Cleveleys Probus

The club’s lectern of around 40 years old was beginning to look rather dilapidated so club member Jack Holland decided he would like to replace it. He contacted Mr. Bernard Hopkinson, lecturer in woodwork at the Blackpool and Fylde College to find out if anyone would be interested in making a replacement. Mr. Hopkinson said he himself would like to do it so he was given a free hand to design and make the new lectern. In the best tradition he started with a few sketches on the back of an envelope and from there developed the final design. When speaking to the club he said he had bought a tree and so had some suitable wood. The wood in question was elm, not easy to work but durable and though not particularly relevant in this case resistant to water. As he explained to the club he used to make coffins of elm and so was used its peculiarities.
Suffice to say the club has a stylish, elegant lectern made with love and care by a craftsman. The finished item isreated with linseed oil then waxed so should it incur any minor damageit can easily be rectified.
The club is greatly indebted to Jack Holland and Bernard Robinson for this splendid gift which will last many years.

In the picture above is, from laft to right, Jack Holland, Bernard Hopkinson, Bill Coplin (President) and Hamish Martin (General Secretary) while the picture below shows Jack receiving the Lectern from Bernard.

A party of 24 club members, wives and friends enjoyed a 5-day holiday (Monday -Friday) in early June this year travelling by coach and staying in a Warner’s Hotelat Bodelwyddan Castle in North Wales. The holiday was organised by the Club Speakers’ Secretary Jeff Rushworth in liaison with G-Line Tours Ltd, a local coach tour company, who provided our exclusive coach and a first class door to door service for both passengers and luggage. The tour began evan before we crossed the Welsh/English border with a 3-hour stop on route for lunch and free time for sightseeing /shopping in the historic city of Chester. The Bodelwyddan Hotel, our base for the week,provided excellent acconmodation and food throughout our stay and fotunately , the weather was kind to us all week.

The second day provided an eventful and fascinating experience with a surprisingly long and thoroughly delightful journey by minature -gauge railway from Portmadog to Blaenau Festinog -followed by a scenic voach trip back to our hotel via the glorious countryside of the River Conwy Valley.

During the course of the rest of the week we also enjoyed a most intersting tour crossing the Menai Strait to the Isle of Anglesey where we looked in vain for druids but saw much else to see and experience. This was followed by a full day wandering at liesure in the delightful seaside resort of Llandudno. Even the journey home wards on the final day was broken via a cross-country diversion to the lanes of Staffordshire in order to visit the Wedgewood Museum where we admired the range of delicate (and expensive) crockery on view. Needless to say we trod carefully there. Then it was on back northwards to Cleveleys whence we all went our different ways courtesey of individual transport provided by G-Line Coach Tours.

Next Year? – probaly G-Line Tours and another Warner’s hotel

This is our visit to Jodrell Bank

On Monday 15th October 2012, a visit to the Concorde Aircraft at Manchester Airport was arranged for the Members, including their wives or partners and friends.

The Concorde is now under cover in a purpose built enclosure sited on the Visitors Park at the Airport.

Our Group set off by coach from Cleveleys at midday, arriving some twenty- five minutes early on our booked time of two o’clock. Fortunately our Guides were available, and we were shown into the presentation room where we enjoyed a short introductory talk, followed by a film depicting the history of the famous aircraft.

Then out to the hanger and the beautiful object of our visit. A twenty-six step climb took us up into the aircraft, where our guides entertained us with some wonderful stories of the famous people who were privileged to fly in her.                     

Everyone was able to visit the flight deck under the watchful eye of one of our guides, who explained the intricacies of the ‘sharp end’. It was amazing to note the technology of the flight deck was the leading edge technology of the sixties era!

The tour was concluded with a guided and informative walk around the underside of the aircraft, which was concluded with the Concorde Staff presenting each of us with an individual certificate commemorating our visit.

The Group then retired to the adjacent Bistro facility for welcome refreshments before boarding the coach and returning to Cleveleys.

We were all left to wonder how such a beautiful, majestic and aerodynamically advanced supersonic machine is no longer flying – that’s progress!

A very pleasant outing, which was enjoyed by all members of the Group

Leyland Visit

In early November 2013 twenty-four members plus friends from Cleveleys Probus Club boarded a modern day coach to make the short forty-five minute journey to the British Commercial Vehicle Museum situated in Leyland, Lancashire.  The museum contains the finest collection of historic commercial vehicles in Europe and brings to life the compelling story of these bygone wonders. One hundred and twenty five years of transport history with a rich array of machinery from horse drawn and steam powered vehicles to buses, fire engines and delivery trucks.

Some of our members ascended the steps into the Pope mobile, others were allowed to ring the fire engine bells, but the majority were reasonably well behaved.  There are more than fifty exhibits on permanent display and all are in full working order. The staff were very friendly, welcoming and informative.

During the tour the group enjoyed a specially prepared lunch in the café.  

The museum holds many “Special Events Days” throughout each year including a Vintage & Classic Motorcycle Show, a Model Transport Show and a Leyland to Fleetwood Road Run. 

Overall it was a great day out and brought back many fond memories for us all.