More and more we are hearing about Probus, the Club for retired or semi-retired business and professional people. We decided to learn more, and found it all explained in their web site at www.probus.org.

Retirement can come too early for many people who want and are able to remain active. Probus clubs are organisations for men and women who have retired from their profession or business and want to maintain a social network with others who have similar interests. Each Probus club is sponsored by a Rotary club and meets at least once a month for fellowship and to hear guest speakers. Today, there are over 300,000 members in approximately 4,000 Probus clubs all over the world.

The involvement of a Rotary sponsoring club with a Probus Club varies. Rotary Clubs typically approach retired or semi-retired candidates in their community and organize the formation of a Club. Once established, the Club becomes an autonomous organisation and its members take over leadership. Potential Probus members are not required to be past members of Rotary, in fact fewer than 10% of Probus members are former Rotarians.

Clubs using the name Probus were first formed in the early 1920s in Saskatchewan, Canada, and in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.A. On 6th May 1965 Fred Carnill organised the first meeting of the Campus Club. He was a Rotarian and got strong support from the Rotary Club of Welwyn Garden City in England. The Campus Club is affiliated to the English Probus organisation and members can and do wear Probus tie and badge and receive the newsletter, but it is otherwise an independent organisation.

While the name Probus had previously been used in North America it was later also used by a different type of club in England, and the first non-sectarian Probus Club specifically for active retirees was formed in 1966 by the Rotary Club of Caterham to allow retired professionals to continue to meet together for fellowship.

In 1974, Probus expanded into New Zealand and by 1976 the idea had spread to Australia. The first Probus Club for seniors in North America was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Galt in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada in 1987. Although Probus membership has its greatest concentrations in Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, clubs today exist in all parts of the world, including the U.S., Belgium, India, Cyprus, Japan, South Africa and several other countries in Africa and Asia.

Except for the Probus service Clubs, mainly in Connecticut, U.S.A., Probus Clubs worldwide are not service organisations and are non-sectarian and non-political, although members are largely active volunteers in many community organisations. Clubs are formed to provide social events and schedule speakers to keep members up to date with community issues and happenings. Many members have formed smaller interest groups for hobbies such as sports, entertainment, bridge playing, fishing, travel, computers, etc.

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