Welcome to the latest Newsletter. Due to the lovely weather we have had in April and May (and a fortnight in France), editing a newsletter was far from my mind but I suddenly realised I had five days before I go to Australia. Mild panic, but here goes.
BITS AND PIECES
At the AGM our Secretary, Christine Cooper, decided to resign. Thank you, Chris, for all your efforts over the years. Graham Clarke has volunteered to take on this task, I am sure he is the man for the job.
You may have wondered at the AGM, as I have, what is in ‘the envelopes’ at prize giving? Well, I can now reveal that winners of the Allott Trophy receive £40, winners of Troughers, £40 and the Annual Pairs, 1st £40; 2nd £24; and 3rd £16.
The trophies are awarded for the following competitions (apparently few members were aware of what competitions were held). They are as follows:
Allott Trophy – given to the best pair or individual in the year for the Pairs evenings held at the Troughers Saturday evenings (handicap event).
Troughers Trophy – given to the best pair for the Teams evenings held at the Troughers Saturday evenings (handicap event).
Williams Trophy – awarded to the highest scoring pair for the event held (usually) on the first Tuesday in November.
Perrin Trophy – awarded to the highest scoring Rugby pair nationally in the Children in Need Simultaneous Pairs Tuesday evening event (ie not necessarily the highest scoring pair in the Club session). This used to be awarded for the EBU Autumn Sims event but now has to be the CiN Sims event.
John Day Shield – awarded to the best improved pair during the year on Tuesdays.
Stephen White Plate – awarded to the winners of the Rubber Bridge Competition.
Some of the RBCL Directors have taken on additional roles:-
Peter Langley is in charge of organising/co-ordinating matches with other clubs.
Wendy Pattinson becomes Social Secretary, aided by Peter Augustus. She is also responsible for cards and flowers that we send to members in hospital, etc. Please let her know of anyone in that category as she would hate to leave anyone out.
Jim Shoesmith is the Legal Company Secretary.
Rugby Bridge Club becoming a Limited Company
Following comments after the AGM the Directors felt that an explanation of the implications of becoming a limited company and the role of the Directors would be helpful.
A simple guide to the main matters that affect Rugby Bridge Club (a company limited by guarantee), so please will all you experienced ‘limited company’ entrepreneurs please not pick me up on small details where I may have put simplicity of explanation ahead of legal niceties!
As a limited company we now have the safety and security of knowing that each and every member’s liability is limited to only £1, no matter whatever the Club may do. This is important as we pursue opportunities to use our development fund to build or buy or lease or otherwise obtain premises. Such opportunities should be to our advantage, but as there is ‘many a slip betwixt cup and lip’ and they could result in financial disaster – it’s a good job your directors are aware of this possibility and will do their very best to avoid it, but you never know....!
But this limited liability means that the Club is, without any choice, subject to company law.
The key difference is that the directors now have legal responsibility for the affairs of the Company (and therefore of the Club) and must act in the best interests of the Club as they see those best interests. They cannot avoid this responsibility and are subject to legal penalties (including, in extreme cases, fines and imprisonment) if they fail to carry out this responsibility. This is a far, far more onerous responsibility than being committee members of the Club.
The members of the Club (and therefore of the limited company) do not therefore have the right to require the directors to do, or not to do, anything. The members can express their views to the directors who should take account of these views, but the directors are not required to action those views. Therefore anything said or voted on at the AGM can only guide the directors; it cannot bind them to do, or not to do, anything. In practice the directors would resign if their views were at real and fundamental variance with the members, but hopefully this will not arise.
The next key difference is that ‘modern’ company law (Companies Act 2006) is designed to do away with ‘unnecessary’ bureaucracy and to take full advantage of the internet. Therefore, for example, the directors do not have to be re-elected at each AGM but only face re-election if challenged. Also a posting on the Club website can be taken as formal notice of the AGM. Also the accounts can be taken as circulated if posted onto that website. There are many other examples but the general effect is to loosen (in the interests of simplicity) the requirements set down in our old constitution. This loosening is however balanced by the more onerous responsibilities and penalties on directors; so overall Club members should not be at any disadvantage.
You should now feel more informed, and comfortable, with our limited company status, but please do feel free to raise any questions with either myself, or any of the directors.
Jim Shoesmith
Both a Club Member and a Club Director
(and incidentally a Chartered Accountant of 45 years standing; it is this lifetime of experience that has been drawn upon in the writing of this article).
LATEST NEWS ON THE SEARCH FOR PREMISES (Peter Langley)
The club has identified Rugby Town Football Club (not to be confused with the Junior Football Club!) as a good prospect for sharing premises to provide a long-term base for our activities. The football club is at Butlin Road, off Clifton Road. They have ample parking. Part of their main building (former changing rooms) is currently disused and can be refurbished to provide a ‘hospitality suite’ of approximately the right size for our needs. As the work has yet to be carried out we would be able to influence the detailed design.
Two visits have already been made and RBC Directors will be visiting the ground early in July. Shortly after that, detailed discussions with the football club will begin. A small sub-committee consisting of Terry Bradbury, Peter Langley and Jim Shoesmith has been set up for this purpose. As we know from previous experience, there are many twists and turns in discussions of this type, and success is certainly not guaranteed. However this looks promising.
We will keep you informed as the discussions progress.
If anyone has any comments or questions at this stage Terry, Peter or Jim would be very glad to hear them.
THE CLUB’S DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE (Peter Langley)
The Directors have taken a look at our Disciplinary Procedure, which was drawn up several years ago, in the light of experience of its use. The general conclusion is that it is ‘fit for purpose’ overall, but that a few modifications and clarifications could usefully be made, as follows:
· Clarification of the respective responsibilities of the Board and the Disciplinary Panel when a hearing is instigated;
· Clarification of the rights of the person complained against – for example the right to submit a written defence and to appear in person (with one person to support him or her if required);
· A clearer statement of levels of punishment available for different types of offence;
· Clarification that the Disciplinary Panel should make recommendations to the Board, who will be responsible for deciding on and administering any punishment.
The Directors will make these changes and reissue the Procedure. They continue to hope that most disputes can be settled amicably without a formal procedure of this sort, but the procedure is needed to deal with the very few exceptional cases that occasionally arise.
NEW MEMBERS
We are very happy to welcome more new members:
Hugh and Lynda McClean; Howard and Jean Kirk; Pat Exelby; Cynthia Martin;
David Symon; John Drake; Jeff and Veronica Wren; Sid and Pat Downton; Brian Phillips; Ian Hitchcock; Jean Halliday; Margarita Smith.
Enjoy your bridge!
ROM ECKER
It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Rom Ecker. Rom was a member for many years, he particularly enjoyed the Saturday morning sessions at Clifton. We will miss him. He was a lovely man, a real gentleman.
PAST AND FUTURE EVENTS
The First Ever New Members’ Fun Bridge Evening (Anne Carrington)
This took place on Wednesday, 4th May, at the Ex-Servicemens’ Club. The aim was to introduce our newest members to, I won’t say our oldest members, but to our not so new members. We have had a record number of new members this year of 24.
The evening started with Chris Malthouse (Chairman) giving a cheque to the Air Ambulance for £620 which was raised at our one-day event and we were given a very interesting short talk about the WNAA by their representative. Chris then gave a humorous chat about the club.
This was followed by Military Bridge, whereby players could win or lose a flag according to whether they won or lost a bid contract. The table with the most flags won.
Next came the ‘Bridge and Bridges’ Quiz. This was completed whilst eating a well prepared buffet. A free drink was available at the bar for each member. There was a tie break which resulted in one table winning.
It was a very enjoyable evening with 9 tables. Everyone wore a name tag so that people could easily converse with others. There was a lot of noise and hopefully new friendships and bridge partnerships have come out of the evening. The ‘new members’ certainly met the ‘older members’.
The Julia Mills One day Event was enjoyed by all although we did not attract as many players as in other years, due to a clash with other matches. Marion Dixon and Lynn Hilton headed the field - Congratulations.
The Rugby & District Bridge League Summer Social will take place at the
Ex-Servicemens’ Club on 24th July.
The RBCL Summer event will also be held at the Ex-Servicemens’ Club on a date to be arranged.
MATCHES AND COMPETITIONS
Lutterworth Away match, 13th June, at Cotesbach (won by Lutterworth)
Coventry Home match, date to be arranged
Kenilworth Away match at 7pm, Saturday, 6th October
Williams Trophy Tuesday 1st November
Perrin Trophy Tuesday, 15th November
Daventry has expressed an interest in having a match.
For further details see Peter Langley.
TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR’S CORNER (Malcolm Taylor)
Speed of Alerting and Announcing
It is becoming obvious that some members are not responding to their partner’s bids as quickly as they should. All members appear to be aware that certain bids have to be alerted or announced but they take so much time studying their own hands that their RHO has called before they take action. This is irresponsible because they believe that their assessment of their own hands takes precedence over their courtesy to their opponents. It is very easy to state the strength of an opening NT bid or that you are using transfers, so please do so quickly.
INTERVIEW
In this edition, we turn the tables on our roving reporter Peter Langley and throw at him some of the questions with which he has been plaguing others.
Q – How long have you been playing bridge and how did you start?
A – 46 years...I think ! I began in the prefects’ common room at school during a rather quiet third year in the sixth form, gave it up while I was at university, then began again when I lived in a hostel in London. I’ve never had any formal instruction, and it shows !
Q – What do you think are the features of bridge that make it so challenging and exciting?
A – To me, bridge is the perfect fusion of science and art. You need a logical mind, but imagination too. It’s the play of the cards that turns me on – I find bidding quite tough at times.
Q – What is your idea of perfect happiness at the bridge table?
A – A can of Old Speckled Hen and partner congratulating me on a well played hand. I wish it was always thus !
Q – What bidding system do you favour?
A – I like to keep things as simple as possible because my memory starts complaining otherwise. The one exception is the Multi Two Diamond opening, a wonderfully versatile device which is designed to disrupt the opposition and propel you to contracts you might not otherwise find.
Q – What other games, sports or hobbies do you enjoy?
A – Many, which is why I don’t like to play bridge more than twice a week. I am a football fanatic (I’ve suffered so much with my beloved Wolves) and love watching other sports such as tennis, cricket and golf. I play snooker and croquet. I’m very keen on music, and go to lots of concerts. I’m an explorer by nature, so travelling to new places is a real joy and I hope my health will let me carry on for a while longer.
Q – Do you still work?
A – Only a little – I am subsiding gracefully. After taking early retirement from my town planning role in the civil service in 1999, I worked for ten years for the Campaign to Protect Rural England and running a university course. These days I do bits and pieces of the things that interest me, largely in a voluntary capacity.
Q – Does anyone else in your family play bridge?
A – Sadly no. I have tried many times to persuade my wife Anne to give it a go but she remains sadly unmoved. I think she was frightened by a playing card at birth.
Q – Why does Rugby Bridge Club need a Strategy?
A – I’m a strategy sort of person, so maybe I’m biased. But I think it helps to provide an overall sense of direction and a shared understanding between members and directors of what our priorities are.
Q – What do you think Rugby Bridge Club will look like in ten years’ time, and where will we be playing?
A – Although often a pessimist, I am optimistic on this subject. We are very much a going concern, we provide great entertainment for a growing membership, and we are certainly heading in the right direction. Despite our recent disappointment, I am confident that we will find a single long-term base for all our activities in the next few years. I also think we will become much more skilled at communicating the joys of bridge to the good burghers of Rugby. Despite the age profile, our membership will grow further.
Q – How can we persuade more people to try bridge for the first time?
A –The Saturday morning sessions have made a huge contribution and should continue to do so. In addition, I think we have to be more imaginative in our marketing – the occasional Six Month Free Trial Offer wouldn’t come amiss. Once people come along, we need to do more to keep them. Mentoring by the better players is something I’m keen on.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor
I wish to write regarding the hosting system which is advertised for the sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Friday afternoons.
It should be regarded as being a part of membership of RBCL that a member should offer to host any of the sessions which they play.
There are almost 140 members of RBCL. As there are 52 weeks in the year, it can be seen that we should easily be able to fulfil the obligation to host, if every member took their turn.
Val Wormleighton must be congratulated on achieving a full list of hosts for every Tuesday in the year. It is extremely hard work but she does get a good response.
Anne Carrington has taken on the responsibility for organising the hosting list for Thursdays, and is looking forward to more volunteers adding their names to her list.
Yours sincerely
Christine Cooper
FINAL WORD
I hope you have found this Newsletter interesting with not too many errors and omissions. I am grateful for the input from Jim, Peter, Malcolm, Chris and Anne and would welcome contributions from other members for the next edition.
G’Day.
Wendy Pattinson
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