We held our second MiniBridge Train-the-trainers course in Sep, once again at Wimbledon BC.  This time, Laura Porro, who had attended our first one in Jan, gave the course, and we trained up a further eight people to go into schools.  The Makers of Playing Cards Charity (what used to be the Cutler Trust) generously sponsored us again, so the course was free to attend.

Two of our attendees are already working at Harrodian School, where we now have a MiniBridge Club operating each week, with about six pupils coming along.  We hope the numbers will build next term as news gets out of how good it is.

Four others are lined up to help at Greenfield School in Woking, where the deputy head is very keen.  We’re aiming to hold a taster session in Nov, with a view to starting in the Spring term.

Our flagship youth event, the Surrey Schools’ Cup, is set to be hosted again at St Paul’s Boys School on Fri 3 Feb next year.  I'm hoping that publicising the date well in advance will enable more schools to plan ahead and be there.  Simon Stocken tells me he’s got a club running at Putney High School for Girls, so I've asked him if they might be ready to enter, too.

We now have a page on our website setting out the history of who’s won our Schools’ Cup, plus a few other notable Surrey youth bridge results.  We’re still working on a few aspects, including some of the earlier results, but you can see where we've got to:

Click Here

Whilst we've moved on in some areas, a few other things have been disappointing.  The taster session we held at Hinchley Wood in June, where Douglas performed heroically in leading two x two-hour sessions for 64 (!) pupils each time, didn’t result in a club.  In fact, we haven’t heard from them at all, even to say no.  In addition, the club at Danes Hill hasn’t yet materialised, though we may be able to resurrect this next term.  And the club at Surrey Uni has had an unfortunate start to the new academic year after failing to secure a stall at the Freshers’ Fayre, but we will see how this affects things.

I've agreed to join the EBU’s Youth Advisory Group, and its first meeting is due to be held at the end of Oct.  The YAG’s terms of reference are to:

·         Advise on what Youth events should be run by EBED and the details of such events

·         Communicate with Youth Officers and other volunteers throughout the country

·         Advise the Trustees on aspects of the charity’s Youth strategy

·         Disseminate best practice and advice

·         Recommend priorities for grant funding

We've been contacting schools in Surrey and near parts of London to see if they're interested in setting up a bridge club, and five have so far said yes:

Danes Hill, Oxshott     Club started in May for their scholarship class, broader one to run Tue PMs from Sep, led by Vicky Bevan

Greenfield, Woking      Aiming to run taster session in Autumn, with club to start in Spring;  to be led by Tony Richards

Harrodian, Barnes       Club to start Tue lunchtimes in Autumn term;  to be led by John Balson and Billie Stephens

Hinchley Wood             Taster session held in June, awaiting school go-ahead for club to start in Autumn term;  to be led by Meena Samani

Teddington                     Planning for club to start in Autumn or Spring term;  to be led by Jenny Breeden and Hilary Stewart

As well as the club leaders above, we've had lots of offers of help from local bridge players for these schools.  The names are too numerous to list individually, but I'm really grateful to you for stepping forward – without you, my role is impossible.  We'll be running MiniBridge training over the summer and beyond, for which I'm pleased to say we again have sponsorship.  I've had help from many people in finding volunteers for the schools above, but I'd particularly like to thank Ned Paul and Marietta Andree.

In a combined effort between the two Farnham BCs, Mike O'Donnell and Anna Holmes are now teaching at Weydon School, including helping the more experienced Minibridge players to move on to full bridge.

If others would like to help out in schools, please let me know by e-mail:

I'm not looking for a commitment every week;  we're trying to form small teams to share the load between them, so that there are people to fill holiday gaps, etc.  Helping to run clubs in private schools may attract a payment to the teachers involved.

If you know of any youngsters who would like to learn or improve their bridge, it's not too late for them to sign up for the Southern Counties Junior Bridge Camp, at Ardingly College, Sussex, 12-14 Aug.  As well as bridge and MiniBridge, there's swimming, and games like Speedball and Rounders.

Click Here

or contact Andy Ryder at:

In January, we held our first ever Train-the-Trainer course for 20 volunteers wishing to help youngsters learn MiniBridge.  As well as formal training, we had a really useful debate about how to promote our wonderful game, and it was great to see everybody’s infectious enthusiasm.

We had generous sponsorship from the Cutler Trust.  The Trust were very pleased with the way it went, and we’re looking at a second sponsored course later in the year.  We’ll publicise this as soon as we can, but if you’re keen to attend please email, as it may influence where we hold it:

Centrally, we’ve set about contacting secondary schools in Surrey and near parts of London to see if we can help them set up a bridge club.  Our greatest chance of success, though, will probably come via local people who have their own links with schools and individual teachers.  Whether you're a trained bridge teacher or not, please talk to a local school and see if they might be interested.  If you can generate us a lead, we’ll take it from there.  We've developed some marketing material to help, and if you'd like a copy, let me know.

Whilst it’s early days, Sir William Perkins School in Chertsey now has a fledgling club, and of course we’re hoping there’ll be more.

Surrey Feb16 Schools Events

Organising these events was Bomi Kavarana's last official role as a member of the Surrey Committee.  In recognition of his dedicated work on this over the years Trevor presented him with a very nice bottle of single malt.

Well done Bomi and thank you for all your work.

Following this event, Tim Warren has taken over from Bomi as our Youth Bridge representative.

The very first Surrey Schools Bridge Event took place in 1999 under the auspices of the Surrey Contract Bridge Association, and the 18th such event was held on 5th February at St Paul's School in Barnes thanks to the school's contact Tom Lyster.  The competition attracted 52 boys and girls in MiniBridge Pairs (12) and Bridge Teams-of-Four (7) and a very enjoyable time was had by everyone present.

The MiniBridge Pairs competition was won by Jasmine Nobbs and Aidan Fellows from Weydon School with a score of 76% from the very young pairing of Neil Prabhu and Henry Huang from Colet Court School, while the King's College School quartet of Kamran Rachlin, Jack Kelly, Jack Hagger and Robbie King won the Bridge Teams competition for the Surrey Cup from previous winners St Paul's School.  The winners were presented with attractive trophies and each competitor was delighted to take home a large bar of chocolate and EBU badge/pen/key chain.  SCBA chairman Trevor Hobson and his wife Barbara kindly helped out with directing and scoring.

Note: Three of the King's College School Bridge Team winners