After a long battle with ill health, Irina Woods died peacefully in her sleep at Sobell House on 2nd March. 

She was a longstanding and regular player at Summertown and a delightful character. She first came to the club with Paul Stevenson, in the days when we played at St Peter’s Church Hall at Wolvercote. She loved to speak her native German with those of us who speak German. She had many endearing qualities, was hugely interested in people, saw the good side in everybody and took newcomers under her wing.  She had a difficult but interesting life, was a linguist and had been a keen tennis player. 

She came to our final face-to-face session at Maison Francaise in December and found the strength to get up and thank the club for all the happy times it had given her.

She will be hugely missed by all her friends and fellow bridge players.   Our condolences go to her beloved son, daughter and grandchildren.  Her son asks that anybody wishing to make donations in her memory should do so to https://sobellhouse.org/donations/.  She will be laid to rest in Corsica with her twin sister.

Your committee met recently and discussed table money and collection methods.  After considering the cost of running online sessions, and looking at the bank balance, we decided to reduce the table money to £2.50 from the start of March.  We hope you will appreciate this and that it will encourage others to come and play.  The collection method (advance booking via BookWhen) will continue, as this is the most practical for us.

We have another plan to encourage more people to attend.  If you arrange to play with somebody who has never played at Summertown or at least not played since before 1st January 2023, we will offer you and your partner a free game.  Please email ericasheppard5@gmail.com if you wish to take advantage of this opportunity, giving the date when you wish to play and your partner's name and email address.

If you can think of anything else that might encourage new people to play in our online games, do let us know.

Erica 21.2.24

We have donated the remaining Summertown BC equipment - tables, sets of boards, dealing machine, bridgemates etc - to junior bridge.  Joan Bennett, who is both Oxfordshire Youth Officer and National Youth Officer met a few of us at Maison Francaise and took it all away.  She has already found grateful recipients for many of the items, and we are pleased that it is all going to a good home.

SBC Committee

11.1.24

Here is what Sue Johnson, of New Tricks Bridge says: I just wanted to say a very big thank you from all of the children that we teach at New Tricks for your generous donation of the dealing machine and other equipment.

If you scored 55% in the club game at Summertown on 5th or 12th February, you are entitled to enter the Regional Finals of the National Pairs on 24th March. For details follow this link:

https://www.ebu.co.uk/competitions/national-pairs#: :text=2024%20National%20Final,6.00pm%20on%20the%20Sunday.

Oxfordshire is changing the format for 2024 to generate more entries and interest. Any club pairs duplicate in the weeks commencing 19th November, 3rd December or 7th January entitle pairs with 50% or more to play in one of three County Pairs Semifinals.

For players whose clubs do not have a regular pairs duplicate or for pairs unable to play in their own club heats (players should only play in their own club heats) there is a County Heat on Thursday 30th November (RealBridge, cost £3 per player) open to all. PLEASE ENTER IN ADVANCE

The  semifinal dates are Thursday 1st February 7pm, Sunday 11th February 2pm, Monday 19th February 7pm (24-26 boards, MPs at National Scale, £4 per player, all on RealBridge). In proportion to players in each semifinal there will be a 10 table final on Sunday 17th March 2pm (38 boards, Green points awarded, £9 per player, again on RealBridge).

Thanks to the generosity of everyone playing on 11th December we raised £373 for Homeless Oxfordshire!