There is no doubting that the last few years have given many the opportunity to enjoy their own company. This may have been the time in life to stop and take stock – perhaps to read that book, or even learn a new skill.
For me, I set about servicing our sewing machine which was long overdue in the garden enjoying the summer sun. Once the machine was running smoothly I explored the many settings, intrigued to find out what they did!
My engineering skills came in useful once again to produce a face covering from left over materials. During the pandemic I volunteered as a First Responder and realised many of the vulnerable people I met did not have face covering! This led to the creation of a mini production line with the finished face masks being distributed to those in most need.
Now you might think that the pandemic is in the distant past and we are almost back to normal. Perhaps for many, but during this time there has been a surge in early retirement. Although as a species we are resilient, many of us have lost the confidence of going out and meeting new people and connecting within the community. After all we are a very social animal! The insecurity of socialising has perhaps become a challenging prospect.
Where to go and what to do! When I retired I found a club called PROBUS, which appeared to have all the attributes I was looking for. PROBUS is an inclusive gathering of men and woman, who can be retired or semi-retired. The meetings are informal and friendly.
Each meeting begins at 10.00am at Broom Methodist Church with tea or coffee, the odd biscuit or two and the opportunity to socialise in warm surroundings at the beginning of each meeting. Getting to know the group was particularly enjoyable and always interesting.
Julie, our Chair, introduces each meeting and welcomes new visitors, including the guest speaker. No pomp or ceremony. The calendar of meetings throughout the year is always wide ranging thanks to Ken, our Speaker Finder. Each meeting and talk can be thought-provoking, inspiring, humorous, entertaining and most certainly enjoyable. The speaker invites questions at the end of their talk with invariably more questions than time! The two-hour meeting seems to fly by far too soon. So, for those of us who are looking to join a club to extend our social circle, now may be the perfect time.
For more information, visit www.rotherhamprobus.com.
David Wadkin