The Sun Shines On Probus ’83 Club, Guildford

Published on: 8 May, 2018
Updated on: 13 May, 2018

Report by Ian Mackrell

The glorious setting of Weybourne House on the River Wey, opposite the Shalford Park water meadows, proved an attractive venue for the Probus ’83 Club Guildford’s ladies lunch.

Probus ’83 Club members, and guests, basking in the magnificent riverside setting of Weybourne House.

Some 80 people crammed the venue for what turned out to be a memorable occasion.

Some members, including Ken Beynon-Smith (foreground) and wife Janet, preferred their pre-lunch champagne in the shade.

Club members welcomed ladies, and their guests, to pre-lunch champagne on the large deck, overlooking the river. A magnificent three-course lunch followed.

From left: Julie Jordan, Renate Mackrell, Rosslyn Reeves know a good venue when they see it!

Perhaps, though, the highlight of the day was an after-lunch presentation by a senior executive at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. His talk, entitled The NHS @ 70 – myths, truths and transformation, was a subject everyone in the room could relate to. As Alf Turner, the presenter, stated at the beginning of his talk, “all of us are users of the Royal Surrey and the NHS.”

Alf covered how the current system works, what works and also what doesn’t, yet, work. The extensive presentation grappled with funding and staffing issues facing the NHS, and how the hospital fits in, its own challenges and performance.

Finally, Alf set out views on how things need to change, and when these changes might happen.

It was a long presentation, but, in fact, hardly scratched the surface of this enormous organisation, probably the largest employer in Europe and with probably the second highest budget.<

People left the room in deep thought, having much to ponder on the challenges facing our NHS in particular, and the Royal Surrey in particular. Hugely interesting, hugely relevant.”

Share This Post