Chairman’s Report AGM July 2026

Many thanks to everyone for another successful year for the club. Table numbers on a Monday remain good as does the flow of new members. Whilst quite a few of our older, core, members have either stopped playing or are now playing much much less frequently the influx of newer members has balanced this out well. We may even have marginally reduced the average age of our membership during the year although that a feeling of mine rather than a scientific calculation.

We did stop the Thursday evening sessions on BBO which had run their course and were no longer viable. This did result in a membership drop but only from those players who were only interested in Online Bridge so I don’t see it as an ongoing issue for the club.

We also end the year with a much refurbished hall with better lighting and heating and even cooling for the first time. I’m not sure we have quite got the set-up for it quite right yet but it’s certainly an improvement on what was there before.

On a sadder note we did loose one long standing member in Martin Melhuish who had become seriously ill just before he died. Martin was our Biscuit Monitor for many years, certainly well before I was involved with the club. He will be missed along with Alex Kent, his partner, who moved to Chester.

My thanks to all of the Committee; Martin, Clare, Gary, Jane, Gill & John who have been a terrific help. I believe all except John Duthie are happy to stand again so we’ll see how the vote goes later.

My thanks also to the many, many people who consistently help our in roles, official or unofficial. To the TD’s John Stobo, James Rogers, Gary, Pankaj Chaudhuri, Steven Leung and Mike Hann and our Scorers Rod, Sarah, Mike Parikh, Mike Hann again, Simon Cook and, for part if the year John Duthie and Mark Pontin. It really is appreciated ad without you there would be no club.

Other major helps include Tony Hazell for his continued work scheduling Duty Officers, Jim Fry our wonderful Biscuit Monitor and James Kleiner-Mann, John Roberts, Nigel Lewis, Peter Hill & Mark Pontin for the consistent help getting the hall set up and tidied away on club nights. If I’ve forgotten anyone, as I often do, then my apologies.

Duty Officer or Reserve Players are one of the moist important features if the club enabling us to welcome new members and I want to acknowledge all those who have helped in the past twelve months. Thanks therefore:

Ross Murray, John Graham (2) , Michael Aslett, John Hattersley, Jack Williams (2) , Janice Blackstaff (2), Louise Peck (2), Jo Mason, Pam Green (2), Colin Owen, Stef Weedon, Asil Esenbel, Mark Pontin (2) , Gill Lambert, Peter Hill, me (2), Sarah Boyd, Clare Garretty (2), Joyce Taylor (2), Jane Edrupt, Jim Fry, Martin Sidders, Jane Scaysbrook, Lawrence Wybraniec (2), Chris Perry, Pankaj Metha, Pankaj Chaudhuri, Bary Kendall, Tony Hazell, Jill Akroyd, Nigel Lewis, Joan Walton, Linda Gallow & Janet Elliott.

It really is appreciated.