A TOTAL of 26 members and a speaker gathered at Downes Crediton Golf Course on a very mild December day for a meeting of Crediton Probus Club.

The President, Burford Cropper, asked Norman Gale to say grace, then we sat down to our meal; when this had been enjoyed and our coffee drunk, he proposed the Loyal Toast.

After mentioning the single December birthday, Burford asked Brian Threlfall to give an account of the progress of sick members.

Gerald Hill then mentioned that speakers had been booked for meetings up to next September and a visitor from Okehampton Probus, Des Flood, told us about (and invited us to join) a five-day holiday to Eastbourne that he was operating next year.

Chris Maycock introduced our speaker, the Rev Donald Reeves, who was formerly vicar of St James, Piccadilly, but had now retired to Crediton.

Since the retreat of the Ottomans from Europe through the 19th century and early 20th century, the Balkans have been a real powder keg, with multiple conflicts borne of religious differences.

As someone who had always preached reconciliation between former enemies, in 2000 Donald (with others) set up a charity, the "Soul of Europe", which has attempted to bring different religious groups together and to rebuild communities.

It is based in Banja Luka, the second largest city in Serbia and its major unifying project there has been the reconstruction of the Ferhadija Mosque, the magnificent 16th century structure destroyed in the Bosnian War.

This has now been completed (the minarets are 150’ high), but the process of involving all local religious in it (and of course raising the necessary funds) was very difficult at times.

Donald said that he found the local Orthodox bishop a particularly challenging character and had to resort to some devious means of getting him to the project’s first meeting which was held in neutral Coventry.

The application to Brussels for financial help with the project was rejected, but funding was eventually provided by the Serbian government and the Mufti of Istanbul.

Dialogue between Muslims, Orthodox and Catholic elements of the community is now happening.

Donald emphasised the superb help he had received from the Foreign Office and the embassy in Sarajevo.

Donald told us that he now feared for the safety of everyone in the community as there are many jihadists returning from Syria and have the potential to completely disrupt everything that "Soul of Europe" had achieved.

Brian Threlfall thanked Donald for his fascinating and at times, moving, talk and congratulated him on the achievements of "Soul of Europe".

The president closed the meeting by proposing the toast: "To the next time!"

Keith Barker