The following is taken from the minutes of the committee’s meeting held on 10^th July.

The timing of the club reopening was discussed. The issues which continue to cause concern include the rapidly rising numbers of Delta variant with associated (although lesser) increases in hospital admissions, the mixed messages about face masks worn indoors, the good but not perfect protection of double vaccination and the significant problems associated with long Covid.  On the other hand, there is good evidence that the vaccination programme is weakening the link between new Covid cases and hospital admission rates and death. The club is fully compliant with the Covid health and safety measures. The message from the government is that we need to ‘live with Covid’. Local clubs such as Loughborough and Stamford are beginning to reopen. There is a window of opportunity to reopen St Oswald before the effects of a predicted 4^th wave in winter strikes.IW, AL and RB are prepared to direct face to face sessions at the club. 

A consensus was reached. The club will wait until this third wave is abating before contemplating re-opening,

The Trustees and Committee have been preparing the club for eventual re-opening and look forward to welcoming you back when the Covid restrictions permit. The following measures have been put in place for your safety:

• A professional risk assessment has been completed by Multiconsultant, and all actions are complete
• We now have automatic doors on entry and to the Tournament and Club rooms allowing a ‘no touch’ entry and exit
• The foyer has a QR code for you to scan, or you may sign in with disposable pens.
• As you enter, you will be asked a few questions to ensure you do not pose a Covid transmission risk and you will have your temperature taken with a quality tested no-contact forehead thermometer.
• A pair of members acting as stewards will be available to help with your entry and will help you get seated quickly and efficiently and will be available similarly at the end of the playing session to smooth your exit efficiently.
• Tea and coffee will be provided at the table rather than self service
• Some areas of the club will be cordoned off to comply with the risk assessment guidelines
• Cashless payment is possible and encouraged
• There are strategically placed hand sanitising stations throughout the club and at the playing tables
• Ventilation in the Tournament room is compliant with government guidelines, and we will encourage windows and doors to stay open throughout where possible.
• The club will endeavour to minimise movement between tables by playing a Mitchell movement where possible
• Members will be issued with their own bidding box to carry around for the session
• All bidding boxes and duplimated card boxes will be collected at the end of a session and locked away to quarantine for 3 days
• All Bridgemates will be sanitised at the end of play
• The stewards will be responsible for ensuring all touch points are sanitised at the end of play
• The club will be professionally cleaned weekly

The following decisions by the Trustees have been made having read the responses to the questionnaire

• The Trustees and Committee have agreed that the club will ONLY consider opening when the government restrictions of 2M social distancing and wearing indoor face masks have been lifted

• In the interests of other members, any person suffering with symptoms of COVID, flu or similar, MUST NOT attend

• The Director or any Trustee or Committee member reserves the right to respectfully ask any member who arrives and is obviously unwell/has any of these symptoms, to return home and NOT enter the club

• The club requires members to be FULLY IMMUNISED for face-to-face play

The Cashless club - Updated 25/5/2021

We are now using the Bridgewebs attendance module whereby we can record fees payable by individuals who play bridge either at the premises or online.  We can also show monies owing for special events such as the Bridge holiday and the annual membership fee.   

We have sent our invoices for March and April.  These will continue a short time after each month end.  Any payments received during the month will be uploaded to bridgewebs shortly before invoices are sent.  The invoices will show either the exact amount owed or the amount individuals are in credit.  The invoice includes a link to their Bridgewebs statement.  For security, this link is live for just 2 days.  Members can see their account at any time by signing into their account on the website and selecting the tab for 'payments'.  CAUTION:  As each chargeable session/event is recorded on bridgewebs, the system updates immediately with the debit amount.  Credits are uploaded at month end.  For now, the bulletin on the left side of the web front page will show when the last set of payments were updated.  Non-members can request an account statement at any time. 

Payment.  Our preferred method of payment is by bank transfer.  An alternative method will be for our members to set up a standing order.  A third option is to send a cheque.  We have a card reader so we can accept contactless payment. The final option is to pay cash at the club but we would prefer not to handle cash.

if you have any questions about this system please email your questions to ianwalkerdine@gmail.com.  

Ian Walkerdine   

COUNTY BRIDGE CLUB HOLIDAY 2022 - TORQUAY

The Toorak Hotel, Chestnut Ave, Torquay, Devon TQ2 5JS

The County Bridge Club holiday is booked from Monday 21 Mar 2022 to Friday 25 Mar 2022

For full details click on the Torquay icon on the right.

We have set up an additional website for our on-line teaching program.  This program was aimed at last year's Y1 and Y2 students.  The lessons have now started.  

We have set up an additional website for our on-line teaching program. 

Enter www.bridgewebs.com/cbct  into your browser.

If you wish to consider joining our next teaching program which may start in the autumn, please register by clicking on the 'Student Registration' menu item on the CBCT website.

Fill in the form and press 'Send'.  

All our sessions are open to non-members but you must register by filling in the form on the right hand side of the page.  You need do this only once but do it as soon as you can.  We create our 'allowed players' list from these submissions - usually several hours before the event.  The events list is shown on the calendar (top right).  Monday PM and Friday PM (BBO) are level2.  Thursdays, our RealBridge game, we allow more complex systems but the not so proficient players are welcome.

County Bridge Club Gift Aid

Do you consent to County Bridge Club claiming Gift Aid on your subscription?

If YES I understand that County Bridge Club can treat my subscriptions as a donation and the following applies:

Please treat all donations that I made from 1^st April 2019 and may make in the future as Gift Aid donations. I confirm that I have paid, or will pay an amount of Income Tax or Capital Gains Tax that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand that the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give.

 In addition to asking you to respond to the gift aid request, we are taking this opportunity to update our membership records.  Address information on Bridgewebs is restricted and not available to the general membership.  The committee members, who do require access, will NOT divulge personal information without permission.

Please enter your details on the form below and press 'send' OR

Click HERE to download the form and post to Ian Walkerdine, 6 bodmin Ave., Wigston, Leicester.  LE18 2HB.

Please notify County Bridge Club if you want to change this declaration, change your name or address, or no longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains.