Focus on Middleton: The Probus Club of Middleton

John Beeston

Probus is a world wide organisation with groups across the globe. The word Probus is an abbreviation of Profession and Business, hence, the group is made up of retired businessmen and professionals. Many Probus clubs are offshoots of Rotary, including the Probus Club of Middleton which was formed as an offshoot of Middleton Rotary Club in 1977.

Rochdale Online reporter Laura Wild met up with Middleton Probus’ Secretary John Beeston to find out more about the group...

Mr Beeston, 83, has been involved with the Probus Club since 2002, following his retirement from physiotherapy in 2001.

Just like other clubs, the Middleton Probus club, provides an opportunity for retired professionals to attend regular meetings with like minded people of a similar social standing who like the same things.

Mr Beeston described the club as a “talking club” he said: “It is definitely good if you like talking and you like meeting new people! That isn’t every ones cup of tea but we all get on well and there are some characters in the group – we don’t have a bad social life either.”

The Probus club of Middleton is made up of just men but the clubs across the globe generally include women as well.

The club is made up of 30 members, aged between the late 70s and late 90s, sadly, the clubs oldest and longest service member recently died at the age of 98.

“There’s a mix of professions in our group,” said Mr Beeston, “We have got a couple of old head masters, old bank managers, accountants, a few engineers and people from the medical profession.”

The aim of the group is for men of a retired age to come together and have something to look forward to and to enable them to stay active.

Mr Beeston added: “It is something to look forward to, and everyone comes along if they can make it, of course you have to take other things into consideration, but everyone tries to come to the meetings and the trips.”

Members of the Middleton Probus Club enjoy lectures and talks about various subjects; they have recently had talks about the “Worlds First Passenger Railway” and “Wartime Variety.” Talks can be from members or visitors, and can sometimes take a lot of organising.

They also have outside visits which have included a guided tour around the City of Manchester Stadium, Middleton Parish Church and the Old Boar’s Head.

Each year there is a new club president who is the Chairman of the meetings and the main representative for the year, Mr Beeston is the current secretary, a position he has held for five years, but he enjoys the role and has picked up lots of new skills, next year he will be President, although he hasn’t decided if he is looking forward to it yet.

“I am quite happy as secretary at the moment, although it is a lot of hard work

The gents meet fortnightly for two hours on a Monday morning, each year they have a club president and they host events for their wives and partners to attend too, including three buffet meetings, and three evening dinners.

The Probus Club of Middleton is always looking for new members, Mr Beeston said: “We would like some new members, perhaps a few younger members, we have members in their 70s, 80s and 90s but it would be nice to have some in their 60s.”