WITH an 85 per cent attendance record throughout the year and a waiting list as long as your arm to join, Okehampton and District Men's Probus Club — formed 25 years ago — is one of the most successful clubs in Okehampton.

As members prepare to celebrate the club's anniversary year and its 500th meeting in the coming months, the organisation for retired professionals and businessmen, hence the name Probus, continues to go from strength to strength.

There are now 1,500 Probus clubs in the UK including a number of ladies' clubs and joint clubs but these are in the minority.

The organisation was founded in 1970 by Harold Blanchard, a newly retired banker from Surrey, whose wife was concerned he would get in her way because he had all this extra time on his hands.

Mr Blanchard had been a member of the Rotary Club but there was no-where for him to go after his retirement so he called up some of his retired businessmen friends and it went from there.

Secretary of the Okehampton club Gerald Scantlebury, a retired naval officer, who has been a member for 15 years, said the club was all about companionship.

'As we are all retired we meet for friendship,' he said. 'The club meets on alternative Mondays throughout the year by popular request with no breaks for bank holidays except Christmas Day.

'This year will in fact be the club's longest break because Christmas Day falls on a normal meeting day.'

Membership is restricted to 60 and there is a large waiting list but as Mr Scantlebury said once people joined they remained a member for the rest of their life.

'We have an 85 per cent attendance record which is very good but we try to make the meetings as interesting as possible with speakers who have ranged from an expert on water divining to a man who was financial advisor to Margaret Thatcher,' he said.

This week barrister Geoffrey Cox is giving a talk about Old Bailey murder trials.

The founder of the Probus Club in Okehampton in November 1975 was jeweller, the late William Cornish. Its first secretary and still an active member today is Fred Beasley, who is now in his 90s and is the only surviving founder member.

On October 2 to celebrate the 500th meeting, Launceston Men's Probus Club will join Okehampton for the customary Monday meeting followed by lunch in the Conservative Club.

The actual foundation days November 10 and 24 will be marked by a Christmas lunch for members, wives and guests and guest of honour and speaker Lord Stockton.