Knowle Bridge Club
Chairman’s Report 2021
Our club’s last annual general meeting took place in 2019, so I have to report the events of two years. Autumn of 2019 drew uneventfully past our enjoyable Christmas evening through the winter and into the early spring of 2020 with Monday morning “easy-peasy” bridge, Wednesday evening main sessions and lessons ticking along nicely. But in March 2020 everything stopped because of the pandemic. Social activities like duplicate bridge ended.
We followed instructions and guidance, kept ourselves as safe as we could in our homes and met very few friends. We did not hold an AGM in 2020 and decided that club memberships would renew for a further year without any fee being sought. Many of us found new uses for computers, including playing bridge on-line through some of the web sites that we discovered. Mike Lynn was particularly adventurous and used one of the on-line sites to set up a small team-of-four league which gave his friends a lot of fun as well as making them feel much less alone in their lockdown.
Enjoyment of on-line play led in February 2021 to the start of a Thursday evening session of pairs duplicate bridge using “Real Bridge On-Line” where players could not only play bridge but see and speak to other players at their table. This session was begun by Fran Baxter and Mike Lynn for members of Dorridge and Knowle Bridge Clubs plus some friends. The cost of these evenings has been met by the clubs so no playing fees have been charged. The close co-operation between Dorridge and Knowle clubs has been good and members who have taken part have been able to keep their clubs’ identities fresh.
In summer, after vaccinations, social restrictions began to ease and we could consider restarting face-to-face bridge. Not everyone yet feels ready for this, but we found enough interest to begin on Wednesday 18th August and have continued Wednesday evenings since then and begun Monday mornings as from 11th October. We were pleased to find Knowle Village Hall had continued its refurbishment programme during lockdown and made some big improvements in the shape of new doors and décor. Since our first return in high summer we have found that the heating system works well and we don’t need to freeze to be safely ventilated. We aimed for safety by trying to have our equipment, including the hall’s chairs and tables, handled by no more members than is absolutely necessary. As on Thursdays we have drawn no distinction between members of Knowle and Dorridge clubs and both are equally welcome. We have made a start and now we look to thrive.
Thank you to everyone who has so far returned to play face-to-face because you have made worthwhile our efforts in planning the reopening. Our purpose now is to keep our club running, ready to welcome back those who are careful of their own safety and are not yet ready to come out to play. So as to include everyone, all who were members before lockdown will be continue to be members for 2021/2 year and no annual subscription will be sought for this year.
I am grateful to many people. First, the committee (Faye Doble, John Allen, Mike Lynn & Tony Cundy) for the way they have kept in touch and offered wisdom. Mike has not only run the on-line play but has developed a nice line in cheerful e-mails which he reliably sends out before each session. Tony got our scoring systems working again and has continued dealing our hands. Bill Jones kept in touch with his former students and coached some of them on-line. Now he is back giving his Monday tips. Roger Fitton has kept our web site pretty and informative. Fran Baxter not only TDs for us but from her position with Dorridge Bridge Club made sure the Thursday on-line evenings got going and are so successful.
Finally, might anyone volunteer for tournament directing or some setting up or clearing away on Mondays or Wednesdays, or want to join the committee? We have got through lockdown and are back again and have things to do.
Paul Hardstaff
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