CHAIRMAN Ken Rogers welcomed 40 members to the latest meeting of March and District Probus Club and announced that the Citizens Advice Bureau will have to shut its office in March unless it is able to raise, locally, the shortfall in funding arising from

CHAIRMAN Ken Rogers welcomed 40 members to the latest meeting of March and District Probus Club and announced that the Citizens Advice Bureau will have to shut its office in March unless it is able to raise, locally, the shortfall in funding arising from cuts in the grant made by Fenland District Council. This amounts to £9,000 this year, 10 per cent of the local core funding. He proposed making a donation of £50. This was agreed.

Secretary Haydn Pelling reported that speakers had been booked to September, with the full programme in the summer newsletter. He also announced that Cambridge Newspapers had written to the club asking members to sign a petition supporting their On The Buses Campaign. The aim is to win free travel for all pensioners across Cambridgeshire, rather than just within council districts. Most members signed the petition.

Social secretary Ron Webber said he would be collecting orders at the next meeting for the meal on the Cromer trip on August 10. Catering secretary Colin Hymas stated that menus for the summer luncheon on August 1 were available.

Speaker was John Elworthy, news editor of the Cambs Times, whose subject was 'The Top 20 Movers and Shakers in Fenland', highlighting those who make a difference in the community.

At the next meeting, on June 20, the speaker will be Peter Clayton who will talk about The Manea Colony in the 1840s.