Blewbury Bridge Club AGM 5 November 2024

1. Apologies:  Diane Bell, Shiv Datt, Christine Ewing, Joyce Gibbons, Martin Keogh, Mick Moore, Shula Stamp

In attendance: Michael Allen (Chair), Jill Allen, , Eli-Karin Cheatle, Deirdre Cochrane (Treasurer), Malcolm Cochrane, Jo Condliffe, Sarah Donne (Membership), Bob Downey, June Downey, Colin Field (Committee member), David Hollick, Ann Iverson, Alison Jarratt, David Long, Bea McConnell, Shirley Moore, Hazel Nixon, Dermot Paddon, John Stayte, Hilary Strang, Vionne Thornhill, Matt Wright (Chair Elect).

2. Minutes of the last meeting

The minutes of previous AGM were adopted unanimously. Proposed David, Seconded Colin.

3. Matters arising:

• Issue re bank payments was noted at the 2022 AGM, Hilary stood down, Matt took over and automated the process, which has been well received by members.
• Directors: training of new directors – MA chased OBA regarding local courses however it’s gone quiet and nothing has happened.  AJ will complete the 3 day course later this month

4. Chairman’s report and future plans

MA noted that he had checked the timings and has served 19 not 20 years, but done enough. During that time there have been a lot of developments – how we play and score, the club adopted Bridgemates, dealing and scoring software and a dealing machine.  MA had also been involved in refurbishment of Village Hall since about 2015 – a long project after a false start, then COVID interrupted the project again.  EBU P2P scheme so we changed our method of taking table money.  MA noted the sad loss of Richard and the IT issues that followed, then a trend to online bridge, more or less half and half now, meeting differing needs of members.  Thanks to Dermot for help with RealBridge, and liaison with Wantage Bridge Club.  We also run small Funbridge sessions too.  Big issue as ever is the gradual decline in membership and attendance, in common with other clubs, large and small.  We have to try to find ways to keep going – recruitment, teaching to bring new life and members to the club.  In the past, Bob and Roy did some teaching, Michael did some teaching pre COVID, which brought in new members.  Friday social bridge continues to run when there’s demand.  In MA’s opinion, the prime objectives for the coming year are – publicity, recruit learners, recruit members within our growing local population. 

Future events: Children in Need Sim pairs next Tuesday.  Wantage have similar event on Thursday 14^th.  Christmas party – committee will consider.  Sessions won’t run Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. 

MA offered thanks to those who help keep our club going.  To our 4 regular directors and to Matt for his work on table money – Ian Van Maanen will be taking over, so thanks to him too.  Directors are exempt from table money.  Mick Moore is taking over monitoring of stationery and supplies as well as maintaining dealing machine.  Sarah, Alison, Deirdre and Colin are all continuing on the committee.  Thanks to Ian and Astrid for their donations of supplies to the club.  Michael will continue to run social bridge (which is a good break in for beginners) and is happy to act as partnership host, direct and scoring as required and liaise with village hall over bookings.  Cups and awards – Tuesday handicaps and ladder have run this year, this year we are hoping to award the most improved player award again., based on annual % scores over the year to 31 October, which vanish annually on 1 November – beware!  We have secondary membership of Bucks and Berks association and we have entered the Waller Bowl in the past – members should consider going forward if we want to field entries.  Wessex league – thanks to Finn for his work here, lots of info on our website.

5. Treasurer’s report

Annual accounts have been circulated – finances are comfortable.  Although we made a loss for the year, this is after some one off expenses, such as a laptop and training costs.  Village Hall fees increased in January 2024 but the committee agreed not to raise table money at that time.  Need 3-5 tables per session to cover hall costs. 

The club was recommended to adopt the accounts. Thanks to Deirdre for preparation and Malcolm for auditing.  Proposed Alison, Seconded Dermot.  Adopted unanimously.

6. Team Captain’s report

Finn has put some reports on the website.  We were promoted to Division 1 in the Wessex league, and have narrowly lost one match and won against Oxford B, so well done to the team.

7. Election of officers and committee

Michael resigned as Chair.  Matt Wright has put himself forward as Chair.  Proposed Dermot seconded Colin and unanimously elected.  Bob gave a short history of the club and a vote of thanks to Michael, the directors and the committee, and presented Michael with a cup and gifts in recognition of his significant contributions to the club over many years.

Other committee members – Alison, Colin, Deirdre, Mick and Sarah stood for re-election.  Dermot proposed and David seconded.  Unanimously confirmed.

8. Directors

AJ will soon be qualified as a director.

9. Subscriptions and table money

Ian taking over the system, thanks to Matt for automating and handing over to Ian.

10. Sessions, competitions and trophies

Children in Need, Wessex league and Waller Bowl all open to members.  We have a Thursday night trophy that is available but not currently awarded. Colin has been looking at engraving and awarding the existing cups, committee to consider whether to get new cups, or keep the history going, which could be pricey.  Preferable to keep the old cups and the associated history, however we don’t have room to display them.

11. Publicity and recruitment

Matt – number one issue facing all clubs.  Maybe potential for joint working with Wantage, and growth of Didcot is another opportunity.

12. Equipment

Nothing to report

13. Website

Thanks to Finn for his updates.  Nothing to report.

14. Dates for 2024/2025

Christmas party – members surveyed and some interest.  Committee will consider.

AGM - 7^th October 2025.

15. Points for discussion raised by members

None.

16. AOB

Thanks to Michael for all his help for many, many years.

Meeting closed at 8.00pm

Privacy Notice for Blewbury Bridge Club

What personal data does Blewbury Bridge Club collect, and what is it used for­­­?

Who is your data shared with?

Where does this data come from?

How is your data stored?

Who is responsible for ensuring compliance with the relevant laws and regulations?

Who has access to your data?

What is the legal basis for collecting this data?

How you can check what data we have about you?

Does Blewbury Bridge Club collect any “special” data?

How can you ask for data to be removed, limited or corrected?

How long we keep your data for, and why?

What happens if a member dies?

Can you download your data to use it elsewhere?

What personal data does Blewbury Bridge Club collect?

The data we routinely collect includes members’ names, addresses and email addresses. We collect this data directly from our members when they join the club.

For some of our members we may have additional information such as committee memberships, teaching qualifications, DBS checks done with the member’s knowledge and permission, or tournament director roles. We may also keep information relating to disciplinary matters and sanctions.

We collect the scores from games you play, which are displayed on our results pages and used in maintaining the EBU’s National Grading Scheme (NGS) and the Master Point scheme. 

What is this personal data used for?

We use members’ data for the administration of your membership; the communication of information, and the organisation of events. We provide your data to the English Bridge Union (EBU) for their use as explained in the section below.

Who is your data shared with?

Your membership data is passed on to the EBU, of which you become a member when you join Blewbury Bridge Club. The EBU shares data with its associated charity, English Bridge Education and Development (EBED), since it shares offices and data systems with them, and also with Oxfordshire or any other county that you may have nominated as your county of allegiance.

Information from your results is also passed on to the EBU for use in its master point and NGS schemes and, unless you have chosen to have your NGS grade kept private, this may also be used for stratification and handicap purposes.

Some of your data will be available for use by Bridgewebs acting as a Data Processor on our behalf. They are not free to pass this on to other organisations that are not connected with Blewbury Bridge Club.

Your personal data is not passed on by us to organisations other than those indicated above, whether or not connected with bridge.

Where does this data come from?

Data for most of our members comes from them when they join Blewbury Bridge Club or when they update their information either directly or via their EBU record.

The information held by the EBU may be updated by your club if you have given it permission to change your record. You can change this permission on My EBU by going to Account -> My Details.

If you are a direct member of the EBU, you will instead have provided your personal data directly to us when you joined Blewbury Bridge Club, or when you updated your record with us.

Scoring data comes directly from the results of the club games in which you play.

How is your data stored?

This information is mainly stored in digital form on computers and in the form of written documents stored at the home address of the Membership Secretary. We use Bridgewebs as our data processor for this purpose. Any information that is stored remotely is stored in compliance with the GDPR.

Who is responsible for ensuring compliance with the relevant laws and regulations?

Under the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) we do not have a statutory requirement to have a Data Protection Officer. The person who is responsible for ensuring Blewbury Bridge Club discharges its obligations under the GDPR is Sarah Donne.

Who has access to your data?

Members of the committee of Blewbury Bridge Club have access to members’ data in order for them to carry out their legitimate tasks for the organisations.

What is the legal basis for collecting this data?

Blewbury Bridge Club collects personal data that is necessary for the purposes of its legitimate interests as a membership organisation and participant in an internationally recognised and regulated, competitive mind sport.

For some data, such as that relating to financial matters, the basis for its collection and retention is to comply with our legal obligations.

Similarly, personnel data is kept in compliance with our legal obligations.

How you can check what data we have about you?

If you want to see the basic membership data we hold about you, you should contact Sarah Donne.

You can contact us with a “Subject Access Request” if you want to ask us to provide you with any other information we hold about you. If you are interested in any particular aspects, specifying them will help us to provide you with what you need quickly and efficiently. We are required to provide this to you within one month.

There is not usually a fee for this, though we can charge a reasonable fee based on the administrative cost of providing the information if a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, or for requests for further copies of the same information.

Does Blewbury Bridge Club collect any “special” data?

The GDPR refers to sensitive personal data as “special categories of personal data”.  

We do not record any such special data of these categories, the only data we record relates to the disabilities of members who have explicitly requested it to be recorded for the purpose of giving them stationary positions in our competitions (which we aim to do wherever feasible). If you wish to change this data on your record you can do so at any time by contacting Sarah Donne.

How can you ask for data to be removed, limited or corrected?

There are various ways in which you can limit how your data is used.

·         If you wish you could become an “anonymous” member. This would involve you having a pseudonym with an EBU number under which you would play. If you do this however, you would not be able to access any EBU membership benefits such as the magazine or playing in EBU tournaments.

·         You could maintain your club membership with your correct name but with limited contact details. However, we do need to have at least one method of contacting you. You could for example simply maintain an up-to-date email address, but of course this would limit what we and the EBU are able to provide you with in the way of written information, so you would not be able to get English Bridge in printed form or any other benefits that require a mailing address.

·         You do not need to provide us with your date of birth unless you wish to enter age-limited (junior or seniors) events or gain concessions based on age.

·         If you do not want your NGS grade to be public, you may choose for it to be kept private. You can change this option as often as you wish.

·         You may choose not to appear in master point promotions lists.

·         You may choose not to receive information emails from Blewbury Bridge Club (we do not send any out on behalf of other organisations).

·         Any of these options can be implemented for your club membership by contacting Sarah Donne.

·         Any of these options can be implemented for your EBU membership by logging on to My EBU, going to Account –> My Details and editing your record there, either to correct erroneous data or to delete information you do not wish us to have. If you need any assistance with this you may contact the Office Manager membership@ebu.co.uk

How long we keep your data for, and why?

We normally keep members’ data after they resign or their membership lapses in case they later wish to re-join. However, we will delete any former member’s contact details entirely on request.

Since underlying statistical data, like scores from bridge games, continues to be necessary in relation to the purpose for which it was originally collected and processed, results from events used for the NGS are not deleted by Blewbury Bridge Club or the EBU although they will no longer be attributed to a player who does not want their data to be kept.

Historical ranking lists and prize lists are required for archiving purposes and names cannot be removed from them.

Other data, such as that relating to accounting or personnel matters, is kept for the legally required period.

What happens if a member dies?

We normally keep members’ information after they die. If requested by their next-of-kin to delete it we will do so on the same basis as when requested to remove data by a former member.

Can you download your data to use it elsewhere?

Your session data that is held by the EBU can be downloaded as a csv spreadsheet. You can do this by logging on to My EBU and in your Sessions list, clicking on “Download as CSV”. To access data held by Blewbury Bridge Club contact Sarah Donne.

Please refer to the Village Hall Safeguarding Policy as follows

https://blewbury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Blewbury-Village-Hall-Safeguarding-Policy.pdf

Instructions to Players for Face to Face bridge 

1. No cash will be used on playing nights
   1. Members will be required to pay by bank transfer.
   2. Details of the club's bank account and how to pay may be obtained from the Chairman/Treasurer.
2. Vaccine
   1. All members who intend to play F2F must have received a second dose of anti-Covid vaccine at least 2 weeks prior to their first live session.
   2. Anyone displaying cold or fever symptoms should not attend the live club sessions
3. Sanitiser
   1. Please note that gel-based hand sanitisers are strictly BANNED from use in the Club, due to the possible detrimental effect on the Dealing Machine if gel were to be transferred to it via the cards.
   2. Only alcohol-based sanitisers should be used and the Club will supply at least one dispenser per table.
   3. As few members as possible should handle chairs and tables at the start and finish of the session. Hand sanitiser should be used before and after handling any furniture.
   4. Similarly, sanitiser should be used before and after touching doors to the Vale Room, kitchen, toilets, storage cupboard, etc.
   5. Also, hand sanitiser should be used after moving tables and before touching any equipment or cards on the table.
4. Kitchen
   1. The kitchen will be banned from use for the present, other than emergency water supply
   2. Note that no refreshments will be supplied by the club initially, until sessions have been ongoing successfully and one or more suitable volunteers been found to maintain supplies of tea, coffee, milk, biscuits, etc.
   3. Members should bring their own refreshments and drinking water.
5. Bidding Boxes and boards
   1. Sanitiser should be used before and after handling boards, playing cards or bidding boxes.
   2. Members are reminded to avoid touching their faces as far as possible after handling boards and cards
6. Airborne virus
   1. Masks may be worn at all times indoors, apart from when drinking or eating, if an individual player wishes to.
   2. In the event that infection rates nationally, or locally, increase substantially, then at least one window and the doors to the lobby and outside may be kept open to facilitate a draft.
   3. Members should be aware that the room may therefore become chilly in the autumn and winter months.

Tom Le Cren Cup - Stephen Quinn

Marjorie Le Cren Cup - Shirley Moore

Pari Parsu Cup - Richard Brodie and Michael Allen

Blewbury Bridge Club Cup - Diane Bell

Roy East Cup - Fiona Jack and Jane Lennox

The Bird Salver - Dermot Paddon and Diane Bell

Shield for the Most Improved Player - 

CHAIRMAN’S ‘PLEAS’

1. Playing Discipline. Please do not make suggestions/complaints in a loud voice from the table – direct any such issues quietly through the Director. Please do not make directing decisions or try to sort problems out unless you are the Director for the evening. Leave such issues to the Director, whatever you think – if you are at the table where a decision is made it is always possible to ask a question at the appropriate moment but you must respect the Director’s decision and not seek to do his/her job yourself.
2. PLEASE PASS ON YOUR BOARDS WHEN YOU ARE MOVING.  Please place boards in correct order before passing them on and find out where they should go – don’t just leave them anywhere.
3. Would the person due to make the opening lead PLEASE lead BEFORE writing down the contract in their score card, or indeed putting away their bidding cards.
4. Please ensure you wash up and dry your own cups in a timely fashion.
5. Dummy to pass on bottom board when their table is finishing late
6. Help to set up from 7pm is always welcome.
7. Also at the end in packing things away. 
8. Please report to the club by 7.20pm.
9. PLEASE be considerate when other tables are still in play and keep conversation, particularly conversation about the cards played, to a minimum and at a LOW VOLUME. 
10. Let your opponents know your basic bidding system when you sit down, unless you have a convention card or are playing standard Acol.
11. Keep a scorecard.

THE BLEWBURY BRIDGE CLUB

Constitution and Rules

Name and Objectives

1. The name of the Club shall be The Blewbury Bridge Club.

The objects of the club are:

1. To promote and further interest in the playing of Contract Bridge.
2. To promote the mutual acquaintance of and social intercourse amongst its members.

Membership

2. The membership of the club will comprise Ordinary Members who have paid their annual subscription in the manner provided for in these rules.

3. Only fully paid up Ordinary Members shall be entitled to attend and vote at the meeting of the Club.

Guests

4. Any Ordinary Member shall be entitled to introduce guests to the Club except previous Members who have been asked to resign by the Committee.

Club Management

5. The affairs of the Club shall be under the management of a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and four Committee members who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting, all to hold office for the ensuing year.  Nominations for election to the Committee may be made verbally before or at the Annual General Meeting.

6. The members shall vote for the candidates at the Annual General Meeting and those with the majority of the votes shall be elected and shall be advised accordingly by the Secretary within one week of the meeting.  In the event of a tie between candidates a further vote shall be taken for the candidates in that tie.

7. The Committee shall meet at least twice a year and shall be responsible for the general management of the club, in particular:

a) to authorise such expenditure of Club funds as they may deem necessary;

b) to consider the amount of the annual subscription, entrance fee, table money, visitors’ fees, match fees and any other charges they may deem necessary and to propose changes to be placed before a General Meeting;

c) to co-opt Members to fill casual vacancies on the Committee until the next General Meeting;

d) to take whatever disciplinary action over members they may deem necessary;

e) to appoint Sub-Committees for the general running of the Club;

f) to wind up the Club (ref. Clause 26).

8. The Committee shall have power to enter into contracts, leases and other financial commitments on behalf of the Club within available funds.  Commitments which would cause an excess over these funds shall not be entered into without the approval of the Members at a General Meeting.

9. At Committee meetings three members shall constitute a quorum.  Should there be no quorum present the meeting shall be adjourned to a date to be agreed upon by the Committee members.  In the absence of the Chairman the members present shall elect one of their number as Chairman of the Meeting.

Annual General Meeting

10. The Club’s financial year shall run from 1^st September to 31^st. August.  As soon as practicable, and in any event not more than three calendar months after the end of the financial year, there shall be a meeting of Members to be known as the Annual General Meeting under the direction of the Club Chairman for the purpose of transacting the following business:

a. to receive the Secretary’s and Chairman’s reports;

b. to receive and approve the Annual Accounts;

c. to consider proposals submitted for inclusion on the Agenda;

d. to elect a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Committee Members for the following year;

e. to conduct any relevant business.

At least fourteen clear days’ notice of the date of the meeting shall be given by display on the Club notice board.

11. In the absence of the Club Chairman the members present shall elect from their number a Chairman of the said meeting only.  (This rule shall also apply to an Extraordinary General Meeting).

Extraordinary General Meeting

12. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by the Committee at any time or by any ten Ordinary Members upon giving notice in writing to the Secretary, signed by all of them and clearly  stating the purpose of the Meeting.  The Secretary shall then arrange for the Meeting to be held within one calendar month of the date of receipt of the requisition and shall give Members not less than seven clear days’ notice of the date, time and purpose of the meeting in the same manner as prescribed for an Annual General Meeting.  The business of the meeting shall be confined to the discussion of the matter for which the meeting was called.

Voting

13. At all Annual or Extraordinary General Meetings each Ordinary Member present shall have one vote only, except that in the event of an equality of voting the Chairman of the meeting shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.

Secretary and Treasurer

14. The Secretary shall be responsible, under the direction of and with the help of the Committee, for all the business of the Club and shall conduct all correspondence, send due notice of all meetings to the Members concerned and keep all Members informed of all matters of interest to them.  The Secretary shall maintain the following records:

a. Register of Members

b. Minutes of all meetings

c. Files of correspondence

15. The Treasurer shall be responsible for all monies paid to the Club, for making all necessary payments as authorised by the Committee and obtaining vouchers therefore so far as is practicable. The Treasurer shall keep an account of all transactions, shall produce such accounts for inspection as required at any Committee meeting and shall deposit all monies received in such Bank or Banks as the Committee may authorise.  The accounts shall be audited annually.

Bank, etc. Signing Powers, Investments

16. All payments out of Bank, etc., accounts shall be signed by the Treasurer or the Secretary.  It shall be the Secretary’s responsibility for advising Banks etc., when a change in this office takes place and or forwarding specimen signatures to them as required.

17. Surplus monies shall be invested in Stocks, Shares, Property, etc. only with the approval of Members at a General Meeting.  Between General Meetings the Committee may authorise the transfer of surplus funds to interest-earning bank, etc., accounts as considered necessary.

Annual Subscriptions and Table Money

18. The Annual Subscriptions to the Club shall be payable in advance within one month of the commencement of the playing year (1^st November).  Any Member who has not paid his/her subscription twenty-eight days after it has become due shall be considered in arrear and if it not paid within a further twenty-eight days shall cease to be a Member.  No Member in arrear shall be permitted to use the Club.  However, in cases of special hardship the Committee may, at their discretion, excuse payment of such Member’s subscription for such period as they think fit and the Member shall not during such period forfeit the privileges of membership.

19. Changes in the subscription shall be made only by resolution and approval at a General Meeting.  Any alteration in fixing the amount to be paid as table money shall be left to the discretion of the Committee.

20. New members joining within the last 3 months of the playing year (Aug, Sep, Oct) will be required to pay the full annual subscription which will cover their membership for 15 months, i.e. they will not have to renew until 1 November the following year providing the annual subscription is not increased. In that event they will be asked to pay the difference at 1 Nov in the current year.

Responsibilities of the Club and Members

21. The Club shall not be responsible for any damage, loss or injury sustained by any person whilst on the Club premises or engaged in any of the Club’s activities nor shall any person have any claim against the Club or the Committee (including the officers) for any action taken in accordance with the Club Rules.

22. The Committee may require any Member to make good any damage or loss caused by his/her actions or neglect to any property for which the Club is responsible.

Disciplinary Action

23. Should any Member have any cause for complaint against another Member he/she shall communicate this in writing to the Secretary for submission to the Committee.  After such enquiry as may be necessary the Committee shall take such action as they deem fit, provided that a Member may be required to resign from the Club only by a two-thirds majority of the whole Committee and only after he/she has been given ample opportunity to answer the charges against him/her.

Notice of Alterations to Constitution and Rules

24. A copy of the Constitution and Rules and all alterations thereto shall be affixed to the Club Notice Board and shall be binding on all Members. 

25. The Constitution and Rules shall be altered only by a majority of at least two-thirds of the Members present at a General Meeting.  Written notice of intention to proposed alteration and particulars of the proposed alteration(s) shall be given to the Secretary (for inclusion in the agenda) not later than twenty-one days prior to the Meeting.

Winding Up

26.  In the event of it being necessary to wind up the Club the Committee shall be empowered, after approval by the Members at a General Meeting, to take whatever action may be necessary to realise the assets of the Club and to distribute any surplus proceeds, after payment of all debts, amongst the Members entitled thereto in such equitable proportion as the Committee may decide.

BRIDGEMATE ETIQUETTE

1. Either North or South should be responsible for entering the contract and lead into the Bridgemate.
2. It is recommended that this is done before play of the hand commences but not if the person responsible is on lead.
3. At the end of the hand the Person Responsible should promptly enter the result and press OK.
4. He/she should then hand the Bridgemate to whosoever of East or West is nominated by that pair to check the Bridgemate entry.
5. That Person, and it does not matter whether it is East or West, should check the result and, if satisfied that is correct, should then turn the Bridgemate to face the rest of the table and, only then, press the agree button at the top.
6. If not agreeing the Bridgemate should be passed politely back to whoever input the result with an explanation of what is wrong.
7. On pressing the agree button, the only announcement that should be made by the player checking and agreeing the result is the %age score for North/South, i.e. ‘So much % to North/South’, AND THAT IS ALL.
8. The OK button may then be pressed to check other scores, but again ONLY such that all other parties may inspect them if they wish.
9. Finally, the Bridgemate should be passed back to North or South.