STOKE POGES BRIDGE CLUB AGM

Minutes of the AGM held at St Andrew’s Hall on 21 January 2013

Present:  Twenty three members

Apologies:  None

Minutes of the last AGM and matters arising:  These were agreed as a true record.  Proposed by Ken Butcher.  Seconded by Chris Payne.  There were no matters arising.

Chairman’s Report:  The club has an average of six to seven tables. Ideally Roger would like to see an increase in table numbers.  With him and Joan proposing to relocate to Wales, the committee had put their minds to the running of the club once the move was ‘fait accompli’.  He had contacted members to help with the directing and a rota would immediately take effect.  Also he hoped members would get involved with board dealing, scoring and the website.  Obviously two extra members would be required on the committee when the move happened.

We had donated monthly to charities but it was now open to debate (when it comes up later on the agenda).

The anniversary lunch was held last February at the ‘Fox and Pheasant’ and seemed to be enjoyed by all.  This year it is on 18 February.  The summer evening meal took place on a rare glorious summer’s evening last August at the ‘Jolly Woodman’.  The club bought the first round of drinks.  He appealed to members to suggest another location for this year.

Audrey and Jeff won the Pairs Cup.  Well done to them.  However the committee has decided to change the date of the competition to 29 July as that is statistically our best month for attendance, as opposed to the usual November which is often our worst.

He reminded players that membership (£5) was due if they had not already paid.

He thanked the committee, Joan as secretary, Val for all her hard work, Audrey for wonderful catering on many occasions and to Bruce for his excellent skills as treasurer.  Also thanks to Val Wright for scoring.  Last but not least he sincerely thanked the members for their unstinting support in keeping Stoke Poges a thriving club.

Treasurer’s Report:  (Hard copy on file.)  Bruce reported a very similar year to 2011.  As we’d had a large surplus in 2011 the committee had decided to make monthly donations to charity.

The surplus for 2012 was £386.84, leading to a cumulative total of £2162.62.  The Nat West account had earned a princely 91p interest!  The club had paid more for wine prizes, the annual lunch and the summer drinks party and given two free weeks.  The attendance record followed a similar pattern to previous years.

Roger thanked Bruce.

Committee:  The committee was willing to serve another year.  There were no nominations.

Charities:  In accordance with the members wishes at the last AGM the subject was up for debate.  There was much discussion with varying opinions.

Betty Simpson hoped the practice would continue.  Jean Chandler suggested that if the sub was reduced to £3 the club might gain more members.  Cherie Chapman reported that the Gerrards Cross club charged £4 and regularly got in excess of twenty tables.  Eryl Morris presumed people came to a bridge club to play bridge not raise money for charity and that maybe the club could improve its facilities.  He noted the Chalfont club only charged £2 per session.

There were suggestions we could alternate the months when we donated to charities (Chris Payne) or reduce the weekly sub and donate to charity for a year (Jonathan Lewis).  Hans Mastenbroek suggested thinking of different ways to make the club more attractive – the cold hall (sometimes) and the state of the cups we used were less than satisfactory.  Roger replied we offered weekly prizes, paid for a free lunch and a drinks party in the summer.

The question of donating to charity was therefore put to the vote.  Fourteen members voted for it, three against and six abstained.

Roger promised the members views would be taken into consideration.

AOB

·        Jean Chandler asked why E/W nearly always sat out.  It was explained that when the club had an odd pair with an even number of tables it negated the need of ‘sharing’ boards which often caused the movement to be slow.  Where possible NS would also ‘sit out’.

·        Chris Payne thanked the committee for its hard work throughout the year.