The Glevum Probus Club is a  non-political organisation,
 meeting twice a month to promote frienship, via talks and other activities.
The Club is open to ALL retired and semi-retired men who will receive a warm welcome.
Ladies Days are held on a quarterly basis- when partners are invited to attend.
     
     

Background

In 1976 the two Probus Clubs in Gloucester, Gloucester Probus & Gloucester North Probus had long waiting lists to join the clubs. The two clubs decided to hold an exploratory meeting at the Tara Hotel on November 10th to determine the possibility of forming a third club in the city.

The meeting was chaired by the President of Gloucester Rotary Club with the President of the Rotary Club of Gloucester North and two other Rotary members.

Gloucester North Probus had three members present while Gloucester Probus had two. There were 21 individuals  present who wished to form the core of a new club.

Rapidly the meeting changed from being exploratory to becoming a proposition for the formation of a new club.

Tara (now Hatton Court) Hotel   Upton St Leonards, Gloucester

Inaugural Meeting

Immediately after the the vote to form a new club,

Rotary club & other Probus Club members retired from the meeting.

The following posts were voted:Chairman and Secretary

The new club to be called The Glevum Probus Club

The club should meet on Wednesdays at the Tara Hotel at 10.30 am

The subscription should be £1.50 per annum

The membership should not exceed 30.

 

The Club Constitution

The Constitution of the club remains basically the same as today with changes reflecting the change in membership.The main difference is that Glevum have never had formal minutes of their meetings.The original constitution reflected the links with Rotary as the Presidents of the Rotary Clubs of Gloucester and Gloucester North were made Honorary members during their year of office.

 First Meeting Tara Hotel November 17th 1976

Twenty members with two guests present and one apology.The first full committee was elected. Besides the Chairman & Secretary a vice-Chairman, Hon.

Treasurer, Speakers' Finder (now Speakers' Secretary) and Hon. Auditor and two Committee members -the latter with unspecified responsibilities.

A member of Gloucester North Probus offered to give the opening talk the following week.

Membership January 1977

By January of 1977 the membership had reached its limit of 30.

 
 First Group photograph (assumed to be sometime in 1977)
Committee members are in the front row. The gentleman in the centre of the back row is not standing on a box- he is 6ft 8in tall!
First AGM November 1977
At some point during 1977 the membership level had been increased to 35 (A  formal meeting may have  held on March 23rd when the membership may
have been increased but there are no surviving minutes ). By the first AGM the membership is recorded as 33. Despite having a waiting list the club decided
not to increase its numbers but to find out the membership levels in the two other Probus clubs.
 
Second AGM December 1978
The membership level was at its full 35. Three significant decisions were made:
1. Increase membership to 40.The club already had 5 prospective members
2. Quadruple membership fees to £6.00. Members also to pay separately for their coffee at meetings.
3. Move the venue of the meeting to the Hucclecote Community Centre. This was unanimously agreed.
.
Hucclecote Community Centre
The club utilised the Hucclecote Community Centre for 30 years.
With the link between Rotary and Probus being broken during this
period- on reaching retirement age Rotarians did not have to leave
and join Probus- the membership numbers of all clubs gradually
reduced. Glevum changed their frequency of meeting from weekly to
twice a month-  this is still maintained.
During 2007 the Club had to vacate the Hucclecote Community
Centre because of the need for refurbishment. During this period the
club met at the Barnwood Reading Room.
     
. St Lawrence Parish Centre  
The Club moved in 2008 from the Hucclecote Community centre
to the St Lawrence Parish Centre.
 
The Club is still  based there.
 
 
 
 
     
 
Possible Amalgamation in 2010
Once the link with  the Rotary Clubs was broken, combined with less interest in joining clubs,membership of clubs in general started to decrease. In 2010
Glevum were asked if they would like to join up with Gloucester North- both clubs having a membership around the 20 mark. While Glevum was solvent
Gloucester North were having financial difficulties. Glevum decided to remain independent while Gloucester-meeting at the Farmers' Club- was also in
trouble and decided to amalgamate with Gloucester North at their venue in Barnwood.
Current Status
There are three Probus Clubs in Gloucester- two meeting at Wootton Hall while the third Glevum is the most cost effective with subscriptions less than half
 of the other clubs- Glevum is  currently at £35 p.a. The format of meetings is described on the Home page.