March meeting
Chairman, Andrew Jurenko, welcomed 21 members and our speaker, Liz Marshall representing the Chairman’s charity NASS to whom a cheque for £1000 was presented.
Almoner, Andrew Kellard reported: Graham Fox is in hospital with Covid-19. Also absent with Covid are Chris Starkowski and Vincent Fosdike and with a bad cold Richard Majewski.
Andrew Banfield announced outing to Chatham Historic Dockyard and ‘Call the Midwife’ location on Tuesday 26thJuly. Meet Old Coulsdon at 9.15am. £40pp. Leaflets have been distributed. Also Sanderstead & Purley Oaks Probus holiday to Stratford-u-A.
May and June Lunch Meetings this year will be on the Tuesday preceding the normal Thursday, i.e. 3rd May and 31stMay. 3rd May will be our Open Meeting – wives, partners and friend invited, but it will be the normal set meal.
Please notify lunch changes by 10.30am the prior Friday to iangpayne@btinternet.com T: 01737 554449. Please notify Member News to Almoner, Andrew Kellard T: 01737 554055. Please email editor@coulsdonprobus.co.uk with articles/news for the NewsletterSpeaker today: Daniel Doust: Personal panic alarms from TED Protect. May: Barrie Friend: The Defence of Britain 1940.
Annual General Meeting 3rd March 2022
The Chairman, Andrew Jurenko, thanked members and particularly the committee for their support over the last two years and for contributions towards the £1000 for his charity. The Secretary and Treasurer gave their reports for the year. General reserves fell from £5581 to £4079. Full accounts are available.
The following Committee and Officers were elected for 2022/23
| Chairman | Roger Gourd |
| Vice Chairman | Vacant |
| Treasurer | Michael Southwell |
| Secretary/Luncheons | Ian Payne |
| Speakers Sec | Bob Witham |
| Outings Sec | Andrew Banfield |
| Almoner | Andrew Kellard |
| Committee | Bill Ainsworth |
| Committee | Alan Green |
| IPC | Andrew Jurenko |
| Newsletter | Vincent Fosdike* |
| Web-Master | Jim Mulvey* |
| Accounts Examiner | Brian Morris* |
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| 2022/2023 Chairman Roger Gourd installed with Chain of Office | Past Chairman’s Tie presented to Andrew Jurenko |
The Chairman’s charity raised £42 and the Raffle £22.
Liz Marshall for the Chairman’s Charity NASS
We all get back pain. Causes and treatments vary and in most cases we are probably given the catch-all diagnosis of arthritis with the familiar exercise, pain killers and injections of steroids.
Our speaker today represents the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society. The society advocates on behalf of this condition which although affecting more people than Parkinson’s disease and MS put together has an average diagnosis time of 8.5 years. The condition involves inflammation of the spinal muscles which can progress to fusion with the bones. It can start as early as the age of 25 giving the all too familiar pain and exhaustion symptoms. In 59% of cases it can give rise to mental health issues.
The key treatment factor is of course early diagnosis. The NASS puts major efforts into overcoming the issues which block this at present. The subject is clearly complex and not one that is easily diagnosed even by professionals.
If you feel that you may wish to learn more, the NASS have a website www.nass.co.uk and a helpline 020 8741 1515. Our thanks to Lizz Marshall of NASS
Derek Albert Bass 1926 – 2021
Sadly we have lost another member, but his family have supplied some of their fond memories for us to enjoy and I have drawn upon some of these for this edition.
Derek was born in Paddington in 1926 and enjoyed the support of a warm family who were also geographically close. He started primary school in Paddington and later completed that phase of his education in Southall where the family moved when he was eight. Despite the disruption, he qualified for the local Grammar school and clearly developed his talents in mathematics and geography as these were to be of great value in his career in surveying and design in Civil Engineering. He started work with the Ordnance Survey Dept at the at the age of 16 in 1942. His determination at that time was evidenced by his continuing study at evening classes although much interrupted by air raids!
He made continuing use of his skills and experience on joining the army in 1944 which resulted in time in India just after the war. His initial preference was for the RAF but despite being accepted there were only limited places and rather than wait he joined the army forming a surveying Cadre based close to the foothills of the Himalayas. Spare time was occupied with swimming, badminton and the cinema. Sadly, he did not enjoy Indian food but was O.K. with Chinese. Fish could be obtained by accompanying local Ghurkha soldiers who effectively depth charged them with explosives; quick and effective. On a more serious note, Derek witnessed the violence caused by the partition of India in 1947 which must have been harrowing.
In 1948 he returned to England and met Betty, his wife to be, at the local church, marrying in 1952 and moving to Coulsdon in 1955.
Derek worked hard and built up a distinguished career as a Civil Engineer in public service mainly concerned with Public Health and water supply. Perhaps a jewel in the crown was his senior role in the design and construction of the Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens, in recognition of which he and Betty were invited to attend the opening ceremony which was carried out by Princess Diana.
Life was not all work and Derek pursued or watched a number of sports and hobbies including archery, skiing and bird watching, painting and photography. He was also a blood doner, gaining several awards.Derek was a strong character and always willing to help family and friends if he could. His warmth and sense of humour will be so very much missed.