At the last meeting Paul Barnett shared with us his passion for the ship graveyard along the river Severn at Purton. Wooden ships were first beached there in 1909 to protect the river bank and the Sharpness to Gloucester canal from tidal erosion.

As a youth Paul had played on the old hulks but later rediscovered them in 1999.

He has since been on a mission to protect and identify the remains.

Paul showed many slides of the ships from the time when they were in commercial use, through to the relics that remain today.

The club’s next meeting will be on February 4 will be a talk by David Withey on ‘The lighter side of local government’.

This club for retired professional and business men provides a programme of stimulating talks at meetings throughout the year.

New members are welcome. You are invited to contact the secretary on 01562 515087 or visit our website: http://kidderminsterdistrictprobus.

btck.co.uk