided a very unforgettable experience for the Rhinefield Probus members!

Club members have enjoyed several four day breaks at country house hotels over the years. The most recent was at Littlecote near Hungerford in late September. This beautiful Tudor palace was the perfect setting for a weekend of relaxing and socialising with good evening entertainment and excellent dining.

Pictures from the event can be found here.