This is my 6^th report to an AGM as Club Chairman and I am delighted to say that the club has progressed exponentially and it is now in a very healthy position in all aspects as we go into the next year. This is due not only to the committee who have worked tirelessly on your behalf and to you, the members, who have continued to enhance our club with its increasingly merited reputation as one where competitive bridge is played in an outstandingly friendly atmosphere. But, of course, to the integration of new members following the closure of duplicate evenings at Fleetville. This has led to enormous amounts of hard work for the committee, especially John Duthie and Steve Lambert. Whilst much of the success of this change is due to them, it is also down, not least, to the existing membership who have welcomed the new members and to the new members themselves who have taken our ethos on board so willingly (one which The Fleetville Club had completely shared). I would like to thank you all for your patience and cooperation whilst we adapted and made errors during the period of upheaval and adaptation.

The committee comprises:-

Roger Thornhill our ever-efficient Secretary.

Tony Skirrow who is always a vigilant and excellent Treasurer and who is now standing down after 21 years of service to the club. I would like to pay my own personal tribute to him as it essential to have a treasurer who is as conscientious and fastidious as Tony has been.

Martin Melhuish who ensures our supplies of tea, coffee and biscuits as well as other necessary material supplies. He too is standing down and can only be replaced by a whole group of volunteers!!

Jane Scaysbrook who is always efficient as Membership Secretary as well as maintaining the highly successful Duty Officer system. After over 8 years of incomparable hard work and advice is standing down too. Jane will, however, continue to be the Membership Secretary.

Steve Lambert who has continued to be the motivation behind the upward trend in our teams competition; organises participation in competitions at HBA and National Level; organised our scorers and TDs; constantly updates the website and has  initiated new events to enhance our calendar.

John Duthie who organises our TDs and scorers with their rota and training.

Gary Kendall who acts as a deputy for our Treasurer and contributes valuable ideas and opinions to discussions and the Best Behaviour Subcommittee.

Gill Lambert who organises our contact with those who are unwell and is a constant support to all we do.

Joan Walton, our latest recruit to the committee, who was co-opted onto the committee to help with the integration of the new members coming from Fleetville.

I should also like to thank all our numerous TDs, their set up helpers on the night, and to the scorers without whom we could not run each evening and to Gary Conrad for our pre-dealt hands.

As Tony will outline later, our finances are increasingly healthy; reaching their best ever position. He will propose a change for next year which is virtually unprecedented and is very close to an ambition I have wanted for several years now.

Our membership has grown to over 150 this year and our attendances have risen again to an average of 16.89 tables on pair’s nights (from 12.72 last year) and 18.4 tables on teams’ nights (from 13.1 last year).

We have changed the format of our Teams competition (innovatively) to monthly Swiss Teams run so efficiently by Ian Mitchell. (Also Gary Conrad when Ian was not available).

We have cooperated with the HBA in the search for a new venue for some of their competitions. Our hall and some of our equipment will be used over the next year and the club will benefit from a financial contribution for the use of our tables/clothes/bidding boxes/ storage and mugs.

Whilst this year has been one of almost total advancement but we did have one incident that was utterly avoidable and was totally unnecessary and unfortunate. This lead to the withdrawal of membership from one member. This incident was the first to be considered by our newly formed “Best Behaviour at Bridge” subcommittee consisting of myself, John Duthie and Steve Lambert which adjudicates on any such incident.  (Gary Kendall has since taken over from me on this panel)

The club has won, for the first time ever, The Desmond Flockhart Trophy and the winning team of James Rogers, Denis King, Tara and Stan Harding, Sara Barnett, Harry Silverman, John Mathews, Susan Dow, Jane Scaysbrook represented the county in the national rounds of the Garden Cities Trophy last Saturday – beating 5 other countys’ representative teams to come 4^th in our pool; only narrowly missing 2^nd place.

I am sure we can look forward to continued progress over the coming year and I want to encourage you all to continue to maintain the highest standards of behaviour at the table as well as to the welcoming of all to our club and to encouragement of all the newcomers to understand and uphold our ethos.

As mentioned last year, I have decided to stand down as Chairman and committee member from tonight.

I cannot express adequately my thanks to the committee and to you all for the support and cooperation that I have had over the last 6 years.

These years have seen huge changes – the web site, bridgemates, predealt hands, new TDS and Scorers, new events including our Golden Anniversary celebrations and commemorative trophy, Everitt Trophy, Swiss Pairs night, the Fleetville integration and other changes. Also the Duty Officer System; which I maintain is a huge and essential factor in the continued development of the club with the attraction and welcoming of new members throughout the last 6 years and, I hope, for the future.

Meanwhile let’s have another great year under new management (to whom I offer my fullest support and best wishes) at SADBC!

Thank You.

John M.