**Only 5 seats remaining -- New Year's Eve is the last day to book!**

Our annual New Year Party will be held on Saturday 4th January 2025. It includes a sit-down fork buffet and dessert with wine or soft drinks and features a quiz organised by Jane Lawrence (no bridge). The price is an all-inclusive £16 and we have reserved the Tudor Hall at The Old School, Cuckfield, for this event. Doors open at 6.30 pm and food will be served at 7.00 pm. Each member may bring one non-member guest. Click here to make your booking, or email secretary@westsussexbc.co.uk.

Many congratulations to Chris Jepson and David Clifton who finished in third place in their prestigious Crockfords Cup final (the EBU's premier teams' event) Their team-mates were Avenue B.C. players. Chris and Dave are undoubtedly one of the most successful partnerships in the history of Sussex bridge. The photo was taken at Lamb House in 2020 just before the club was forced to close.

Alice Hayton awarding the Jeff Hayton salver to the winners Paul Benson and Terry Dorrington

WSBC members did very well too! Peter Collins and Heather Barker came second, just one point behind the winners. Bridget Keates and Jill Butcher were third, another one point behind.

Mid Sussex Bridge Club laid on a splendid afternoon tea that was enjoyed by the 15 tables in play. The afternoon raised £777.60 for the local branch of Parkinson's UK.

On Friday 11th October, WSBC is partnering with Mid Sussex BC to raise money for the Mid Sussex branch of Parkinson's UK by holding an afternoon of bridge at Franklands Village Hall in Haywards Heath. This fun event will include an 18-board duplicate pairs session and a delicious afternoon tea. Cost is £10 per head - cash on the day please, plus bring a little extra for the raffle! The Jeff Hayton Salver will be awarded to the winners. Registration required: click here for details.

♣ ♣ Fully subscribed as of 16th August. Please contact Jane Lawrence via webmaster@westsussexbc.co.uk if you would like to join the waiting list.♣ ♣ 

We are excited to tell you that WSBC is sponsoring a teams event in support of EBU's Bridge - It's a Big Deal! festival. Please join us on Tuesday 10th September for a fun evening of teams bridge. We will be providing a fish and chips supper, plus raffle, and it's all at no cost to you! You will be supporting Cancer Research UK simply by participating, since WSBC will donate £50 per player to this very worthy cause. Non-members are very welcome and we encourage members to spread the word to friends and family who do not regularly play duplicate bridge. If you've never played a teams game before, come and discover how much fun it is - no prior experience required. Find out more by clicking here, then register online here. Advance registration is required and space at The Old School means we have to limit this event to 10 tables, so sign up soon as a single or a pair! If we are over-subscribed, entry to the event will be based on order of booking.

Annual membership for 2024-25 renews on 1st April (new members click here to apply). We look forward to welcoming members back to West Sussex Bridge Club for another year. You may renew online -- click here or on the Membership Application/Renewal option in the main menu. The renewal fee is held at £15 for 2024-25.

Please note that the deadline for renewal was 31st May so, if you have not yet renewed, you will no longer be able to play online at our joint sessions with Avenue and Lewes Bridge Clubs nor be able to use vouchers at our sessions.

This Tuesday (16^th) and Thursday (18^th) we will be trying out the use of tablets rather than using our Bridgemates. To allow time for an explanation on how to use them, and to give the Director time to set up the movement and still finish by 10:15pm after playing 24 boards, we are asking everyone to be seated at their table by 7.05pm at the latest.

**Please consider volunteering**
Now that we regularly run three sessions a week, and with the retirement of one long-standing Director, we urgently need to increase the number of Directors. Full training will be given (and you get to play free for the sessions you direct!). Please contact Chris Jago at secretary@westsussexbc.co.uk if you can help.

Our 46th Annual General Meeting will be held at 7pm on Thursday 2nd May at The Old School Cuckfield, followed by bridge finishing by 10.15pm. Details of the format of the meeting are set out in Para. 10 of our Constitution. Nominations are invited for the posts of Treasurer, Secretary and up to 8 Committee members. Any member may propose a Resolution for discussion, which needs a Seconder, and nominations for the Committee can be made and seconded by any member of two years' standing (but the nominee can be any member irrespective of length of membership). In all cases, such proposals should be sent to Club Secretary Chris Jago at secretary@westsussexbc.co.uk by Saturday 20th April.

AGM documents and reports will be provided here as they become available:

1) Official Notice of 46th Annual General Meeting
2) Minutes of Last Year's AGM held on 2nd May 2023
3) Agenda
4) Chairman's Report
5) Balance Sheet
6) Income and Expenditure Statement

Thanks to everyone who supported this event on Saturday 9th March. We raised a very commendable £345 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and following a suggestion by one of the attendees, Bill Clinton has agreed that this should all be given to the Sussex North Branch of the MNDA who gave great assistance to Jackie before she died. Congratulations to the winners, Ken Ford and Anthony Gimson (who became a "less experienced player” on the day due to a late cancellation) and to the runners up, Joy Mayall and Eric Jenner.

On Saturday 9th March at 2 pm our annual Jackie Clinton Venture Pairs event is to be held at The Old School. This competition is held in memory of past-Chairman Jackie Clinton and the winners are awarded the Clinton Cup. As Jackie requested, the format for this event is that one player in each pair will be less-experienced and the other will be experienced. Anyone may participate but no pre-arranged partnerships are permitted. Participants will be separated into the two categories of less-experienced and experienced based on their handicap at the beginning of March and will be paired by a random draw on the day to play a maximum of 24 boards. This is a light-hearted and fun event with a light tea served halfway through, finishing no later than 5.45 pm. The cost is £5 and all proceeds go to the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Participants must sign up in advance; a sign-up form is available here or email Club Secretary Chris Jago.