In accordance with the proposal for winding down East Cleveland Bridge Club all monies due to the membership have now been paid and receipts from the Great North Air Ambulance and Marske Hall can be seen together with the finall accounts in the Financial Details Page.

The club will continue to operate as an informal online bridge club.  Consideration will be given to a name change if support continues after the Covid pandemic is over.

PROPOSAL FOR AMENDING EAST CLEVELAND BRIDGE CLUB

Further to surveys carried out to determine the level of support for 'real' bridge on Thursday evenings it has become clear that it is no longer viable. There are many reasons for this including advancing age, deteriorating health, moving out of the area and also a preference by some players for online bridge. There is also a view that bridge in the area is too fragmented with the resulting competition for players affecting the viability of the clubs. In this latter regard many have long felt that there is no justification for two separate clubs (Redcar and ECB) both operating from the same premises.

The Thursday night online bridge has sufficient players to continue, especially since our Blackburn guests are keen to carry on. It is therefore proposed that East Cleveland Bridge Club should continue to operate solely as an online club to meet the needs of those wishing to play online and further that organisation of 'real' bridge be left in the capable hands of Redcar Bridge Club.

This proposal effectively means the winding down of the original East Cleveland Bridge and the creation of a new online bridge club. To this end it is further proposed that:-

1. All ECB financial assets existing prior to closure due to the Covid pandemic should be distributed to the paid up members at the time and in accordance with each members wishes. Members will receive a full financial statement and may choose to:

1.
   * Receive a cash pay-out (£13).
   * Choose to donate their share to either Marske Hall or Air Ambulance.
2. All financial activity since the Covid pandemic has related entirely to the online bridge activities and any assets remaining would be retained by the online bridge club.
3. ECB online will be run informally by Geoff Taylor and Brian Williams who will operate a joint personal bank account. (Please notethat HSBC are now charging =£5/month for community accounts as well as charges for paying money in etc. Our HSBC account is therefore being closed.)
4. Bridge equipment is shared between 3 clubs. East Cleveland Bridge Club will retain their interest in the equipment but let it remain on semi-permanent loan to the other two bridge clubs.
5. ECB does not rule out 'real' bridge in the future and may therefore seek to recover its interests in the equipment.

Lesley Smith

There has been a unanimous response in favour of the proposals and no calls for further discussion or amendments.  The proposals will therefore be carried out as now agreed.

The accounts details at the end of 'real' bridge period are presented on the Financial Details page.

In summary there is £462.84 to be distributed ampngst 34 members which works out at £13.61 each.  In accordance with members wishes:

21 donations to the air ambulance    = £285.87
11 donations to Marske Hall              = £149.74
2  members asked for cash pay out  = £27.23

Payments will be made once the bank account is closed. 

Geoff Taylor - Treasurer