FOR MANY people the prospect of imminent retirement from the world of work is a cause for celebration.

In fact, there was a time when people in certain professions clung unto humdrum office jobs in order to reap lucrative pensions and be able to put their feet up once they reached retirement age.

However I have known some who, rather than enjoying their twilight days after their decades of daily grind, found endless empty hours more difficult to deal with than going to work.

In many cases, a job provides a sense of purpose and belonging, an opportunity to be creative and to achieve, a valuable income and a place to mix with others.

Today there are many more opportunities for people to have an enjoyable and fulfilling retirement than there were 50 years ago.

The UK boasts a huge range of life-long learning opportunities through local colleges and universities as well as the Open University. Libraries often put on courses devoted to an array of different topics.

Many towns have a U3A (University of the Third Age) offering groups to satisfy a massive range of interests from flamenco dancing to hand-bell ringing. And there are a large number of opportunities for volunteering and a range of groups and societies people can join.

But making the first step is often difficult and five years ago the Government published a report about loneliness which stated that more than half of those over the age of 75 live alone - with about one in 10 suffering ‘intense’ loneliness; and half of older people - more than five million - say that the television is their main company.

One of those organisations – Probus - in the Worcester area, offering fellowship for retirees, has just celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Dag Smith, publicity and marketing officer for the Probus Club Worcester South, said: “Over 40 years, the Probus Club of Worcester South has held weekly meetings in Worcester aimed at retired professional businessmen which, in some cases, is the highlight of the week in enjoying the company of others, together with a talk on many different subjects by many different outside speakers.”

Pro (professional) bus (business) Clubs are for retired or semi-retired professional or business people and the movement, now worldwide, was first started in the UK in 1965 with support from Rotary.

In the mid-1970s it spread to New Zealand and Australia and later in Canada. Today clubs exist in all parts of the world including the USA, Belgium, India, South Africa and other countries.

Dag added: “Probus is international and in the UK boasts more than 2,000 clubs nationally. Not only do the clubs organise day-trips and seasonal events, they also provide a service for retirees who, after a life of work, suddenly find themselves at a loose end on a Monday morning, or indeed a loose end every day of the week.

“Becoming a Probus member is just one activity that can overcome or certainly help tackle the problem.”

Former teacher Martyn Smart, from Kempsey, near Worcester, retired early and a couple of his ex-work colleagues as well as a neighbour immediately started encouraging him to join the local Probus group.

After 12 months he decided to try it and, was made to feel so welcome, he has been involved ever since.

That was 19 years ago and Martyn is currently the chairman of the Probus Club of Worcester South. When he joined the group, there were about six Probus clubs in Worcester. Now he only knows of two others and one is a ladies group.

The Worcester South Club, which meets at St Dunstan’s Bowling Club off Bath Road each week has around 35 members. Martyn explained that while the club is called Worcester South – a lot of the original members came from Kempsey – current members hail from St John’s, Droitwich and Broadwas.

“We meet every Monday and have a talk from either a member or a guest speaker for roughly an hour,” said Martyn. Then there is a chance for members to socialise over tea or coffee with biscuits before a short business meeting. The biscuits are a very important part of the proceedings, Martyn added.

“We have a diverse range of speakers. Last week it was a senior fire officer and by sheer chance he was talking about fire safety, which is very topical. It was an extremely interesting talk. We have had a huge range of speakers covering a wide range of subjects.”

He said one speaker was a man in his 80s who runs a charity in Tanzania while another was involved in an Antarctic survey.

The club also organises lunches out and visits to venues like National Trust properties but the numbers attending are generally lower than the weekly meetings as some members have mobility problems. The oldest member in recent years was 96.

Martyn said some of the members are widowers and some have been carers for their partner and completely lose touch with any social side of life. “They love coming. It is good for people who are lonely and want something to do.”

He said the social aspect of meeting up once a week with others, who in many cases have become friends over the years, was very important for members.

“When we put it to the members that we could go to every other week for our meetings, it was immediately squashed by them. They like the regularity of the meetings. People make friends and broaden their outlook when they come to Probus.”

Martyn added that one of the noticeable aspects of Probus is the input by members. He said members automatically help out with jobs like putting out chairs or equipment such as projectors for talks without being asked.

“It all makes for the smooth running of the club,” he said.

The club is looking to recruit new members and anyone interested in finding out more about the Probus Club of Worcester South can contact Martyn by calling 01905 820018.