Warm welcome at Probus

THE Probus Club of Shepshed’s new President Pat Harris welcomed members to the group’s April meeting, beginning his first year in office.

After the apologies and routine business had been conducted, two new members were given full membership and honorary membership was granted to one of the club’s long-serving members who joined in 1992.

After lunch and the raffle draw, speaker Tim Oaten introduced his ‘Modern Day Piracy’ talk.

This turned out to be an unusual talk as it was given by an ex Royal Navy officer on a subject most people have heard of but know very little about.

Between 2008 and 2012, more than 900 incidents of pirates carrying out robberies at sea occurred.

Due to international coordination, from 2013 to 2016 the drop in piracy at sea has been dramatic.

Instances were given of Somali pirates operating with little resources capturing and holding to ransom crew and cargo of merchant shipping worth millions of dollars.

Some military intervention has been possible but areas of more than two million square miles of ocean are difficult to cover.

An interested audience gave warm applause at the conclusion of the talk.

New members welcome – contact the Secretary on 01509 769802