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Initially bridge was played in the WI hut on Friday evenings from October to the following April with a break for the summer months. The club night was quickly changed to Thursdays as the committee realised that Friday was the day when the weekend break commenced. Eighteen months later it was decided to play all year round. Although there was only one regular club night, other competitions were held. These included a Turkey competition, which was a rubber bridge competition, held in members' homes. The money collected was used to subsidise the Christmas party. This competition was later abandoned.
The club has always been keen to organise and support bridge events that raise money for local and national charities. Every year a raffle at the Christmas party raises money one of the following, Hayward House Hospice, Rainbows Children's hospice, and the Lincs. & Notts. Air ambulance. Money raised at simultaneous pairs and Swiss teams events has been given to Dr Barnados, Save the Children, Children in Need and the Children's Hospice.
The club, very early on, joined the EBU and affiliated to the NCBA. Two teams took part in the County 'Teams of Eight' league, and a third was added in 1982. The Club regularly takes part in the local Village quiz.
The WI hut has very quirky memories for members. The solid fuel boiler was very temperamental and you were either freezing to death or risked being roasted. During the miners' strike of 1974, which coincided with a severe winter, it was not uncommon to see people playing in overcoats. The hut proved to be inadequate for the increasing number of members, and space was severely limited. A move to the Village Hall was made in 1977. Since the move we have always been able to accommodate any number of tables. Only the Club's Christmas party and the Swiss teams' events have been limited by ticket.
A Tuesday bridge evening was introduced in 1988 at the Platt Lane Pavilion. This extra night proved enormously successful as a system of 'spares' was introduced, which guaranteed a game for everyone who turned up. For a number of years Thursday evening was considered the evening of serious bridge and Tuesday a more relaxed evening as many members played with a different partner each week. The 'spare ' system, which had been so successful, became a victim of its own success as new partnerships were formed from these 'spares'. Gradually the difference in the standard of bridge between Tuesdays and Thursdays all but disappeared as the majority of partnerships played on both nights. Also special competitions were organised for Tuesdays to mirror the traditional Thursday night.
Tuesday 2 July 2002 provided yet another milestone, with the availability of the Village Hall for Tuesday evenings. The club moved out of Platt Lane. Again, as with the move out of the WI hut, lack of space was one of the reasons.
Monday afternoon bridge which had its origins in the chairman's home, moved to a permanent venue in 1993. Attendance was not very large, as many members did not like the individual movements. Due to increasing numbers attending in the current decade the individual movement was dropped in favour of duplicate pairs, early in 2004.
In 2010 it was decided to enter just two teams in the County teams of eight League instead of the previous three teams.
The original club Website, created in 2003 was replaced in June 2013.
In September 2013 our 40th. anniversary was celebrated with a meal at Perkins Carriage Hall in Plumtree. 73 members and guests enjoyed the event which was followed by a 9 Table Bridge Competition.
The Club began with 42 members playing once a week with 5 or 6 tables. Today it has 114 members,with bridge available on Monday afternoon, Tuesday and Thursday evenings throughout the year.
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