A LITTLE bit of history was created on Thursday night when Rev Geoff Probert became Cowdenbeath Rotary Club's first ever associate member.

Geoff has been locum minister at St Serf's Church in Lochgelly and Benarty for three years and has become a popular figure in both communities.

The rotary club has established associate status for people who are active in the community, have Rotary ideals and may wish at some time in the future to become a full active member.

Geoff came to Lochgelly from South Africa in 2016, after being given the opportunity to fill in at St Serf's after Rev Liz Stenhouse moved on and he has enjoyed being able to continue in his role.

Born in Manchester Geoff emigrated with his parents to South Africa in 1974 aged 12.

They stayed in the coal mining community of Whitbank, near Johannesburg, and that was to be his home for some 20 years during which time he worked in banking and real estate.

Geoff was always involved in the church during that time and be decided to study to become a minister at Grahamstown, in the Eastern Cape, near Port Elizabeth and got the opportunity to take on the local church there when the minister retired.

Fourteen years later, though, when the chance came up to become the St Serf's locum, he grabbed the opportunity.

Being a rotary club member in South Africa Geoff has been interested in the activities of the Cowdenbeath club for some time and he was delighted to be invited to become their first associate member.

He was inducted on Thursday by club president Norman Black, who said: "The communities of Lochgelly and Benarty have come to know Geoff as someone who is always there to help them in his role as minister at St Serf's and we are sure that his enthusiasm and experience will be something we can tap into to.

"We hope that Geoff is the first of several associate members."

Geoff commented: "I am thoroughly enjoying having the opportunity to be minister of St Serf's and having grown up in a mining environment it has been excellent to be able to work in a former mining area.

"I am looking forward to being able to help the rotary club in any way I can."