REPORT ON THE UNVEILING OF THE PROBUS PLAQUE BY ALICIA KEARNS MP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The regular meeting place of the Uppingham Probus Club was confirmed on Thursday (11th April 2024) in a ceremony at the Falcon Hotel in Uppingham Market Place. A permanent plaque, installed in the entrance foyer of the hotel, was unveiled by Alicia Kearns MP, in presence of club members and guests. The plaque, which had been designed by club member, Professor John Holloway, former Pro-Vice Chancellor of Leicester University, had been veiled for the occasion, and the mechanism worked perfectly, on a pull from Alicia.

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Probus President, John Clinton, welcomed Alicia and expressed his pleasure that she had agreed to do the unveiling. He introduced Dr Vivian Anthony who had organised the event. Vivian explained that the purpose was to publicise Probus and to encourage others from Uppingham and the surrounding villages to join the club. It meets at Midday on the second Thursday of every month. After time for a convivial chat in Tap Room Bar, members go on to lunch in the dining room, and that is followed by an interesting talk – recent topics have included Moon Walking, Cold War Experience, Medicine Sans Frontier and the Spy Guy Burgess. The Probus Club, which was to hold its 38th annual general meeting that day, has 37 members and would like 50; it is open to all former businessmen and professionals: contact 01572 821440. The cooperation and generosity of  management and staff of the Falcon Hotel was acknowledged with warm thanks.

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Dr Anthony expressed his gratitude to Alicia for finding time for the club in her very busy schedule and thanks for the excellent job she is doing as our MP. He drew attention to her efforts to secure levelling up funds for Rutland and the Community College, improvement in NHS services, zero-tolerance of crime and her attention to the many other problems of constituents. We are proud of the sterling work she does as Chair of the House of Commons Select Committee on Foreign Affairs. With current issues like Israel and Ukraine to demand her attention, it is amazing that she is able to do so much for her constituency.

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Alicia Kearns responded with her thanks for being invited to perform the unveiling of the Probus Plaque and hoped to keep up contact with a club that was clearly providing such a valuable social function. She suggested that members of the club should visit the House of Commons, though she admitted the club’s atmosphere was more friendly  than that at Parliament. Our MP agreed to give a talk to the club on another occasion. She outlined some of the local issues, like dementia diagnoses, which were occupying her attention, and, of course, the change in the constituency boundaries, bringing in Stamford.

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Brian Edwards, President-elect, thanked Alicia for her comments and for the task she was about to perform. He reminded her of the valuable support she had given to raising funds for The Barrowden project, in which he had played a part. He gave her a small present on behalf of the club and invited members to gather in the entrance hall for the unveiling.