A number of Club members are now playing Bridge on line using the Bridge Club Live site(BCL) and finding it very enjoyable. This is a pay site. There is another site BBO which is free but a number of members do not find it so user  friendly.

NON APPLICABLE UNTIL  FURTHER NOTICE:

Bridge Sessions 

• With the measures taken by the Committee to decrease net expenditure we are pleased to confirm that all 3 bridge sessions can continue for the time being 
• Because of the unavailability of directors there will be no bridge at Feckenham on the third Thursday of every month.
• New Initiative – Based on the positive feedback about our Summer and Christmas Parties, we have decided that on the first Wednesday of every month we will provide cakes and there will be a 15-minute refreshment break.  We hope this will encourage increased socialising and help new members to settle in and encourage members to attend.  

New Members  

• We need to continue to attract new members to ensure the Club’s remains vibrant and healthy in the future, so if you know anyone who would like to try playing bridge in a Club, please encourage them to come and try a session. They can either play in the main room, or they would be most welcome to join our “Gentler Bridge – Try Duplicate Sessions” on the third Monday of each month, or to come to Feckenham on a Thursday Morning. 
• Our “Gentler Bridge” sessions have been running for some months now and we are hoping the participants will transition to the main room in the next three months.   We are sure everyone will make them very welcome and be positive in helping them to enjoy Bridge at our Bridge Club. 
• We will be continuing the “Gentler Bridge” sessions for the next cohort of students who will be finishing their lessons shortly. 
• We are also going to offer three supervised play sessions for our “Gentler Bridge” participants.  If there is an interest in these for other club members on a particular topic please let a member of the Committee know. 
• Through the Chairs meetings of the WCBA a number of initiatives are being looked at to attract new members and promote bridge throughout Worcestershire. You  will be kept informed of future initiatives.  

Film 

• A video of members playing bridge and a commentary was filmed at the summer party on the 17th July 2019. This has been a successful means of attracting new members to other clubs. The film is going to have some short additions made to it in the next few weeks and a final version produced.  We will let you know when it is launched.   
• We hope to get a site running on Facebook in the near future. 

Host and Directors Rotas 

• The host and directors rotas are published on this website and are on the Menu List. Copies of the host and directors' rotas will also be on the notice board. If members cannot make the proposed host date can they please confer with other members to swap dates and amend on the notice board copy. The Directors Rota is also being emailed.  
• There will be no host on bank holidays which are on April 10^th and 13^th, May 8^th and 25^th, August 31^stand December 28^th. 

Data Protection 

• Just a reminder that the General Data Protection Regulations are in force .We have to comply with the Privacy Part of these regulations. A copy of our Policy is on the notice board and in the information part of this web page. You should advise the Membership Secretary or Chairman if you change address. email or telephone number as the club has a duty to determine by what method you wish to be contacted
• We are keen to keep in touch with members and hope that everyone will look regularly at the Club website, where we will post news and information.  However, we would also like to stay in touch with as many members as possible via e mail. Over the next few weeks, we will be confirming when you come to the Club whether you are happy for us to contact you via e mail. 

Covid 19 Virus 

The Committee has been taking note of the EBU and Government advice regarding corona virus which is to: 

•  Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub; 
• Practise respiratory hygiene, covering mouth and nose when sneezing and discarding tissues immediately into a closed bin, cleaning your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water; 
• If any member has a temperature with a new  cough and other symptoms then do not come to play bridge but self isolate  
• Maintain social distancing 
• Clearly the last of these is the hardest in a bridge club, but we are fortunate that we have enough space to spread tables out so that people are not on top of each other. 
• Avoiding making contact between players' hands and mouths prior players  touching their cards is also obviously desirable. 
• We have alcohol-based hand rub and request that players use it.  
• The EBU also suggested that players may want to carry their bidding boxes between tables, but given that we are all using the same cards we have decided against this measure. 
• We will continue to review the position in line with the Government and EBU guidance and will make any updates to the Club’s position on our website 

Heating in the Cookhill Village Hall 

As members may be aware, we have had further difficulties with the heating in the Village Hall, - with it being both very cold and too hot!   Unfortunately, although the boiler has been replaced there is now difficulty with the new electronic thermostat.  We are in close contact with the Village Hall Committee and they are making great efforts to get this sorted out.  They are confident that it is being sorted and they are going to be popping in to our sessions in the immediate future to ensure that the heating is working as it should. We do get the rent we pay for the Village Hall adjusted/waived when there are significant problems with the heating. 

Ridgeway Trophy

The format will be the same as last year in that the competition will run over 6 weeks covering all 3 sessions i.e Monday and Wednesday at Cookhill Village Hall and Thursday at Feckenham Village all. Itwill commence on Monday 5th October. The best results for a paling pair over 4 sessions will determine the winning pair

David Ogg  

News and Information 

15th March 2020

 Chairman                        Mrs Yvette Waide                         01905 381995

Vice Chairman            Mr Duncan Holman                 01527 460275

Secretary                         Mrs Ann Ball                                  01527 328238

Treasurer                         Mrs Joan  Ogg                              01527 543534

Membership Sec              Mrs Sandy Cruickshank                01789 751795

News Page and Info              Mr David Ogg                                             01527 452556

Committe Member           Mrs Mollie Mason                              

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General Information about BCL

BCl at present have several rooms in which to play - most of us play in the Social Bridge Room but in other rooms players can gain master points and there are also competitions such as simultaneous pairs under the auspices of the EBU.

In the social bridge room, you can set up a Private table for Ridgeway with a password but your results are still published against the 600 to 1200 pairs who play those boards over a 24-hour period. One of our club pairs came 5th with a score of 71% on one session.

It is felt that when the club sessions get off the ground, we could do with 4 tables to make it feasible as is the case in a normal club session at Cookhill, so we could do with a few more members joining up. Some members are apprehensive about joining but it is easy to set up and get the hang of playing the cards - so don't be frightened to give it a whirl.

BCL is approved by the EBU whose rules are applied to the play. It is a pay site but it works out less than playing at the bridge club .

 stay safe and we hope all is well with you,

Yvette Waide and the RBC Committee