THE Probus Club of Ledbury has agreed its programme for the first part of 2003, leading up to its annual meeting in April.

The group meets on Mondays, at 10.15am, at the Burgage Hall, Church Lane, and next week's meeting will see members describe their pastimes and hobbies.

Speakers have been lined up for the bulk of meetings, beginning on January 27 with a talk on the commissioning of Ledbury Hos- pital by Diane Rudge and Nic Edwards.

It will be followed on February 3 by a talk on the development of motor torpedo boats by Bill Coates.

Fascinating research by historian Mick Wilks into plans to defend the area against Nazi invasion during the Second World War form the basis of his talk on February 10.

By way of a change, the Reverend Michael Ward tackles the variety of the English countryside on February 17.

Looking ahead, there will be a debate on March 31 at 10.45am introduced by Geoffrey Treasure, a former history master at Harrow School. The topic is that there has been a weakness in British management since the last world war.

Other talks planned are: February 24, mysteries by Gay Henniker; March 3, the Polaris project by John Humphrey; March 10, the Settle-Carlisle line by Roy Howarth; March 17, food safety in perspective by Dr Ian Bell; March 24, 'a shocking business' by John Ralphs; April 7, Sierra Leone by Marcell Hartman; April 14, the changing face of education by Charles Bigland-Gibbons.

There will be no meeting on April 21, and the annual meeting is on April 28.