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Minutes

 
 
  Tuesday March 22 2022

Minutes of 51st Annual General Meeting of St Georges Bridge Club

held at 6.35pm on 26th April 2022 at 27 Robert Street

Apologies

Apologies were received from Lynda Partridge, Doreen Sorley, Peter Smith, Margaret Pickard, Glenys Redfern, Heather Hunter Haynes, Pam and Bill Tindall, Mark and Janet Parker.  16 members attended.

Minutes of 50th AGM

Taken as read

Matters arising

See Chairman’s report.

Chairman’s report

It’s a great pleasure to welcome you all to the 51st AGM of St Georges Bridge Club.  Little did I think on finishing the 50th AGM in April 2019 that it would be 3 years before we got to number 51.  Covid has a lot to answer for.

Particularly on membership.  Some numbers for you – at the end of 2019 we had 50 registered members.  Of these only 20 are active today.  15 are no longer playing (having passed away, fallen seriously ill, or moved away), and 15 no longer wish to play at St Georges for a variety of reasons (covid concerns, on-line alternatives, loss of interest, etc).

Of the active group past experience suggests 60-70% will turn up in any one week, meaning that we would be looking at 3-4 tables per session.  I don’t think that is a healthy or sustainable position.  That in fact we are seeing 5-6 tables each week is due in no small part to the efforts of Julie Godbold in recruiting the extra numbers.  It’s an achievement we all recognise, and are grateful for.  It also says a lot about the Club in the way that so many are prepared to play with anyone.  My personal appreciation for that.

But the numbers are still small, particularly in the context of the normal Mitchell movement, and specifically when there is a half table, and one pair has to sit out through 4 boards, often for over half an hour.  The alternative would be a Howell movement, which would curtail waiting times, but with prospects for confusion and disarray (for both players and TD).  After some discussion a show of hands indicated that members would prefer to stick with the Mitchell movement where possible.

Some thank-yous.  To Alan Draper and Grace Birchall for doing the scoring, and to Alan for also keeping the web site up to speed.  To Grace and her team of collectors for the efficiency of the table money system with HBC, on which I have never heard a whisper of complaint.  And finally to the Committee, who worked hard through the pandemic (and with little help from me) to get us back up and running – with specific thanks to Lynda Partridge, who is retiring and will be much missed.

So a lot of work goes into one bridge night, and which everyone can help run more smoothly by

  • Not moving until the bell rings (doesn’t help the TD)
  • Checking the scores on the traveller (amazing number of mistakes)
  • Those sitting out last to deal the spare boards for next week
  • All travellers on the last round to be readied for the scorer.

I strongly believe that St Georges provides a nice balance between bridge taken seriously (but not too seriously – we’re not playing for a gold clock) and an enjoyable social occasion.  Long may that continue.

Treasurer’s report

A copy of the accounts is attached to these minutes.  A closing balance of £1683.78 was reported, a satisfactory outcome given that no subscriptions had been taken the last two years.  Subscription for the coming year would remain at £5, and table money would continue at the current rate of £2.50 (visitors £3).

Election of Officers

Proposers and seconders had been found for the following positions 

Chairman                        Duncan Burns                                                             Secretary                    To be arranged                                                       Treasurer                        Grace Birchall                                                    

Committee Members        Peter Wells, Geoff Deighton, Doreen Sorley, Roxana Clifton

Trophy Winners

Stan Raine Teams Trophy                    Derek Chappel, Catherine Hall, Dennis Watson, Geoff Hurren

Ted Jennings Ladder                           Peter Wells, Mike Barber

Bert Gearing Handicap Ladder            Peter Wells, Mike Barber

Alastair Owen Club Champions           Julie Godbold, Ken Winckle

There being no other business the meeting closed at 7.05pm.

 

ST  GEORGE’S  BRIDGE  CLUB

Annual Accounts for the two years ending

31st March, 2022

                        Income                                                            Expenditure

                                              £                                    £                                                              £                  £

Opening Balances                                                                        Table money to H.B.C.                                           860.00

   Trustee Saving Bank     1,791.01

    Cash in Hand                    48.27              1,839.28                     Bidding Boxes                                                          71.66

                                                                                                       Stationery                                            99.86

Income                                                                                           Websites                                            162.20

          Subscriptions                  Nil                                                  Trophy Engraving                               33.00

          Christmas Party              Nil                                                  Xmas Party                                         34.78

Table Money                                                                                  Sundries                                              48.00            377.84

          Harrogate Bridge Club     60.00                                           Closing Balances

          St George’s                    222.00              1,082.00                       Trustee Savings Bank               1,652.49

                                                                                                                Cash in Hand                                31.29    1,683.78

Sale of Bidding Boxes                                             72.00

                                                                             _______                                                                                           _______

                                                                             2,993.28                                                                                          2,993.28

 

ST. GEORGE’S BRIDGE CLUB, HARROGATE

Committee Meeting – Tuesday 29 March 2022

MINUTES

Present

Duncan Burns, Geoff Deighton, Grace Birchall, Lynda Partridge, Doreen Sorley

Apologies

Peter Wells

Minutes of Committee Meeting of 16 August 2021

There were no matters arising.

Committee Members and Officers

Duncan Burns will announce at the bridge session following the meeting that club members should consider nominations for committee members and officers, particularly the position of Club Secretary.

Subscription and Table Money

The committee will recommend that the subscription will remain at £5 per annum.  The committee also recommends that the table money will remain at 50p per person above the table money required by Harrogate Bridge Club.

Trophies

Trophies for the competitions that were run two years ago (pre Covid) and for the Alistair Owen competition which was played on 22 March 2022, will be presented at the AGM.

There was a tie for the Alistair Owen Trophy and it was decided that the winning pair would be the pair that did best when playing boards against the other joint top pair on the night of the competition.

The ‘Ladder’ competitions will start as from 1 April 2022.  The Teams competition will be held at the end of March 2023.

Membership

Increasing the membership is an ongoing issue and the committee would particularly like to thank Julie Godbold for her commendable efforts in getting people back face to face at the bridge table and encouraging new members.

Ratification of Bank Account Signatories

To date Grace Birchall is the only active signatory and another is needed to ensure that the account is always operative.  Duncan Burns, proposed by Geoff Deighton and seconded by Lynda Partridge, was accepted by the committee and the necessary forms for the bank were completed. David Pearson had been the other signatory is no longer a member of the club and he is to be removed as a signatory.

The balance of the St Georges account currently stands at £1683.78.

Date of Annual General Meeting

It is proposed that the next AGM is held on 26 April 2022.

Any Other Business

It was mentioned during the meeting that Stan Robertson had been helpful and accommodating in all of his dealings with the club, and this is very much appreciated.

Addendum

Following the meeting, the Chairman expressed a wish to thank Grace for all her hard work in sorting out the signatories of the Club bank account, a sentiment would surely be endorsed by all committee members.

  Monday 16 August 2021

ST. GEORGE’S BRIDGE CLUB, HARROGATE

Committee Meeting – Monday 16 August 2021

MINUTES

Present

Peter Wells, Geoff Deighton, Grace Birchall, Lynda Partridge, Doreen Sorley, Gillian Rayner

Apologies

Duncan Burns

Minutes of Committee Meeting of 21 January 2020

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic it was impossible to hold committee meetings, and it was felt inappropriate to deal with the minutes from the January 2020 meeting.

Purpose of Meeting

There was no formal agenda. This meeting was convened to discuss the timing of the reopening of the club and the arrangements that are necessary to make it a safe environment.

Matters Agreed

  1. The club should reopen on 21 September 2021.

  1. The club will abide by the HBC rules for operating in the current climate. Members will receive details of these prior to the opening date.

  1. To ensure that money is handled as little as possible, everyone should bring the correct money.  Ron has confirmed that the existing method for St Georges to pass money to HBC will continue.

  1. Members are requested to bring their own bidding boxes.  Grace is going to order a small supply of new bidding boxes and people who do not have their own boxes will be able to purchase one from the club.

  1. Hand sanitiser is made available by HBC.  However, members will be encouraged to bring their own to enable frequent use.

  1. Face masks are required to be worn as people move around but can be removed once sat at a table.

  1. HBC have opened the kitchen for use; there are rules on their website relating to this.  It is acceptable for members to bring their own refreshments if they prefer to do so.

  1. Members who have been travelling or on holiday, or have been part of a large gathering are strongly encouraged to give consideration to their fellow members and not return to the club too soon.

  1. It was agreed that Geoff would report back to the committee following his first face to face session at HBC.  (See addendum below)

Website

The club website has already been paid for and Alan Draper will now update it so that it can again be used for club communications.

Finance

It was felt inappropriate to prepare a formal financial report.  There has been no income whilst the club has been closed and the only outgoing has been a small sum for expenses incurred by the Secretary, i.e. cards, flowers and postage.

Grace reported that the bank balance currently stands at £1700.

Addendum

Following the meeting, one member of the committee has attended HBC and found that the precautions that HBC is taking made him feel as safe as could be expected in the current climate.

  Tuesday 21 Jan 2020

Committee Meeting of St Georges Bridge Club held at Robert St on Tuesday 21st January 2020

Present:

Duncan Burns, Peter Wells, Geoff Deighton, Grace Birchall, Lynda Partridge, Doreen Sorley, Gillian Rayner

Apologies:

None

Minutes of Committee Meeting of Tuesday 22 October 2019
The minutes were accepted as a true record.

Matters Arising:

The Committee received good feedback regarding the Christmas Party.  People were pleased with the food and felt there was a good atmosphere.

St. George’s House Rules and Mission Statement:

Everyone will receive a copy of this.  In addition, a copy will appear on the noticeboard and on the website.

Banking:

The Treasurer reported that the balance was standing at £1679.01 on 1 January 2020.  This is only a small amount under the balance at a similar time last year.

Annual Teams Event:

It was decided that this would take place on the first evening when we had full tables, i.e. no half tables.
The Handicap Ladder ratings would be used in the selection of the teams in order to ensure a good spread of ability.  Anyone who had not been to the club often enough to appear on the ladder would be classed as a ‘middle’ rating.
As it happened there were full tables on the date of this meeting, enabling the teams event to take place immediately.  The results will be announced at the AGM.

Partner Finder:

Julie Godbold has given notice that she wishes to resign from this position.  The Committee decided that this needs further discussion to find a solution.

Harrogate Bridge Club Agreement:

It is a two year agreement and is coming to an end.  It was agreed that Duncan Burns would approach Stan Robertson of HBC with a view to continuing with a similar agreement.

Any Other Business:

Visitors to the club have been allowed three evenings (table money £3) before having to join as full members.  Previously, on the evening their subs were paid they were not asked to pay table money on that one occasion.  It has now been agreed that this practice will discontinue and table money will be due from the moment they join.

  Tuesday 22nd October 2019

Committee Meeting of St Georges Bridge Club held at Robert St on Tuesday 22nd October 2019 at 6.15pm

Those present: Duncan Burns, Peter Wells, Geoff Deighton, Grace Birchall, Lynda Partridge, Doreen Sorley.

  1. 1.    Apologies

Apologies were received from Gillian Rayner.

The meeting was informed that due to reasons of ill-health John Spink would have to relinquish his post as Chairman with immediate effect, a decision which was accepted by the Committee with profound regret, together with appreciation for all the work he had done to further the affairs of the Club. 

Duncan Burns was appointed as acting Chairman up to the time of the next AGM in April.  The appointment of an acting secretary to take his place would be arranged later.

  1. 2.    Minutes of the Committee Meeting on the 18th June 2019

The minutes were accepted as a true record

  1. 3.    Matters arising
     
    No receipt had yet been received for the engraving of the trophies presented at the AGM.  Peter Wells undertook to establish the situation.
     
    The handicap ladder system was now in operation.  A table of the current positions would be published at the end of October.
     
  2. 4.    Christmas Party

The date of the party was confirmed as Tuesday 3rd December.  The cost to members would be £10, with the Club contributing £7 per head.

Peter undertook to organise drinks (kindly paid for by John Spink), Lynda would organise the prizes, and collect money from members, Geoff took charge of the Chicago score sheets, Grace would organise the caterers, and Doreen and Gillian would assist on the night.

  1. 5.    AOB
     
    Two new members, Charles and Margaret Love, have joined the Club.  Total membership is now 48
     

The meeting closed at 6.35pm.

  Tuesday 18th June 2019

Committee Meeting of St Georges Bridge Club held at Robert St on Tuesday 18th June 2019 at 6.15pm

 

Those present: John Spink (Chairman), Duncan Burns, Peter Wells, Geoff Deighton, Grace Birchall, Lynda Partridge, Doreen Sorley, Gillian Rayner.

  1. 1.    Apologies

There were no apologies for absence.

  1. 2.    Minutes of the Committee Meeting on the 20th November 2018 and the AGM on the 30th April 2019.
     
    Both sets of minutes were accepted as a true record.
     
  2. 3.    Matters arising
     
    No receipt had yet been received for the engraving of the trophies presented at the AGM.  It was explained that engraving was being done, but had not yet been completed.

 

  1. 4.    Handicap ladder competition
     
    The current handicap system was difficult to understand and seemed to give unfair advantage to the better players in the Club.  To try and rectify this it was proposed that the handicap that each pair received should be based on the overall results of the ladder competition from the previous year.  Each pair would be handicapped to bring their average score, based on their 12 best results, back to an average of 50%.  This would mean that the better pairs might have a minus correction, others could receive a positive one.
     
    The proposal was received positively, and the Secretary was charged with putting together a more detailed account of how the system would work which could then be shared with the Club membership.
     
  2. 5.    Membership
     
    The changes in venue of the Victoria Club from their existing premises to the Cedar Court Hotel had been seen as a potential source of members for those reluctant to accept the new arrangement.  (After the meeting had closed it became clear that at least 4 new members would be joining St Georges – a good start)
     
    The question then was raised as to whether anything more could be done to make a Tuesday evening at the Club more attractive to members, perhaps involving a monthly or quarterly bridge drive ( a la whist drive), with prizes awarded.  What was needed was a stepping stone between lessons and/or domestic rubber bridge and the strict formality of competitive duplicate bridge.  It was agreed that the Committee would consider how best that might be done and reconvene with ideas for discussion at the next committee meeting.
     
  3. 6.    Any other business
     
    Christmas Party.  The question was raised whether the existing caterer, Emma, be retained to provide the catering this coming Christmas.  There was general agreement that the arrangement be continued, conditional on appropriate management of dishwasher cleanliness and general aftercare.
     
    Cost of catering was £15 per head, and it was proposed that members paid £10, the Club £5.
     
  4. 7.    Date of next meeting
     
    To be arranged.
     

The meeting closed at 6.50pm.

  AGM Tuesday 30th April 2019

Minutes of 50th Annual General Meeting

Apologies

Apologies were received from Lynda Partridge and Angela Hollingworth.  31 members attended (from a total membership of 37)

Minutes of 49th AGM

The minutes of the 49th AGM had been posted on the Club website, and on the Club notice board.  There were no corrections or questions.  Acceptance was proposed by Alan Draper, seconded by Gillian Rayner, and unanimously carried.

Matters arising

There were no matters arising.

Chairman’s report

Welcome to the 50th AGM of St Georges Bridge Club.  There have certainly been more than a few changes since the inaugural meeting in September 1969!

I’d like to start my report with a few thank yous to those operating behind the scenes or whose efforts can easily be taken for granted. 

First to Duncan for all the support he’s given to me this last few months-it has been much appreciated.

Second to Grace, Anne and Julie for the efficient way the table money payment HBC is seen to operate without a hitch, and with never an issue.

Third to Alan Draper for running the web site.  Not just for the scoring (shared with Mike Barber), but with all the other information – minutes, completion updates, announcements, etc.

Fourth to the team of TDs – Mike, Julie, and Barry – who never seem to be at a loss to find the right movement for the appropriate occasion and number of tables.

Fifth, to Julie, for all the work she puts in finding partners.  Without her efforts numbers would be much lower, and to the club’s detriment.

And finally my thanks to the Committee, who have supported me as well as I could have wished for.

The only cloud on the horizon is membership, which at 37 members is too low for comfort and heading in the wrong direction.  It will be a priority for the Committee in the coming year to try to reverse that trend.

Treasurer’s report

Copies of the accounts have been circulated to all members. This last ‘year’ has covered the period from October 1917 to March 2019.  At the end of March the Closing Balance of £1390.30 was almost £1000 lower than that in October 2017.  The main reason for the reduction was the cost of two subsidised Christmas Parties, but with the increase in table money to £2.50 this decline has now been stabilised. As a result the membership fee was held constant at £5, and a small surplus could be expected in the coming year.

 

Election of Officers

Proposers and seconders had been found for the following positions 

Chairman                          John Spink 

Secretary                          Duncan Burns 

Treasurer                          Grace Birchall                                                     

Committee Members          Gillian Rayner, Lynda Partridge, Doreen Sorley, Peter Wells, Geoff Deighton

 

Trophy Winners

Stan Raine Teams Trophy                         Gillian Rayner, Margaret Allen, Mike Barber, Peter Wells

Ted Jennings Ladder                                 Peter Wells, Mike Barber

Bert Gearing Handicap Ladder                    Margaret Allen, Gillian Rayner

Alastair Owen Club Champions                   Mike Barber, Peter Wells

                                                                                

 

Any other business

There being no other business the meeting closed at 6.53pm

  Tuesday 20th November 2018

Committee Meeting of St Georges Bridge Club held at Robert St on Tuesday 20th November 2018 at 6.15pm

 

Those present: John Spink, Duncan Burns, Grace Birchall, Lynda Partridge, Doreen Sorley, Peter Wells, Geoff Deighton.

There were no apologies for absence.  All committee members attended.

Discussion and Actions

  1. 1.    Minutes of last meeting
     
    The minutes of the last meeting on 11th September 2018 were accepted as a true record.
     
  2. 2.    Matters arising.
     
    John Spink had found a customer for the old bridge tables, and 10 tables would be donated to U3A (University of the Third Age).  The Committee recorded its thanks to Alan Draper for his help in salvaging as many tables as possible.
     
  3. 3.    Data Protection.

Lynda Partridge reported that, with the exception of 4 members who had had to be contacted by post, and 6 who had not signed their forms, the process of collecting all the data was pretty well complete.  Doreen Sorley had also prepared a membership application form incorporating the same message on data protection that had been circulated to existing members, and these were now available on the notice board. 

 

  1. 4.    Constitution
     
    In light of the comments made at, and subsequent to, the AGM on 23rd October, the Committee discussed any changes that should be made to the original document with the following conclusions :-
     
  1. (a) Paragraph 3 on Headquarters should be modified to include a reference to playing venue, subject to Harrogate Bridge Club’s approval of such a statement.  (Approval gained from Stan Robertson/Kath Crebbin 21st November 2018).
  2. (b)  Paragraph 5.1 on Membership should allow for the possibility of waiving the 18 year old stipulation in exceptional circumstances and with the express approval of the Committee.
  3. (c)  Paragraph 7.5 to be modified to read ‘Proceedings of the Committee and of any sub-committees shall be regulated, and reported, in such manner as the Committee may from time to time decide.’
  4. (d) In paragraphs 12.1 and 14.4 the word ‘his’ will be replaced by ‘their’.
     
    A revised copy of the Constitution will be circulated to Committee members for final approval and implementation.
     
     
  1. 5.    Any Other Business
     
    John Spink stated that he would like to buy the drinks and prizes for the Christmas Party, a generous offer which was gratefully accepted.  Attendance was expected to be about 30 members (increased subsequently to 35)
     
  2. 6.    Date of next meeting
     
    To be arranged
     

The meeting closed at 6.50pm.

  AGM 23 October 2018

Minutes of 49th Annual General Meeting of St Georges Bridge Club

Held at 6.40pm on 23rd October 2018 at 27 Robert Street

 

Apologies

Apologies were received from Doreen Sorley, Catherine Hall, Glenys Redfern, Sandra Howarth.  30 members attended (from a total membership of 41)

 

Minutes of 48th AGM

The minutes of the 48th AGM had been posted on the Club website, and there were no corrections.  Acceptance was proposed by Dennis Watson, seconded by Grace Birchall, and unanimously carried.

 

Matters arising

There were no matters arising that would not be addressed under the formal agenda.

 

Chairman’s report

Looking at the minutes of last year’s AGM brings home the major changes in the Club’s affairs over the last 12 months.  The move back to Robert Street in February 2018 went relatively smoothly, and the facilities and environment proved eminently satisfactory.  Some members who objected to the move were lost as a result, but numbers have recovered to the point that the current membership of 41 is exactly the same as a year ago.  We would all like this total to grow further, and that will be a priority for the Committee over the coming months.

The other main consequence of the move was the impact on our financial affairs. All table money is effectively taken by Harrogate Bridge Club, who charge £2/player each week for the use of their premises.  Although costs are reduced, subscriptions (our only other source of income) are not enough to cover our annual outlay (particularly the Christmas Party subsidy).  Grace will give details of how our position could be eroded over time, and the steps the Committee are recommending to remedy the situation.

One issue that the return to Robert Street highlighted was the lack of any formal procedures governing and deciding such a step.  This, plus legislation around data protection and discrimination, has led to the production of a Constitution for the Club, and Duncan will describe the reasoning behind it when he proposes adoption of the document.

At this point I would like to take the opportunity to thank all those who have contributed to the smooth running of the Club through these changes:  to Julie, Mike and Barry for running each evening, to Mike, Barry and Alan for the scoring, to Alan for running the website, and to the Committee (Duncan, Grace(ably supported by Anne), Peter, Geoff, Lynda and Doreen) for their help and support.

The Alastair Owen Pairs Trophy was won by Dennis Watson and Geoff Hurren, the Stan Raine Teams Trophy by Lynda Partridge, Mike Barber, Margaret Allen, and Gillian Rayner.  And now I can present the trophies for the ladder and ladder handicap.  Mike Barber and Peter Wells won the Ted Jennings Trophy for leading the ladder, and Dennis Watson and Geoff Hurren the Bert Gearing Handicap Shield for the handicap ladder.  Congratulations to them all.

Finally, may I thank you all for making this Club such a pleasant place to come and play bridge.  Long may it continue.

 

Secretary’s report

A Constitution had been prepared, based heavily but not solely on the EBU template, and laying out governance procedures and practices in the Club’s affairs.  Attention was drawn to the statements on discrimination, data protection, the role of the Committee, its composition and the election of its officers, enrolment of members, the change in the financial year to run from April to March, and voting requirements for changes to this Constitution and winding-up of the Club.  Members had had the chance to read the document over the preceding few days, either through their own copy, the notice board, or the web site.  Before proposing adoption of this Constitution on behalf of the Committee he asked if there were any questions.

A view was expressed that it was unreasonable to accept what seemed to be a ‘fait accompli’ with no opportunity to improve the wording or address individual policies, particularly opposite membership recruitment.  In response, the Secretary proposed that the existing Constitution be regarded as a working document to which the Committee could refer, but that a process be initiated in which contentious issues could be resolved in time for acceptance of the revised document at the proposed AGM in April 2019.  This proposal was put to the vote and carried by 26 votes to 2, with 2 abstentions.

 

Treasurer’s report

Club funds had declined from £2311 in Oct 2017 to £1481 in Oct 2018, and were set to sink by another £370 by the AGM in Apr 2018.  The Committee’s view was that this could not continue, and therefore proposed to stabilise the figure at or around £1500.  Sources of income had become limited to subscriptions now that HBC took all table money, and so it was therefore proposed that table money be increased from £2.00 to £2.50, visitors remaining at £3 per head, and the cost of the Christmas dinner be increased by £5 to £10 per head.  In the ensuing discussion some felt that we could afford to continue to eat away at the funds, others that increasing table money might invite HBC to revise their charges to us, although this last comment was denied by those close the Bridge Club.  The Committee proposal was put to the vote and carried by a majority of 25 to 3, with two people abstaining.

 

Election of Officers

The existing members having agreed to continue in their roles, the meeting voted unanimously for their re-election.  This arrangement would stand until the AGM of April 2019, when the rules on election of officers and Committee members outlined in the Constitution would apply.

 

Any other business

There being no other business the meeting closed at 7.28pm

  1st May 2018

Committee Meeting of St Georges Bridge Club held at Robert St on Tuesday 1st May 2018 at 6.15pm

 

Those present: Duncan Burns, Peter Wells, Geoff Deighton, Grace Birchall, Lynda Partridge, Doreen Sorley.

John Spink had sent his apologies for an unavoidable absence. As a result Duncan Burns took the chair.  He first of all welcomed the two new members of the committee, Lynda Partridge and Doreen Sorley.

Discussion and Actions

  1. 1.    Constitution.
    The constitution had been circulated to members and was broadly accepted.  Queries were raised in respect to data protection, membership, and financial year.
    On data protection it was felt that some statement had to be made to show how membership personal contact data was to be used in light of impending legislation.  Grace offered to obtain details of the methods her Bowls Club were using, Lynda proposed to contact someone she knew in the legal profession to see how a club of our size and scope should meet the demands of the new law.
    Duncan outlined his proposal for changing the financial year to run from April 1st to March 31st, starting on April 1st 2019.  The idea was to bring together timings on subscriptions, financial reporting, competitions and the AGM.  It would also follow Harrogate Bridge Club timings so that we could respond quickly and appropriately. The committee supported the proposed move.
    The need to increase membership was generally recognised, but whether or how to control that increase was less certain.  The Constitution, however, makes clear that any limit on numbers was only justified if facilities became overstretched (unlikely in the context of using Robert St), or if the reputation of the Club as a friendly, social gathering were jeopardised.  In this context, therefore, ways should be sought to increase membership as a priority, but with a continuing monitor of the impact on the Club itself.
     
  2. 2.    Any Other Business
     
    A proposal was made that David Pearson, Chairman of the Club for the last 25 years until his resignation in February this year, be made an Honorary Life Member of St Georges.  This proposal was unanimously supported by the Committee.
     
    A suggestion had been made that the donation of small trophy replicas to winners of the various Club competitions be discontinued in favour of a cash prize or vouchers.  The Committee’s view was that the plaques were not really valued, and should be discontinued, but that other alternatives would not be valued either. Engraving of names on the trophy was seen as all the recognition required. 
     
    Peter reported that the United Reform Church were still looking for a second set of keys to be returned to them, but which had been reported lost some two years ago.  It may become necessary for us to recompense them in some way, perhaps to pay for another set of keys.
     
    Grace would be away from the Club for the next two months.  In her absence Lynda took charge of her set of keys for access to Robert St, Duncan took over the cheque book.
     

The meeting closed at 6.50pm.

  Minutes of 52nd Annual General Meeting 18th April 2023

Minutes of 52nd Annual General Meeting of St Georges Bridge Club

Held at 6.30pm on 18th April 2023 at 27 Robert Street

 Apologies

Janet and Mark Parker, Heather Hunter-Haynes, Derek Chappell

 Minutes of 51st AGM

The minutes were accepted as a true record.

Matters arising

There were no matters arising.

Chairman’s Report

Duncan Burns welcomed everyone to the 52nd AGM at St Georges Bridge Club. AT present there are 33 members. The number of tables had been going down since covid but numbers are now increasing and there is an average of 6 tables on a night. Would like to see more.

This year member Gillian Rayner died.

Geoff Deighton resigned

Jill Johnson resigned, she was one of the oldest serving members and will be invited to the Christmas party.

DB thanked all the committee, Grace Birchall Treasurer, Pam Tindall Secretary. Peter Wells, Doreen Sorley and Roxanna Clifton.

DB wished to thank Margaret Allen for keeping us provided with Tea, Coffee and Biscuits throughout the year.

Grace Birchall and Anne Simpson who collect the money each week.

Julie Godbold for all her hard work and partnership in keeping the bridge sessions running smoothly, it is recognised and very much appreciated.

Special thank you to Alan Draper for all his hard work and hours spent on getting the tablets ready for the new system. Unfortunately, the system isn’t working consistently at the moment and over the weeks this has caused quite an amount of stress trying to resolve the situation. It was proposed that until the system is working well, we go back to the travellers.

Treasurers Report

GB said the table money will stay at £2.50 unless the Harrogate Bridge Club increase their fees.

The annual subscription is to stay at £5 and are due tonight.

GB thanked DB for all his support during the year as Chairman.

Election of Officers

Chairman Duncan Burns

Treasurer Grace Birchall

Secretary Pam Tindall

Committee members - Roxana Clifton, Doreen Sorley, Peter Wells.

Geoff Deighton resigned from the committee this year and Patrick Boyle has kindly volunteered to sit on the committee. A vote was given and all members were voted in.

Presentation of Trophy Winners

Alastair Owen Trophy – Champion Pairs

1. Roxanna Clifton and Patrick Boyle                 57.74%

2. Bill Tindall and Pamela Hardy                         56.25%

3. Alan and Andrea Draper                                   55.36%

Ted Jennings Trophy – Ladder

1. Margaret Allen and Duncan Burns                   63.34%

2. Mike Barber and Peter Wells                             62.19%

3. Derek Smith and Hilary Phillips                          61.41%

Bert Gearing Shield – Handicap Ladder

1. Glenys Redfern and Heather Hunter-Haynes    50.82%

2. Margaret Allen and Duncan Burns                      50.34%

3. Mike Barber and Peter Wells                                50.19%

Stan Raine Trophy – Teams

1. Alan and Andrea Draper

    Pam Tindall and David Howes                            +47 IMPs

2. Peter Wells and Mike Barber

    Roxanna Clifton and Patrick Boyle                     +12 IMPs

3. Margaret Allen and Duncan Burns

    Angela Hollingsworth and Doreen Sorley         -4 IMPs       

3. Julie Godbold and Ken Winkle

    Sandra Howarth and Sheila Broom                   -4 IMPs

Any Other Business

There being no other business the meeting closed at 6.50pm.

  11th September 2018

Committee Meeting of St Georges Bridge Club held at Robert St on Tuesday 11th September 2018 at 6.15pm

 

Those present:

 

   John Spink, Duncan Burns, Grace Birchall, Lynda Partridge, Doreen Sorley, Peter Wells, Geoff Deighton.

   There were no apologies for absence.  All committee members attended.

   Discussion and Actions

 

1.            Minutes of last meeting

 

   The minutes of the last meeting on 1st May 2018 were accepted as a true record.

 

2.         Matters arising.

 

   David Pearson had been appointed as an Honorary Life Member.

 

   Peter Wells reported no further action from United Reform Church on the matter of lost keys and it was assumed, therefore, to be no longer an issue. 

 

3.            Constitution

 

   The latest draft, incorporating procedures on data protection, had been circulated to committee members, and was accepted for presentation to members for their approval at the AGM in October.

   One consequence of these protection procedures would be that each member would be asked to confirm exactly what contact information he/she would allow to be held by the Club.

   Duncan Burns agreed to produce an appropriate form for that process.

 

4.            Financial Position

 

   The Club had over £1500 in cash and at the Bank.  All table money was being passed to Harrogate Bridge Club, and day to day expenses were just about covered by annual subscriptions.

   But there was no margin for other, one-off, unforeseen expenses, and any subsidy of the Christmas Party (£10 per head in previous years) would seriously erode the cash total.

   The Committee decided that the Club should aim to maintain its current cash position, and at the AGM would seek to increase table money from £2 to £2.50, and the cost per head of the Christmas Party from £5 to £10.

   Annual subscriptions would be reviewed at the end of March 2019, when the new financial year would begin.

 

5.         Any Other Business

 

   A notice board had been arranged by Julie Godbold for posting of results and any information for members.

 

   The Club’s stock of card tables, currently held in store by Peter Wells, was felt to be no longer required, and should be disposed of to any club who had a need for them.

   Peter undertook to contact the secretaries of clubs in the area for suitable candidates.

 

6.         Date of next meeting

 

   A committee meeting would be arranged as soon as appropriate after the AGM.

 

   For information.  The date of the AGM is 23rd October 2018.

                               The Christmas Party is planned for 4th December 2018. 

 

 

 

   The meeting closed at 6.55pm.

 

  27 February 2018

Committee Meeting of St Georges Bridge Club

Held at Robert St. on Tuesday 27th February 2018 at 6:30pm

 

 

Those present:  David Pearson, John Spink, Julie Godbold, Alan Draper, Peter Wells, Geoff Deighton, Duncan Burns, Grace Birchall.

The meeting had been convened to discuss issues arising from the recent change of venue from United Reform Church to Harrogate Bridge Club in Robert Street

Discussion and Actions

  1. The Chairman, David Pearson, opened the meeting by saying that, after long consideration, he had decided to resign his role as Chairman of the Club, and accordingly submitted his letter of resignation.  He felt that after 25 years in the role it was appropriate for someone else to take up the reins.  He would, however, be prepared to continue on the Committee.

     

  2. John Spink accepted the role of temporary chairman through to the Annual General Meeting in October, when a formal election procedure would be conducted.  In accepting the role, John spoke for the whole Committee in thanking David for his sustained commitment to the running of St Georges as a friendly, sociable club throughout his term of office.

     

  3. Membership of the Club now stood at 36, less than ideal.  Although there was a need to enrol new members, the Committee felt that this should be done in a controlled way so as not to jeopardise the playing atmosphere that was such an important feature of the Club.

     

  4. This last point led to a more general discussion on the lack of, and need for, a constitution for the Club.  This would be as simple as possible, but try to formalise procedures on meetings, election of officers, membership, subscriptions, table money, competitions, etc.  Duncan Burns, as Secretary, undertook to put together a draft, drawing on the experience of Pannal and the EBU.

     

  5. In the meantime, table money would be left at £2 for existing members, and £3 for visitors.  After 3 appearances, visitors would be invited to make a formal application for membership which, if accepted by the Committee, would be confirmed by a letter from the Secretary.

     

  6. The payment arrangements with HBC meant that we would no longer be able to afford free nights on the 5th Tuesday of each month, or for competitions.  This decision would be reviewed at the AGM in the context of a general discussion on subscriptions, table money, Christmas Party and other expenses.

     

  7. There was a need for another Tournament Director to support the efforts of Mike Barber and Julie Godbold – less for a resolution of playing disputes (mercifully rare at the Club), rather to organise the movement for the members attending on Club nights.  Likewise it also seemed sensible to have another member available to do the scoring, supporting the efforts of Alan Draper and Mike Barber.  (Subsequent to the meeting Barry Whiteley has kindly agreed to help out in both areas.)

     

  8.  HBC would be approached to allow other members access to keys and the access code for the Club so that someone would always be available to open at 6.30pm each Tuesday.

     

  9.  Arrangements to pay HBC would be agreed that allowed a secure, formal  transfer of money, and minimised the amount of cash that the Treasurer would be required to hold.  John Spink and Grace Birchall would talk to Kath Crebbin at HBC.

The meeting closed at 7.10pm.

  AGM 17 October 2017

Minutes of 48th Annual General Meeting of St Georges Bridge Club

Held at 6.45pm on 17th October 2017 at United Reform Church

 

Apologies

Apologies were received from Catherine Hall.  30 members attended the meeting.

Minutes of 47th AGM

The minutes of the 47th AGM had been posted on the the Club website, and were circulated at the meeting.  There were no corrections.  Acceptance was proposed by Dennis Watson, seconded by Geoff Deighton, and unanimously carried.

Matters arising

There were no matters arising that would not be addressed under the formal agenda.

Chairman’s report

This is the fourth venue that this Club has had in its 48 year history.  I have been Chairman for 25 years and feel very privileged to have held this position for so long.

I would like to extend thanks to Grace Birchall(treasurer), Duncan Burns(secretary) and all the other members of the Committee for their efforts.  Special thanks are due to Mike Barber and Alan Draper for managing the website and maintaining the seoring, and to Julie Godbold and Mike Barber for running the evenings each week.

Membership numbers are down to 40, and table numbers are averaging 6-7 per week.

The Ted Jennings Trophy (Ladder) was won by Geoff Deighton and Joan Couttie.  The Bert Gearing Shield ( Ladder Handicap) was won by Elizabeth Brown and Sheila Broom.  Jan Mackie and Julie Godbold won the Alastair Owen Trophy, and the teams competition – the Stan Raine Trophy – was won by Andrea and Alan Draper with Allan Stalker and Barry Whiteley.

Finally I hope that the Club continues to prosper, and I would like to thank you all for your support over many years and making the Club what it is.

 

 

Treasurer’s report

The accounts for the year ending 30th September are presented in the attached sheet.  The Club made a loss of ~£300 during the year.  Compared to 2016 there was a shortfall in table money of £550 and subscriptions of £50.  This was only partly offset by reductions in expenditure on the Christmas Party (~£100), stationery(~£100) and mugs,etc (~£60).  Despite this loss the Club still had a healthy balance of £2310.

In this context it was therefore decided there would be no change in annual subscription (£5), or table money (£2), or the free nights of the AGM, the 5th Tuesday of any month, the Alastair Owen Trophy, and the Stan Raine Trophy.  The cost of the Christmas Party was again £15/head, and it was decided that those attending would pay £5, and the balance borne by Club funds.

Election of Officers

The existing members having agreed to continue in their roles, the meeting voted unanimously for their re-election.  The resignation of Ted Jennings had left a vacancy on Committee, and John Spink volunteered, and was accepted, to take over this role.  Officers are therefore David Pearson (chairman), Grace Birchall (treasurer), Duncan Burns (secretary), and Geoff Deighton, Peter Wells, and John Spink as Committee members.

Future Venue

This issue was discussed in response to a suggestion from Harrogate Bridge Club for St Georges to return to Robert St on a Tuesday night as had been the case 7 years previously.  A mixture of views was expressed.  Those in favour pointed to  a site purpose designed for bridge (so no setting up of tables, etc), one that was  warm and well lit, with good facilities for tea, coffee, biscuits, etc.  Those against pointed to a potentially unacceptable increase in costs, poorer parking facilities, and a danger of losing the Club’s identity.  It was agreed that before any final decision was made more details on what was on offer from Robert St needed to be ascertained, and a group comprising David Pearson, Duncan Burns and Barbara Huxstep were charged with finding out.

Meanwhile David Pearson took an action to talk with representatives of the United Reform Church to alter the heating timing so that people arrived to a warm room as opposed to the existing cold one.

Any other business

There being no other business the meeting closed at 7.28pm.