Please see below the menu for the Christmas Dinner, Thursday January 8th.
Cost will be £20 for members and £34 for non-members
Please let Caroline or Christine know your choices and make payment as from next Tuesday. 25th November
1. Dates for your diary
-Thursday 11 December:TEAMS event
-Thursday 8 January:New Year Party with information as to menu, menu choices, etc to follow c. 27 November
Please note that Tuesday 23 December will be our last session of 2025 and that we will resume on Tuesday 6 January 2026.
2. SHBC to go cashless
In common with other bridge clubs, your committee has decided to go cashless with an implementation target date of 1 April 2026. The new system is still being researched by your committee.
3. Session management
Scoring is a key element of every session and, as such, we strive continuously to refine and improve our procedures in this respect so that all involved in the process have a clear understanding of what is required.
There is an ever-present need for volunteers to assist in the set-up of sessions as there is an over-reliance on David Buckley and Brian Shiels in this respect; likewise, vis-a-vis clearing-up after both the tea interval and at the session-end.
Henceforth, tea-drinkers will have a dedicated pot at their disposal, thus reducing long queues for members who prefer coffee.
4. SHBC management
I informed the committee last week that I would stand down as chairman of SHBC with effect from 31 December 2025 but, for the moment, would remain as a member of the committee. In the meantime, the committee approved the appointment of Mark Elliott as Interim Chair of SHBC through to the AGM in say June 2026, when elections to the committee will be subject to the approval of the members.
Alan R Middleton, Chairman SHBC
4 November 2025
News Update - Yvonne Buss Trophy
Yesterday’s event was a great success, commencing with a gracious speech of welcome by Bill Buss and the ‘lucky dip’ award by him of a bottle of wine to Annie-France.
With 10 tables, there was a keenly fought competition for the trophy with David Spencer & Stewart Pennycuick (69%) emerging victorious ahead of James Carrie-Wilson & Viv Morris (65%) and Winnie Perry & Caroline Kemp (61%). Once the results had been posted, despite the erratic behaviour of Bridgemates, the trophy was presented to the winners by Bill (with a picture duly posted on WhatsApp).
As a result of our efforts and with thanks to:
- Caroline, Christine, Hilary and Viv for their fund-raising and organisational skills
- Master Chef aspirants in providing delicious cakes and
- members’ generous contributions to the raffle (bottles of various shapes and sizes)
the committee has approved the payment of £500 to Lupus UK.
Congratulations all round and with many thanks to you all for your generous support in both cash and kind.
Alan R Middleton, Chairman SHBC
News Update - September 17th 2025
1. Membership
In recent weeks, we have welcomed both Sally Clark and Alastair Dunbar as members.
2. Yvonne Buss Trophy
On Thursday, 9 October, members will compete once again for the Yvonne Buss Trophy in aid of Lupus UK - holders: Caroline and Mark. The event will be limited to 24 pairs playing 26 boards with an arrow switch, thus producing an outright winner. Therefore in order to prevent the event being oversubscribed those wishing to participate will need to book their place in advance, a sign up sheet will be available at the session on Thursday October 2nd and Tuesday October 7th.
Raffle tickets will also be on sale on those days as well as at the event courtesy of Caroline and her team.
On the day, there will be the opportunity to donate:
- cake(s) to the usual tea interval fare and
- bottles to the raffle to be conducted during the tea interval. ( could be liquid refreshments, toiletries, fairy liquid etc).
3. Christmas/New Year Party
Arrangements have been made to hold the event on the evening of Thursday, 8 January, 2026 at SHYC’s Royal Sovereign Suite.
4. Lift at SHYC
Apologies to all our members vis-a-vis the ongoing saga of the lift. Hopefully, normal service will be resumed next week - so, stay alert as to messages in this respect on WhatsApp and email.
5. Scoring
Thank you to Norman, Robin and Hilary for producing the results of Tuesday’s session by hand in double quick time. It’s good to know that members have not forgotten the ‘art’ of using travellers (E&OE!) and to realise how much we have come to appreciate the benefits of technology (again, E&OE!). Let’s hope the glitch is fixed for this Thursday’s session).
Alan R Middleton, Chairman SHBC
17 September, 2025
News Update – 20 June 2025
- Annual General Meeting – Thursday, 12 June 2025
The AGM was attended by 33 members – a good turnout – and a further 27 members offered their apologies.
Resolutions put to the members were approved:
- The minutes of the AGM held on 30 May 2024
- Annual Subscriptions and Table Money at current levels
- Financial Statement as of 31 March 2025
- The re-election of the committee
The Chairman thanked the members for their ongoing support and, in turn, expressed his appreciation of the extensive and often unseen support of members volunteering their time in running The Club – as Directors (primarily Hilary) and Scorers (Mark and Norman), as well as maintaining the Duty Officer Rota (Viv), collecting and banking Table Money (Caroline and Christine), monitoring our finances (Mark), maintaining the website (Robin) and setting-up the tables (Dave Buckley and Brian Shiels).
In response to issues raised by members, it was confirmed that:
-the committee is willing to support members wishing to expand their skills as Directors via EBU programmes, as well as Scorers via on-the-job training
-the number of occasions on which visitors might play at The Club is not limited, although it is widely understood that, if a session is oversubscribed, members will have priority over visitors (as per our website)
-the stock of bidding boxes and insets will be reviewed immediately with a view to discarding or replacing the said items as necessary and
-our involvement in SCCBA’s inter club league team event will continue (under Mark’s leadership), but not the parallel social event as there are too many other demands on members’ time.
In addition, it was noted that our relationship with Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club remains excellent.
B. Peter Wraight Trophy
A stalwart member of SHBC, Peter Wraight was one of 16 members who funded the resurrection of The Club in August 2017. Sadly, he died just as his loan was to be repaid and, at the suggestion of his family, a trophy was purchased in his memory.
Open to members with an NGS rating not exceeding 7, this year’s competition on Thursday, 12 June was won by Simon and Maggie Buller – to much acclaim (see picture of the presentation of the trophy) with George Jaklinski and Di Lyndsell runners-up and Janet Harper and Jane Allen in third place.
- Summer Party at Wellshurst Golf Club on Tuesday, 17 June
Hilary presided over the proceedings with 44 members in attendance, ably assisted on the day by Mark, Norman and Robin.
Judging by the remarks posted on WhatsApp and elsewhere, the event was a huge success with the venue, the weather and the fare provided by our hosts all earning top marks! No doubt, the winners too were pleased with their efforts - Viv Morris & Chris Imison, closely followed by Debbie Dunstall & Norman Stutters and Gill Collins & Colin Clark.
- Membership
Of late, we have welcomed David Benjamin, Diane Paterson and Paul & Sue Hutchings – in effect, bringing membership numbers via SHYC to full capacity (100, as per our agreement with SHYC). For the record:
-12 members who enrolled in 2024-25 have left The Club, including 2 who have suspended their membership while living away from Eastbourne temporarily
-17 would-be members are on the waiting list!
- Eastbourne Welcome Pairs
There is still time to register for this event which is to be held at Eastbourne Bridge Club on Sunday 29 June – it is essentially for less-experienced players. Further information is to be found on the SCCBA website www.sccba.co.uk
Alan R Middleton, Chairman SHBC
20 June 2025
P.S. Yesterday’s session was attended by 56 players/14 tables - a record turnout for Sovereign Harbour Bridge Club - with 11 visitors from as far afield as Brighton (England) and Perth (Australia).
News Update 24th May 2025
1. Membership
In recent weeks, we have welcomed Mary Bennett, Pam Blackman, Gill Cowan, Nigel Dent, Anji Fellows, Sue Lison, Roger Poulter and Anthony Sayers as new members and, yet, there are still some 10 others whom we are unable to accommodate at present.
New members, of course, enjoy Social Membership of Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club and will receive their membership cards (and SHYC’s weekly newsletter) any day soon. Further information about SHYC and its activities is available on SHYC’s website.
Please note that all members of SHBC are expected to carry their SHYC membership cards when visiting SHYC’s Club House.
2. AGM - 12 June 2025
The meeting will take place at 12.15. on Thursday, 12 June 2025 at SHYC, i.e. ahead of our regular session that day. Notice of the meeting, etc will be emailed to all members on Thursday, 29 May 2025.
3. Summer Party at Wellshurst Golf Club BN27 4EE - Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Duplicate bridge directed by Hilary who will also be the host. Tea comprising of a selection of sandwiches, home made sausage rolls and cakes is included.
Reservations for this event must be made via Christine Till or Caroline Kemp by Tuesday, 3 June - members £10/visitors £20 (including Table Money). To date, 35 members and guests have committed to this event.
Given ample free parking, check-in at the Golf Club will be at 12. 30. with play commencing at 13.00. and finishing by 17.00.
Needless to say, perhaps, is that there will not be any bridge at SHYC on 17 June.
4. Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club
We continue to enjoy an excellent working relationship with SHYC although concern has been expressed of late as to our members:
- arriving at SHYC well in advance of check-in time of 13.00. and
- helping themselves to tea/coffee which is to be served mid-session.
It is generally accepted that members should not arrive any sooner than 12.30. except to set-up tables or, via advance notice, to attend the AGM or committee/book club meetings; nor, in line with our Room Hire arrangements with SHYC, should members avail themselves of tea/coffee before play commences.
Alan R Middleton, Chairman SHBC
24 May 2025
News update 4th April 2025
1. Membership
We welcome both Angela Inwood and Jim Sawyer as new members of SHBC with others to follow once the subscription renewal process is complete. To date, we have received 80 subscriptions, all of which have been acknowledged today by email. Thank you members for your ongoing support!
2. Teams event
In the build-up to Easter, a very successful teams event was held yesterday with 11 tables. Given the pairings thrown up by the draw, it was inevitable that the winners would be Liz B & Raquel and David Benjamin & David Lampert - and so it proved! Many thanks are due to Hilary for both directing us throughout the afternoon in her inimitable style and in presenting the prizes, including a special award for the member contributing to the overall well-being of SHBC - on this occasion, Di Lyndsell. Congratulations to all concerned
3. Summer Party
By way of an experiment, the committee has arranged for a summer party with bridge to be held at Wellshurst Golf Club on the afternoon of Tuesday, 17 June - only 12 miles/30 minutes from Eastbourne on the A267 near Horam. The cost to members will be £10 inclusive of table money, a lovely afternoon tea and free parking! Please note the occasion in your diary.
Alan R Middleton, Chairman SHBC
4 April 2025
News Update - 18 February 2025
Sovereign Harbour Bridge Club
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO MEMBERS
1. Membership
As members are aware, we have been at full capacity in recent months in terms of numbers and tables per session. However, come 1 April 2025, there will be an opportunity to enrol new members as age, relocation and other priorities take their toll on our current membership. Accordingly, if you intend to resign your membership of SHBC, please let Membership Secretary Christine Till or me know as soon as possible.
Effective 1 April 2025, the annual subscription will remain at £20 (and Table Money at £3.50 per session/Visitors £4.50). Please make arrangements to pay your subscription, ideally via BACs to Metro Bank, Eastbourne, Sort Code 23-05-80, Account Number 34877173 in the name of Sovereign Harbour Bridge Club; alternatively, payment may be made in cash when attending at SHYC. Payment receipts will be issued in due course.
Membership will lapse if payment is not made by 15 May 2025.
2. Competitions
Given the success of team events introduced in 2024, arrangements are in hand to repeat the process via:
- an on-line SCCBA inter club tournament (see Mark Elliott) and
- an in-house league tournament to be held in members’ homes (see Hilary Levett).
Further, there will be a series of events through the end of this calendar year:
- Easter Teams on Thursday, 3 April
- Peter Wraight trophy in June (open to members with NGS less than 8)
- Yvonne Buss trophy in September (in support of Lupus)
- simultaneous pairs in November in aid of Children in Need
as well as our ongoing pairs and Improver of the Year competitions.
3. Social events
Consideration is being given, by way of change, to ‘away day’ events at Beauport or Wellshurst comprising bridge with say afternoon tea or a barbecue - to supplement our usual round of get-togethers.
Alan R Middleton, Chairman
Update: 21st January 2025
On 9 January, after an afternoon session with 27 boards/12 tables, 55 members and their guests gathered in SHYC's Royal Sovereign Suite for a belated Christmas and New Year Party celebration although, sadly, 5 members had to withdraw.
Ahead of the meal, David Spencer presented a fiendish quiz for members and guests alike to digest - a mixture of bridge-related oddities, together with what might loosely be called current affairs covering the life span of those present. David resumed the floor after the meal providing the answers to his brain teasers with an amusing narrative including his rendition of Arthur Askey's 'busy as a busy, busy bee'! With a score of 23 points, Caroline Kemp, Peter Kemp, Di Lyndsell and Norman Stutters were duly rewarded for their efforts with prizes of unparalleled generosity. Thank you, David, we all appreciated the quiz.
Courtesy of our webmaster and ‘statistician extraordinaire’, some really important and/or completely useless statistics as to what had happened at the SHBC bridge table in 2024 were announced to members:
-we had 101 sessions (with 93 attended by Chris Hebson)
-we averaged very nearly 10 tables per session (remarkably high given our membership)
-we improved our NGS rating for the 7th year in succession, from 44 in 2018 to 49.77
-the pairs event (requiring attendance at 26 sessions) was won by Liz & Raquel with 57.62%, followed by Viv & James with 55.03% and Kathleen & Mary with 53.22% (although one pair scored marginally better than Liz & Raquel, but put in only 25 appearances!)
-the individual performance champion with 57.01% was Raquel and
-the slams 'competition' was won by Norman & Debbie with 20 slams bid and made successfully.
As to the SHBC trophies for calendar 2024:
-the Yvonne Buss trophy was won by Caroline & Mark
-the Peter Wraight trophy was won by Yvonne & Bill and
-the Harry Shirley Improver of the Year was won by Di Lyndsell - to much acclaim!
All in all, members were appreciative of the occasion for which thanks are due to Christine for organising the event (from start to finish!), David for the quiz and SHYC staff for their excellent service.
Alan R Middleton
News Update 4th January 2025
1. Happy New Year and a big thank you to all our members for continuing to support Sovereign Harbour Bridge Club.
2. On Thursday, 9 January, a big turnout is expected at our afternoon session (it’s full!) ahead of our New Year Party at SHYC’s Royal Sovereign Suite. On the day:
- space will be available all day to hang coats, etc outside SHYC’s Royal Sovereign Suite rather than overload the racks in the SHYC Bar/Chart Room
- a soft drink alternative will be available to members preferring not to drink wine as a preamble to the festive meal and
- please refrain from ‘amending’ the table/seating plan as it is geared to SHYC’s service schedule.
3. If you have symptoms of a cold, flu, etc., please consider other members/guests who may be at risk - and stay home.
Alan R Middleton
4 January, 2025
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