The Club’s monthly meetings generally take the same format, with Members gathering for coffee at 10.30am and the meeting starting at 11.00 with a welcome to visitors and Members’ guests. Having dealt with the official business, including reports from the Club’s officers and information on any forthcoming events in the town, Members are invited to share any humorous quotations they may have found, relating to a particular subject circulated prior to the meeting. Other jokes are also always welcome.

Members wear name badges for the benefit of others (and in case they get lost or temporarily forget who they are!) Although the dress code is fairly informal, most Members wear jackets. However, while Probus Club ties are available for purchase from the Secretary, wearing one at meetings is certainly not obligatory.

Having dispensed with the formalities, the visiting speaker will usually begin their presentation at 11.00. The majority of talks are accompanied by photographs or film and last for 45-50 minutes, with time for questions at the end. The variety of subjects reflect the diversity of membership and the following examples of recent talks illustrate that there is genuinely something for everyone. Even the COVID-19 pandemic failed to disrupt the Club’s programme, as Members adapted to the introduction of online meetings using Zoom technology.