Congratulations to Gillian Hall and Yolanta Allison, Deborah Rabbidge and David Breese and John Bradley and Mal Loveridge. They will be representing ABC in the Barclay Trophy at 1pm on Sunday 4th December at Bawburgh Village Hall.

A few good reasons to come along to the All Day 2 session event on 10 November:

• it will be Blue-Pointed;
• Nigel will be there cooking up a storm preparing lasagne (veggie option available if pre-ordered) and pudding for lunch;  and
• at the end there will be a draw for a bottle of wine.

Tickets £12. Available from Val Bobbins on 01379 740065 or at the club on bridge afternoons, but hurry because they are expected to go fast.

Looking ahead to Christmas please note a very important change to the dates of our celebration bubbly and Nigel's seasonal goodies. Christmas treat afternoons will be on Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th December instead of as in the booklet. And it's a free afternoon for all our members so what's not to like?

The photo is of Sarah Chamberlin congratulating Deborah Rabbidge at the AGM for winning the ABC Winter Trophy with her partner David Breese.

ABC has fundraising in the bag perfectly packed - including Eileen Townsend's magnificent £50 for her hand-crafted shopping bags hand crafted in fabric kindly donated by curtain king James Tullett.

The proceeds of all her hard work, along with £75 in table money, went to Mid Norfolk Riding for the Disabled, which was Nigel Simpson's nominated good cause. Total of £125 from the fundraiser on 25th May.

The club supports two local charities each year and the other Charity Pairs event was Stewart Farquharson's pick in aid of The Whitlingham Boathouses Foundation which raised £95 - half the £5 take at 9 1/2 tables.

And finally there was £75 for the Peter Falgate Trophy in aid of Pancreatic Cancer UK.

We are now seeking nominations for 2017. If you would like to suggest a worthy local cause please hand Sarah Chamberlin a note or send her an email by the end of October.

Female ABC members awaiting call up to play in the 2017 Venice Cup in Lyons, France can rest assured that the dress code they will be expected to follow will be strictly gender neutral.

Which is more than can be said for the female chess grandmasters due to attend next year's World Championships - in Tehran where women may not appear in public without covering their heads with a hijab. Since the 1979 Islamic revolution all women in Iran are required to wear a headscarf in public. Vice squads patrol the streets to enforce the law,

Needless to say the Chess governing body FIDE has been roundly criticised for its choice of location with top female players threatening to boycott the event next March.

You will be relieved to hear that careful perusal of the EBU, EBL and World Bridge Federation websites all make it clear that women playing international bridge need only be "properly dressed" - whatever that means - and indeed tailored shorts are even permitted at certain events. For men and women. Presumably where it's likely to be hot.

Sounds like the female chess players have picked the wrong mind sport. If FIDE won't relocate their world championships perhaps they should try their hand at bridge and find out what they've been missing?

What's not to like? Ten club members went off to Stratford for a weekend consisting of lots of bridge, good hotel and food and plenty of socialising. Oh, and it was the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, so loads going on in what is anyway an interesting and picturesque town.

"It was very relaxing and most enjoyable," said John Copson - though possibly less so for his and Val Bobbins' opponents at the bridge table where they scooped the Championship Pairs competition. "We had a bit of luck," he said modestly.

Sarah Chamberlin and Jane Edwards were also celebrating coming second in the Consolation Pairs.

Barbara Baker said she had enjoyed the whole weekend: "But what I really loved was the opportunity to get to know club members better - there isn't usually the time."

As well as playing bridge there were plenty of opportunities to explore historic Stratford - including spontaneous speeches at Shakespeare's birthplace and to enjoy visiting the town, retail therapy and a boat ride.

Val Bobbins organised the weekend away with Excel Bridge and it was such a success that plans are already in hand for a similar trip next year - with the date booked well in advance so more members can fit it into their diaries. Do let Val know if you are interested in ABC Away 2017.

Margaret Motch, Jean Simms and Peter and Helen Gaskin were also on the trip but managed to miss the camera. The man in the picture with John and Val is the Excel Bridge organiser Andrew. And Sarah's husband Mac was an enthusiastic non-playing member of the group.

Our very own Robbie Roberson and Wendy Gee were victorious in the NCBA's prestigious green-pointed Hudson Cup with a stunning 62.01%.

Wendy said it was wonderful for Robbie: "It was the first time he'd actually won it and he was thrilled to bits."

She added that it was an even greater achievement against a field which included top players such as Roger Amey, the Ipps and Mike Walsh.

Bake-off Queen the great Mary Berry guest-edited Woman's Hour - and revealed a fascinating fact. Her mother was an enthusiastic bridge player who lived until 105 and was still playing regularly until the previous year! Mary credits her longevity and intellectual rigour to the fun and challenge of the game. I was longing to know if Mary plays bridge herself but Jane Garvey didn't ask her.

Apparently the 2016 GBBO is going full tilt in the tent but all Mary would say was that there are some particularly interesting contestants this year.

L-R Mark Coulson, Andy Ferenczy and Neil Tracey with the Buxton Trophy                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Neil again with Jill Cadley and Marion Lawrence and the Barbara Dick-Cleland Trophy

It wasn’t quite the Norfolk version of Oscar acceptance speeches but the winners of the Buxton and Barbara Dick-Cleland Trophies were well chuffed with their victories.

Winners of the Barbara Dick-Cleland Trophy for less experienced players, Marion Lawrence and Jill Cadley, paid tribute to their bridge teacher Christine Buchanan:

“It’s all down to Christine’s teaching,” said Jill. “We’re thrilled, gobsmacked, even. The only thing we ever won before was a handicap trophy – because we did so badly throughout the year that no one else stood a chance!”

Marion and Jill now play at Aylsham BC and the Noverre.

And, on the other side of the Costessey Centre’s Stafford Hall, Andy Ferenczy and Mark Coulson were celebrating their victory in the Buxton Trophy.

“We’re surprised and delighted,” said Andy. So what did they do right?

“I think it’s more what the opposition donated to us on various occasions,” he said modestly.

The two NCBA events took place together at The Costessey Centre, home of ABC bridge club, with Neil Tracey directing.