Gerry & Emily

Reserve your place now for Bridge Lunch of the Year

Reservations are being taken now for Suffolk's bridge lunch at Elmswell on Wednesday 15 November (12.30 for 1pm) - and this is definitely an occasion not to miss.

Gerry Ford, a retired restaurateur whose passion for food is matched only by that for bridge, and his daughter, Emily, will be producing a fabulous two course lunch and Suffolk bridge is providing a free glass of wine. The whole day, including bridge to follow, will cost just £22.50p per person.

If you have not sampled one of Gerry & Emily's bridge lunches before, you are in for a treat.

They are offering a choice of main courses - baked Suffolk ham, spiced red cabbage, Boulangere potatoes & vegetables or a vegetarian option of aubergine parmigiana - and two puddings: chocolate bread and butter pudding or fruit salad.

The lunch will be in the Blackbourne community centre, Blackbourne Road, Elmswell IP30 9UH. To book click on BRIDGE LUNCH

The Suffolk team of Mike Sherer, Chris Chambers, Chris Green & Rick Hanley (pictured above) produced an outstanding performance to finish runners up in the prestigious Pachabo Cup at the weekend.

The national event is contested by winners of championship teams events organised by individual counties (see item in right hand column) and the Suffolk quartet faced quality opposition from 22 other counties.

At the end of two days play, Gloucestershire topped the leaderboard ahead of Suffolk, with the powerful Yorkshire team in third spot. For good measure, the two Chris’s topped the Cross IMPs table for the event.

Click on PACHABO  to see more details.

Click on ST to read 'Young women bid their way back to the bridge table'

Caro Hunt & John Heath, winners of the Handicap prize, and Penny Easting & Mary Rix, winners of the AGM Pairs

The Deben Project has exceeded all expectations and is being copied by other counties to encourage people to take up bridge, Suffolk bridge's AGM heard on Sunday.

An estimated 200 people have taken advantage of the joint project involving Suffolk Libraries and the county bridge association to learn bridge for free and some of those students are already playing at clubs.

"Rolling out the Deben project in numerous libraries would not have succeeded without an amazing amount of time given freely by a number of key people," Richard Evans, the association chairman said. To read his report click on CHAIRMAN Following the meeting, there were 10 tables for the AGM pairs, won by Mary Rix & Penny Easting. To see the scores click on RESULT Click on 2023 to see winners of county run events over the past 12 months

The well supported Club Teams of 4 was won by a  Stowmarket side on Sunday 5 March. Jan Wynne & Jim Sawyer and Alaric & Dorothy Cundy (photographed by Peter Bushby) made up the victorious quartet.

The Bury Babes (Jo Harpur & Dennis Valtisiaris and Chris Park & Tim Evans) were second ahead of Ipswich A (Bill Bethell & Stephen Parker and Conrad & Alison Simons) in third and Woodbridge W (Sue Smith & Dave Walker and Sue Bentley & Gill Newton) in fourth. The event attracted 16 teams which would suggest F2F bridge is alive and well despite the attractions of online.

Charlie, aged 12 DAYS, attends his first bridge lesson

It is never too early to start learning bridge - just ask Charlie.

Born on 21 February, he enjoyed his first taste of the game on Sunday 5 March when he joined his proud parents, Zoe Clarke and Julian Bickerton, at a regular Sunday bridge lesson in Haverhill library.

The baby boy, beautifully behaved throughout the 90 minute session, even produced his own dummy!

Zoe & Julian, who live in Great Sampford, are among the 200 plus students who signed up to learn bridge for free under the Deben project, which is being run by Suffolk bridge in numerous libraries around the county.

The lessons started in the autumn and have proved very popular. Felixstowe library will join the list of venues in September while beginners are also being taught at a golf club in Essex. New courses for beginners are also being planned. If you know of anyone keen to learn please ask them to email learnbridge@suffolkbridge.co.uk

A year which saw encouraging numbers returning to Face to Face events in Suffolk ended with 12½ tables at the Bah Humbug Pairs at Elmswell on Friday.

While Eric Newman and Diane Whitley ran out convincing winners, prizes also went to three pairs who did best in the Handicap.

Pictured (l-r):Eric Newman, Diane Whitley, Bim Wilson, Christine Bickerstaff, Sam Wilson, Christine Cooke, Lucette Smith and Stephen Bickerstaff

200+ sign up for lessons in libraries

The Deben Project, involving teaching bridge in libraries across Suffolk, has surpassed all expectations with more than 190 people having signed up - and applications stlll coming in.

Courses to suit all abilities have been taking place throughout the county with new dates planned for the autumn. Its a great opportunity to form friendships and learn new skills in a welcoming environment, see LINK for details. 

Richard Evans, the Suffolk chairman, said: "The response has exceeded the most optimistic expectations. Despite the woes confronting bridge at the moment, there is no shortage of people wishing to learn the game."

If you know of anyone wishing to take up bridge please ask them to email learnbridge@suffolkbridge.co.uk

All bridge players who are members of an affiliated club have their own EBU page - which may come as a surprise to some.

'My EBU' is a place where, if you are so minded, you can check your masterpoints and NGS records, book events, modify your account details and carry out other bits of bridgey administration.

"It is important that members can access the My EBU area," says the EBU, "and we are aware that some cannot, either because we do not have the right email address, or it is blank. We would like to encourage you to contact your members to make sure they can access My EBU"

So that's what we are doing. To access your EBU page click on MY EBU.

Deben's generous parting gift

Sadly, Deben bridge club is no more due to a dwindling attendance exacerbated by the pandemic. However, their name will very much live on thanks to a generous parting gift to Suffolk bridge.

The club has handed over the money it held in the bank plus the proceeds from the sale of equipment - a total of £2,964 - to the SCBA with the intention it should be used constructively to encourage more people to play the game.

Bim Wilson, Michael Bizzey, the club treasurer, and Sam Wilson (pictured above) presented the cheque recently to Richard Evans, the association vice chairman,

"Obviously it is sad when a club has to close but the generosity of Deben means something very positive can emerge," Richard said. "The Suffolk committee will be discussing the 'Deben Project' next month to see the best way to generate more bridge players in the county and thereby support smaller clubs who are struggling."

First Suffolk player to be honoured by the English Bridge Union

Malcolm Carey, a founding father of the Suffolk Contract Bridge Association, has been honoured by the English Bridge Union for his outstanding contribution to the game in the county and beyond.

The Dimmie Fleming Award is reserved for a select band of players and administrators, and is a public recognition of all they have done for bridge over a number of decades. The award was announced at the EBU's online annual general meeting.

Malcolm suggested the creation of a Suffolk association in 1978 and following its formation a few months later he has been a key member for more than 40 years, most notably as the county's chief tournament director, a position he held for 32 years.

As well as directing in Suffolk, his talents were regularly in demand in other counties, Jersey and Guernsey, and abroad - including Kenya, Tobago, Spain, Malta, Israel and Egypt.

Malcolm Pryor, the chairman of the SCBA, said: "Malcolm is the first person on the SCBA committee to have received this award and it is thoroughly deserved. Malcolm has been a driving force behind the development of Suffolk bridge from the county's foundation in 1979 through to the present day and the county owes him a huge debt of gratitude for his many years of dedicated service."

Click on MALCOLM to read a tribute by Phillip Edwards, and a report in the Ipswich Evening Star.

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