Dear Members,

After a seemingly endless and distinctly dreary winter it is good to see signs of Spring and to look forward to renewed activity at the club. Our membership continues to increase steadily and now stands at 777. With the drop in COVID numbers, the longer daylight hours and the improvement in the weather we hope to see the return of members who have not attended for some time. It has been a challenging time for all bridge clubs and as a community we need the ongoing support of all members to ensure that the game thrives.

We continue to carry out maintenance of club facilities. The new bike stands have arrived and will be installed shortly at the rear of the building. Old lights in the toilets, kitchen, passageway and entrance areas are beginning to wear our and will be replaced as necessary with LED fittings. Certainly by doing so in the playing areas we have noticed a considerable decrease in our electricity bills. 

Following a review of our Health and Safety Policy we have relocated our First Aid box and the defibrillator machine to permanent positions in the foyer and lists of emergency numbers have been posted nearby and at the Director's desk. 

Club players continue to achieve considerable success in competitions nationally, both online and face-to-face. Our recent Julian Cup, sponsored by Westende Jewellers was well-attended and enjoyed by players from all grades. Feedback from the day has lead to greater clarification of the systems of play and the rules of etiquette for the competition. These will be available in the new Programme Book and also on the website. Likewise, a review of the handicapping system for various club competitions is being carried out to ensure fairness to all. Thank you to those who continue to provide input and suggestions as to how we can improve. 

Later next month we will hold a Working Bee to carry out maintenance of the building and grounds. Our thanks go to Hedley Bamford for carrying out ongoing repairs and to John Evans and Lyn Mould for their continued care of the gardens.

Take care everyone and enjoy the sunshine.

Marilyn Copland, 

Club President.