Interest Groups


Interest groups meet weekly, monthly or randomly, and are coordinated by a member with an interest in the activity. Your ideas and help are appreciated to keep these groups vibrant.



1. Mah Jong   (Anne D)

Thursday 30 November at 1.30pm

The Probus Mahjong Christmas Celebration will be held at Green Gables on

Thursday 30 November at 1:30pm. 🎄🎉

Then enjoy a break away or keep playing in your little groups over January.

Mahjong will be reconvened at Green Gables on the third Thursday of

February 2024 (15 February) at 1:30 pm. This will happen before the first

Probus meeting of the year, so a reminder will be sent out in February



2. HAPPY SNAPPERS (Alan S)

Meet at Villa 14, Summerset. The project for the month is ‘Twisted’


3. CYCLING (Allan K)


Tuesday 28 November – Christmas Bike Safari

We are planning a fun mystery riding event for Tuesday 28 November. Lesley and Murray Dawson have kindly offered to organise and host this event.

Riders will work in teams of three or four. Each team will be supplied with a map, instructions and questions.

The map has ‘waypoints’ marked on it at differing distances and positions from the start point. A question is to be answered at each waypoint. Each waypoint will be worth a specified number of points; those further away from the start earn more points. Teams will need to work out a strategy to gather as many points as possible.

A time limit of 90 minutes is allowed to answer as many clues as you can. But points will be deducted for every minute you are late back.

Electric bikes are not necessarily required.

Meet: 9.45 am Saxton Field carpark, south side of the Cricket Oval, where teams will be established, and be given a map, instructions and questions. They should work out a route to take before they start.

Safari Start: 10.00 am.

Safari Finish: 11.30 am, at Lesley and Murray Dawson’s home, where there will be an After Event Christmas Function. Please bring a plate of savoury or finger food or drink to share. Biking partners are invited to attend, and are most welcome to gather together at the Dawson’s while spouses ride.



4. Monday Walks (Sid and Ginny)

Meet at 9.30am, walks are one hour (or as you choose). Then coffee and cake!

If seriously wet, just meet for coffee and cake at 10.30am. Most walks are flat.

Our end of year special is 4 December, and if you've walked just one Monday

in 2023, you can join us. The Garden Window Cafe will open specially, so

we'd like a reasonable number! Please let Heather know by Fri 1 Dec, so she

can confirm numbers for the cafe. $10 per person.

4 Dec: Isel House and Marsdens Estate

PARK: Back of Isel House/Museum Research Facility (off Hilliard St)

COFFEE: Garden Window @ Isel House

AND allow extra time for our special surprise, end approx. 11.30/11.45.

11 Dec: Tahuna Ramble

PARK: Parkers Cove carpark

(as far as you can go at beach end of Parkers Road)

COFFEE: Beach Café

The next walk will be in February 2024.



5. BRIDGE (Laurie)


Bridge will meet on Wednesday 13 December, 4pm-6pm, and again on

Monday 22 January, 4pm-6pm, at Laurie’s home, 35 Bronte Street, Nelson. On

both occasions, we will go to Indian Cafe on Collingwood Street for those who

would like dinner and/or drinks after bridge.

Generally Bridge will meet on the second Wednesday and fourth Monday of

each month. If there are too few sign ups we will limit bridge to just the fourth

Monday of each month. Note: There will be no bridge on either the fourth

Monday in December or the second Wednesday in January.

There is no charge for bridge. Partners are not required. It is fine to join if you

are advanced beginner and up. The bridge is informal and it is an easy way to

improve your game. Please let Laurie know if you are coming and whether you would like to go to dinner.

                                     


6. SOCIAL GOLF (Derek)


I have booked Redstone golf course for THURSDAY DECEMBER 7TH  - please note that is not a Monday.  We can aim to tee off around 10.15 a.m. and will participate in the usual consumption of comestibles following.

 

For those of you who have not attended the day in the past, and/or who have not played at Redstone it is a fun little course and the hospitality is great.  Partners are very welcome to join us and either walk the course with us or just meet us for the lunch.



7. GOURMET GROUP (Janet)

Sunday 26 November

As the year comes to an end, we are looking forward to our cocktail party to be held at 31 Grove St, Nelson, from 3pm to 7pm on Sunday 26 November.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   


8. LOOKING OUT (Tony)


Monday 11 December, 11.30

Lance Jennings will provide an update on Covid. There has been an increase in

Covid cases recently. We probably all know someone who has been unlucky.

Last week the NZ total was nearly 6000 of which half were reinfections. Lance

Jennings will give us an update on what we have learnt about the disease and

what we might expect. The meeting is timed to allow us to celebrate the end

of the year’s activities with a snack lunch in the golf club cafe.


9. BOOK CLUB (Gill)

Usually the second Tuesday of the month at 3pm

The group will meet on 12 December. The book is “Best of Friends” by Kamila

Shamsie.

Judy Unwin has kindly offered her beautiful property - at 3pm on Tuesday 12 December  for the end of year Xmas Book Club meeting.


10. MOVIE  GROUP (and PIZZA) (Sue)

Usually the third Wednesday of the month

Probus Movie and Pizza group will take a break over the Christmas period, to

allow for other summer activities. The next session is scheduled for later in

February 2024.


11. LUNCH BUNCH (Sally A)


Usually the Wednesday of the week following the Club Meeting.

This month's lunch will be held on Wednesday 29 November at 12:00 at The

Grape Escape. We look forward to seeing our regulars, and all other interested

parties. Contact Sally Astridge if you would like to join us.




12. SOCIAL CLIMBERS (Leonie)


Thursday 22 February

There will be a planning meeting, for next year’s walks, at the Honest Lawyer

on Thursday 22 February 2024, at 3:30pm.

If you have a suggested walk that you are happy to lead, please email Leonie before the meeting with the suggestion and the month you consider suitable for that particular walk. Looking forward to seeing

as many of you as possible.