WOODBOROUGH BRIDGE CLUB
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 24th.JULY 2014
PRESENT.
Keith Spencer (Chairman), Jane Hall (Secretary), John Edwards (Treasurer), G and N Graham, P Dale, R Furlonger, J Furlonger, M Jefferies, S Jefferies, P Johnson, C Wood, I Smith, J Gamble, T Smith, R Hooper, P Sulley, K Wills, B Wills, P Sweet, S Alvey, R Dove, N Davis, G Lee,, H Garner, G Lindley, E Poyser, J Minion, H Beeby, S Breedlove, P Morris, P Burton, L Bridge, A McLintock, T Fullick, R Gunn, A Harrod, P Tillcocks, D Tillcocks.
APOLOGIES.
Judith Glass, R Fey, P Jones, S Goodlud, L Edwards
MINUTES OF THE AGM HELD ON 18th JULY 2013.
The minutes were circulated. There were no questions arising. The minutes were accepted as a true record. Proposed by C Wood, seconded by S Jefferies.
MATTERS ARISING.
There were no matters arising.
TEAM CAPTAINS’ REPORT
First Team: Steve Fordham reported that after three years in the first division the team had been relegated. He would be looking at ways to improve team performance, including tactical play, enabling the team to bounce back to Division 1 next year. Steve thanked everyone who had played.
Second Team: Julia Furlonger told the meeting that “ it was a sad report as right up until the result of our last match was known we were hopeful that we would be promoted to Div 2 for the 2014-15 season. In our last match we were defeated 19-1 by Nottingham B, a side that we had beaten 15-5 in the first half of the season. This result put Nottm B’s average just 0.5 above us in the league table. I think everyone was disappointed especially as we had had a win against the Boots team who came an outright first. We have recently heard that due to teams dropping out of the league the 3rd and 4th divisions will be merged; so this coming season the X team will be playing in an enlarged 3rd division and playing each team only once.
14 club members played for the team: Teddy Fullick, Judith Gamble, Paul Sweet, John Edwards, Joan Brook, Phil Meats, Keith Spencer, Ian Buchan, John and Judith Glass, Iris Smith, Paul Morris, Ray Furlonger and me. Sadly we have said goodbye to Ian Buchan who has moved to Scotland.
I want to thank Phil Meats, John Edwards and John Glass for helping with the organisation during the matches by setting up the tables and boards, directing and scoring. Also thanks to Judith Gamble for being captain on the nights when I was not playing.”
Team of Four: Ray Furlonger reported that the team had been lucky to win the 1st.Division championship; two teams had been unable to complete their fixtures. Ray said that the Team of Four was a very enjoyable league, was relatively easy to manage, and took place in players’ homes. Ray urged members of the Club to enter another team in the league.
TREASURER’S REPORT:
John Edwards provided a detailed breakdown of income and expenditure.
INCOME
1.1 Membership Fees. Membership has increased from 56 in the previous year to 66 in the current year. There has been a significant surge in membership in the final quarter which explains why the total collected has increased by less than a pro rata amount. A number of factors have contributed to the increase, principally:
- The regular publicity which Jane Hall produces to go into numerous publications in the area.
- The improvers’ classes run by George Ripley and the beginners’ classes run by Toni Smith.
- The successful open evening
- The sad demise of Bingham Bridge Club
1.2 Table Fees: The increase in table fee income was due partly to the fee increase (from £1.50 to £2.00) approved at the last AGM, and also y the increase in the average number of tables per club night (7.8 compared with 6.9 the previous year). This year’s figure also includes £140 collected at the Children in Need event, all of which was donated to the charity. In the previous year this income and expenditure was dealt with outside of the accounts.
1.3 Team Prizes: This represents income from prizes for club teams participating in county leagues.
1.3 Bank Interest: The reduction compared to the previous year was caused by the reduction in the interest rate given by the bank and that the bank statement containing the final interest payment for the year had not been received at the time the accounts were drawn up.
1.4 Café Bridge: This event qualifies for EBU Master Points. While this is not an official club event we support it wholeheartedly and the master points are awarded using the club’s EBU registration. This income effectively represents the organisers’ reimbursement to the club of the cost charged by the EBU for awarding the points.
1.5 Seminars: This represents the net income (after deducting all expenses) derived from the running of these events. Because the seminar “season” overlaps the clubs year end, the income shown relates to the seminars run in calendar year 2013. The net income from this year’s events will be shown in the 2014/5 accounts.
2 Expenditure
2.1 Hall Fees: This represents the expenditure on the hire of the Village Hall and The Institute for club nights. The increase in expenditure is due to more club nights having been held in the Village Hall this year compared to the previous year.
2.2 Refreshments: This is the cost of providing drinks and biscuits for club nights. The increase was caused by additional club nights, the increase in the number of players and inflation.
2.3 EBU Fees: This includes all amounts paid to the EBU and covers registration fees, insurance and “pay to play” fees.
2.4 Pre Dealt Hands: This represents the costs of the pre-dealt hands used in the charity event.
2.5 Resources: This category includes Stationery, ink, playing cards and software licences etc. The increase in expenditure is due to an investment in new boards and playing cards.
2.6 Charity: As per 1.2 above, the income and expenditure relating to the charity event was included in the accounts this year but not in the previous year.
2.7 Notts CBA Teams: This represents registration fees for club teams participating in county leagues.
3. Summary
While expenditure continues to be controlled, taking into account the increase in the number members and inflationary pressures, there has been a significant increase in income. This has been caused by the increases in table fees, number of members, average number of tables and an increase in the number of club nights compared to the previous year.
The overall impact is that the club is now in a very sound financial situation with a near four-figure surplus for the financial year following a number of years where the surpluses were sub £100. As a result, I have recommended to the committee that the membership and table fees should be maintained at their current levels for the coming year. Even allowing for inflationary impacts on expenditure this should continue to provide a sound financial basis for the club’s activities for the foreseeable future, assuming that current membership levels are maintained or exceeded.
There is little point, however, in the club accumulating increasingly large surpluses. The committee are therefore determined to use its finances to improve the club resources so that, in the future, we have a club that compares very well and can compete against others in the county. In particular, we are determined to increase club membership and to provide the capability for club members, at all levels, to improve their ability. One thing that we are actively considering is the purchase of a card dealing machine. The main advantage this would give us would be the ability to publish the hands played at club nights on our web site so that pairs can discuss them to identify potential issues with their bidding, defence or play on particular hands. These devices are relatively expensive so it will be a year or two before we will be in a position to buy one.
The success of a small organisation such as ours is, and should be, dependant on their being a high level of support and co-operation between all of its members. I would like to express my thanks, though, to a number of individuals who have helped make my first term in office as treasurer relatively easy and pain free. These are:
- Mike and Sharon Jeffries for an extremely smooth handover of responsibilities
- Iris Smith for deputising for me on a number of occasions
- Ruth Hooper for efficiently and patiently providing the refreshments that we enjoy every club night
- Jane Hall and Keith Spencer for tolerating my lack of knowledge of the club affairs and helping me, unflinchingly, to overcome them.
John ended by saying that the Committee is looking at buying a Dealing Machine; but need a couple of years to save up. It was recommended that fees would remain unchanged; Subscriptions £7, table fees £2, Visitors £3. Proposed by R Gunn, seconded P Dale.
TEACHING REPORT:
Toni Smith explained how the club was developing a teaching strategy so there were learning opportunities for all standards of play. It was essential for the continuation of the club to have a regular flow of new players.
Toni runs classes for beginners, as does the local U3As, she teachers them to be sufficiently confident to come along to a club session. Intermediate players have been enjoying George Ripley’s seminars that are held throughout the year. There are currently 32 on the books, half of whom are from the Club. Coaching for match players is also being considered prior to the next season.
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT:
Keith Spencer told the members that he was disappointed that the 1st.team had not done well, and future plans for team coaching would be useful. Keith thanked Toni and George for their teaching; Jane and John for their behind the scenes work, Clive for helping to Direct when he was away, Ruth, Rosemary and the team captains for their hard work. The Open Evening in September was now a regular event and proved very successful in attracting new members.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
The Committee; Keith Spencer (Chairman), Jane Hall (Secretary), John Edwards (Treasurer), S Fordham, J and R Furlonger, R Gunn, R Hooper was re-elected en bloc; proposed by C Wood, seconded by R Furlonger.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Purchasing a Dealing Machine.
Alyson McLintock strongly supported using a machine as it would improve play; she suggested that members might be willing to make small loans so the Club could purchase a machine soon. A machine would cost between £2500 and £3,000. Ray supported Alyson’s view that it would help members who would have a record of the hands at the end of the evening. Ray also thought it was essential for the club to keep up with technology. Paul Sweet asked if grants were available from the EBU; John Edwards undertook to find out. It was agreed that the Committee would investigate the possibility of purchasing a machine.
Rosemary Gunn raised the question of why the timer was not being used, as discussed previously. It was helpful to new and more experienced players to keep an acceptable pace going. Reg Dove commented that he did not want to deter new members by being rushed, and Ray Furlonger commented that rushing players might put some off. Rosemary explained that it was the new players who were put off by slow play as they were then put in a position to hurry the next hand which they might be playing. So the slow player in fact penalises others and that was unacceptable. The timer provided a useful guide to how time was passing. It was agreed that whoever was Director should sit South so they could see what was happening in the room and intervene in a timely way.
- Rosemary Gunn thanked Jane Hall for the regular publicity she produces via several local magazines.
- John Edwards expressed interest in entering another Team of 8 in the League. From his experience match play is not only enjoyable but improves play. Any standard of player can play in a match.
MEETING CLOSED AT 7.20 PM
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