Dear Members

This is a newsletter to keep you up to date with recent developments. We hope you are all safe and sound in your “Bubbles” and taking advantage of this time to play bridge online, both Graeme’s generous offer on Sky Bridge and our Club’s BBO.

The Committee has continued to meet weekly on Zoom. Our thanks go to all of the committee members for the skill levels that they are showing through the shut-down. We are all on the same page and working very well together for the benefit of the club. It has been nice to receive emails in support of our decisions and the work we are doing behind the scenes.

Special thanks go to Lizzy for ringing around our members and checking on their welfare. We would like to take this opportunity to also thank Sue for the hours she is putting in running the office from home. Her busy time seems to be from 6pm onwards helping members to log on to BBO. 

Our Club had two sessions last week. From this week on we are running six sessions. Monday, and Friday afternoon starting at 1pm. Monday through to Thursday nights, starting at 7.30pm. Members can talk privately and catch up with their friends and other members on BBO prior to the start. Over 170 members have sent in their BBO IDs. We are getting great feedback, the main one being that ‘it feels like a normal club session’.

The Club has been fortunate in that Liz Fitzgerald has the knowledge and previous experience in running and directing BBO tournaments. Liz has joined our BBO directing team. Thank you, Liz, for your input and for training our directors. Special thanks also to David Stephen for organising the BBO sessions and directors for these sessions.

Note: If you need instructions on how to join BBO and/or to sign up for the on-line sessions, contact Sue in the office: office@chchbridge.co.nz or 027 2577466. Instructions are also available on the website.

Sadly, we are not able to celebrate our Club’s anniversary by playing in the Anniversary Pairs, traditionally held on 25 April each year. However, the ANZAC blanket which we had intended to display on that day has been completed, as shown in the attached photos. Thank you to all those who knitted or crocheted poppies in a wide variety of colours, sizes, and shapes. It has been a real team effort and source of great camaraderie. Special thanks in particular are due to Marilyn Copland, Bev Johnson, Glenda Frapwell and Deborah Matthews who helped in the creation of the final product. Deborah was also responsible for assembling the purple poppy wreath which commemorates the large number of animals who perished as a result of the wars. We will put both items on display once the club re-opens.

Because of COVID-19 the RSA is unable to carry out its usual poppy day sales. In lieu of buying a poppy this year, you may wish to make a donation on the following website:

https://chchbridge.us11.listmanage.com/track/click?u=ce7a6455345995f4b49e1a2d2&id=bad6da8487&e=22e2d6aa8d

Enjoy your bridge!

John McKenzie(Acting President),
Marilyn Copeland(Acting Vice President)