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If you are not yet a member of Communities and would like to join, click: Join WhatsApp Community
or send an email to the Webmaster at: probus. groote.schuur@gmail.com
Purpose of Communities
Promotion of fellowship and friendship is a key aspect of Probus. Meetings, outings, travel and more all serve this end. A recent enhancement to WhatsApp, called WhatsApp Communities, has provided a way to extend these opportunities.
Communities provides the ability for members with similar interests to communicate directly with each other. The current interest groups are listed below, but these are fluid and can change.
Purpose of Interest Groups
The purpose of each interest group, and its associated activities, is entirely at the discretion of the members and can evolve organically. For example, Music and Theatre might involve sharing information on performances worth (or not worth!) seeing; advice on where and how to get discounted tickets; making arrangements to attend a show together; etc.
Travel encompasses a wide range of activities and has more than one interest group. Besides local travel such as the Probus Adventure, Red Cederberg, Cedarpeak, the Franschhoek Literary Festival and the like, members may like to get together to organise trips to other parts of the country, near or far. Sharing tips and hints about travels could also be useful.
There are also several walking groups that are part of Communities.
Current active groups:
PGS Tours and Travel
Covering a variety of topics from arranging group day trips to multi-day tours, as well as sharing information about travelling. Additional sub-groups may be formed for specific activities. Be sure to join this group if you wish to be kept informed of travel opportunities.
PGS Walking and Hiking
For sharing information about walking and hiking groups and activities. There may also be individual groups that arise from this for specific days or types of walking.
PGS Hiking Saturday
Long standing group led by JP van Niekerk for many years. Now has a rotating group of leaders. It does 3-4 hour hikes of moderate difficulty, often involving climbing. Convener: Tony Heher; co-leaders Duncan Martin, Sarah Seymour & Eric Sydenham
Hibernia (walking Tuesday)
40+ year group which has recently been added to the Probus fold. Does easy walks of 2-3 hours. Convener: Tony Heher, co-leaders Mary Ann le Jeune, JP van Niekerk, Richard Fuggle, Neil Brathwaite, Sarah Seymour.
PGS Theatre
Covering all theatre-related matters, from sharing information about shows (good or bad!), how to get discounted tickets, going to shows together, etc.
PGS Music and Opera
All things related to music and opera: performances of interest, getting discount tickets, going together, etc.
PGS Netflix, YouTube, etc.
Movies worth seeing - or not worth seeing! Discussion about movies that have been viewed... and anything else Netflix or YouTube or other online movie-resources related.
Probus Adventure September 2025
Planning for the 2025 tour. This group is for participants at this stage but once the tour starts it will be used for capturing photos as the tour progresses. For the tour itinerary and more details see the tour website
Navigation and finding groups
PGS (abreviation for Probus Groote Schuur) is used in front of each group name to make it easy to find in WhatsApp. Once you have joined, just type PGS in WhatsApp and all the groups will be listed. What you are a member of will be listed first, followed by the groups you are not a member of.
Want to join a group? Simply select the group and click Join.
Want to leave a group? Select and choose exit.
Using WhatsApp Communities is simple and intuitive but help and guidance is available. If in doubt ask!
A key feature is that each member can join, or leave, any interest group at any time. There can be no flood of unwanted information. Going overseas for a while and want to limit messages? - leave your interest groups, and rejoin when you return. Not sure if a group is of interest? - try it and if not of interest, leave. It’s entirely under your control.
The following groups have been suggested but are not currently active – they are waiting for members to contribute!
PGS Photography
PGS History, Politics and Social
PGS Wine
PGS Bridge
Suggestions for new groups are welcome – but remember that nothing will happen unless you contribute!
Dormant groups with no activity will be 'culled' periodically to avoid deadwood cluttering the Community.
Note:Messages posted before you join a group are not visible to new participants e.g. if you join Netflix, you will only see new messages, not any prior recommendations.
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