Thanet Bridge Club
Minutes of the 43rd
Annual General Meeting
Held on Friday 11 April 2025
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Present:
Committee
Joyce Saker, Life President JS
Ken Walker, Chairman KW
Paul Gibbons, Vice Chairman PG
Nigel Thomas, Secretary NTT
Jacky Hollands, Membership Secretary JH
Barbara Platt, Treasurer BP
Janet Twyman JT
Sean Moruzzi, Competition Secretary SM
Members
Maureen Tatham, Jackie Bowler, Shelagh Norvill, Malcolm Dale, Pat & Ron Dubbins, Rosemary English, Pat Ayling, Suzanne Grant, Mary Newman, Terry Towers, Barry Tooke
Apologies: Janet Kesterton, Tracey Perry, Heather Hunt, Christine Thomas and others
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1. Welcome
Ken welcomed everyone to the 43rd Annual General Meeting of Thanet Bridge Club. He said our President for Life, Joyce Saker, who founded the club with her husband Brian, is here to introduce the meeting.
2. Presidents Address
Joyce thanked everyone for coming. The club was started over 50 years ago at the Royal Temple Yacht Club, and she didn’t expect it to be still going. The club is very friendly and she said it was lovely to see so many people here.
3. Chairmans Report
Ken said that as everyone knew, he had been missing for some time, due to illness, but he would like to thank the rest of the Committee who in his absence have carried on and have done a sterling job. He asked for a round of applause for them. He said he had a year to go as Chairman until he is up for re-election, but he doesn’t feel capable any more of doing what he did before. He said he would offer the post to anyone who put their name forward to take over from him. Failing that he will stay on as a figurehead, and delegate work to the rest of the Committee.
Ken asked for approval of the Minutes of last year’s AGM and this was duly done, proposed by Barbara and seconded by Ron Dubbins.
Ken said the main event recently was that we had moved into the bigger Walpole Bay Room at Holy Trinity. The finances have stabilized and the membership has increased. We will probably reduce the number of prizes awarded annually and try and get the trophies engraved properly this year.
4. Financial Report by the Treasurer
Barbara handed out the income and expenditure report and the balance sheet for the year ended 31 October 2024.
She said it was fairly straightforward and listed the income items on the Income and Expenditure Report. Ken said it would be good to get more players playing online on BBO on a Tuesday as the club does make money from it. Paul said 70% of the BBO table money goes to the club.
The Income comprised the annual subs of £480, table money of £5842, BBO rebates (from online bridge sessions) of £495, interest of £40, Lotto income of £329, Social event income (Coffee morning + fish & chips) of £600 and teaching income of £2829. Expenditure comprised director’s fees of £12, rent of £6636, UMS (EBU) payments of £1076, admin costs of £797, insurance £75, teaching expenditure (mostly books) of £434. Total income was £10616 and total expenditure of £9029 leading to a surplus of £1587 for the year.
The balance sheet shows net assets of £7759 for the year. She said £2300 of this was from the teaching that Ken and Jacky did.
Pat Dubbins said that directors should not pay table money when they are playing, now that the finances are stable. Barbara said this has been changed this year and the directors now do not pay.
Rosemary noted we had made more income this year. Ken said the income has been improved due to the increased number of tables on both a Wednesday and a Friday. The Wednesday numbers have increased mainly due to the beginners playing, but he said he has received reports of comments made to some beginners by some more established players and asked them to be a bit more understanding. He encouraged the beginners to call the director over any problems, so that they can explain the rules to them.
Ron Dubbins asked whether it was much more expensive to use the big room rather than the smaller one. Nigel said it was £1 an hour more so £4 a session. Barbara and Sean said that on Wednesdays we are not charged the £4, so the increase is just on a Friday.
5. Competition Secretary’s Report
Sean reported that we don’t have many SIMS as there aren’t that many on a Friday. We had the Children in Need SIMS competition in November and an annual prizegiving before Christmas. Ken said that he had already mentioned that we are reducing the number of trophies per year and organizing for them to be engraved. Sean said he didn’t think there was a demand to run a Chicago or teams competition at present.
Jacky said she had been contacted by the EBU to let the beginners know that there is a beginners BBO session on a Saturday afternoon they would be welcome to attend.
6. Membership Secretary’s Report
Jacky gave the membership secretary’s report. Last year we had 64 members, this year we have 68 members registered. This is mostly from the new beginners. Jacky is still giving lessons privately at home to give players the confidence to come to the club.
7. Social Secretary’s Report
Janet Twyman said Tracey has offered to have a coffee morning and Janet has suggested having a strawberry tea in July at her house. She would need people to pay in advance so that she could arrange the catering. There would also be a raffle, as usual. There may also be a fish and chips lunch one Friday.
Ken said social events raised £600 last year and asked Janet to give him some proposed dates.
Pat Dubbins said that there should be a vote of thanks to the Social Secretary and assistants for their efforts.
8. Election of officers
Ken thanked Heather for her term as a Committee Member, as she is stepping down. The following officers were elected or re-elected as follows:
Position Officer Proposer Seconder
Chairman Ken Walker No one came forward to replace Ken so he remains Chairman for another year.
Vice-Chairman Paul Gibbons Not up for election this year
Treasurer Barbara Platt Elected Jackie Bowler Rosemary English
Secretary Nigel Thomas Not up for election this year
Membership Secretary Jacky Hollands Not up for election this year
Competition Secretary Sean Moruzzi Elected Janet Twyman Barry Tooke
Social Secretary Janet Kesterton Not up for election this year
Committee Member Janet Twyman Not up for election this year
Committee Member Mary Newman Elected Sean Moruzzi Nigel Thomas
Committee Member Terry Towers Elected Janet Kesterton Nigel Thomas
Reviewer of Accounts Maureen Tatham Re-Elected
9. Any other business
a) Janet suggested that a general raffle might be organized for raising money for one off items like the table trolley. Ken said he wasn’t sure that was necessary as the trolley was only £130.
b) Ken asked if Jacky and Sean were prepared to teach beginners lessons and whether they would be at the club. Sean said that if there were sufficient numbers, it would be better at the club. He said he would be away in September, but they could consider starting a course in October. Ken said he thinks teaching is important for the club. Mary asked whether teaching could be done in the evening to attract younger people and people of working age. Ken said it’s difficult to access Holy Trinity in the evenings.
Paul said that once a date is decided he will arrange an advert in the Community Magazine.
b) Sean suggested that table money could be raised to £4 to improve the finances. There was a discussion about the merits or otherwise of this. Ken said the finances were stable at present. Some people said that if we needed a new dealing machine, the finance would be dented, but Paul said he believed the machine was fixable, even if it needed sending off for service again. Some people said £4 table money would be out of line with other clubs, particularly Broadstairs, who also provide tea and biscuits. Ken said this should be discussed at a Committee Meeting before being put to the AGM. He said that we had considered raising the annual subs to £12 but this was rejected by the Committee.
c) Paul said that Tyler Hill bridge club are looking to sell 16 bridge tables and wondered if any of ours need replacing. Nigel said 3 of the ones we have are being lent by club members and Ken said that some of the ones we have are quite poor, so we could maybe take 6 of them.
There was no other business, so the meeting was closed.
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