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Rugby Bridge Club
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WELCOME DOCUMENT (Issued to all new members as an introduction to the Club) In welcoming you to Rugby Bridge Club, the Committee would like you to know about its activities, which are outlined below. If you wish to have any point clarified, please contact any Committee member.
OBJECTIVE The Club’s main objective is to play duplicate bridge, endeavouring all the time to raise the standards both of play and etiquette.
CLUB MEETINGS We meet for duplicate bridge on Tuesday evenings at the Sacred Heart RC Church Hall, Alwyn Road, Bilton. The Club opens at 7.00 p.m. and bridge starts not later than 7.15 p.m. It also meets on Thursday evenings at St. Andrews Rugby Club, Ashlawn Road and bridge starts not later than 7.15 p.m. Also at Clifton Memorial Hall on Wednesdays, commencing at 7.00 p.m. The Saturday Training Workshop meets at 10.00 a.m. every Saturday morning (except the second Saturday in each month) and caters for improving players and beginners. Its purpose is to introduce improvers to Duplicate Bridge and to enable them to feel confident to play at the Tuesday, Wednesday and/or Thursday sessions and Teams. The Saturday Group also enhances the profile of Rugby Bridge Club within the Town and the local bridge playing community. An improvers’ group runs continually. In addition we hold regular starters’ courses for newcomers or those with little or no knowledge of bridge - these courses are held twice yearly and last approximately 13 weeks - at which point the newcomers become absorbed into the improvers’ group. All members of Rugby Bridge Club are welcome to come to the sessions and act as helpers or teachers. The group arranges regular “Pro-Am” events on Saturday evenings which usually incorporate a tasty meal. An annual trophy is awarded to the best pair from the Teams competition and the Pairs competition.
MEMBERSHIP Rugby Bridge Club is affiliated to both the Warwickshire Contract Bridge Association (WCBA) and the English Bridge Union (EBU). Although it is not a condition of Club membership, members are encouraged to join these organisations.
Members of WCBA are able to participate in County closed events.
Members of EBU receive the journal “English Bridge” and are able to participate in EBU closed events. The master points which they received from Club meetings and external tournaments can be sent to the EBU to obtain official rankings.
Please note that EBU membership always incorporates WCBA membership and vice versa.
MEMBERSHIP FEES(a) Annual membership fees are shown on the membership application form. (b) Table money is charged for each person playing.
ANNUAL EVENTS During the year the following events are organised:
(a) Williams’ Trophy Mr R.V. Williams kindly donated a pair of trophies which are held for one year by the pair who win at a particular Club meeting during which normal duplicate bridge is played.
(b) EBU Simultaneous Pairs This is open to everyone, played during particular meetings, usually in May and September, and organised by the EBU. Prepared hands sent to each club are played during the evening. At the end of the evening each player is given a pamphlet recording the hands, together with a commentary on each hand. Each pair is given a national, as well as a Club, placing for this event.
Mrs. A.E Perrin has kindly donated, in memory of Mr. I. Perrin, a pair of trophies which are held for one year by the Club pair who are highest (EBU scoring) in the September event. (c) Friendly matches Some friendly matches against other clubs are organised, but not on Club evenings, and all members are invited to take part.
AWARDS (a) Annual Performance Awards are given to the pairs with the best annual performances. These are based on the average of all results during a year from January to December. A minimum of 24 attendances is needed to qualify. Mr. B. Preece and Mrs. M. Davies have kindly donated, in memory of Mrs. M. Preece, a pair of trophies which are held for one year by the pair with the top performance.
(b) Weekly Winner On Tuesday evenings each member of the top pair for movements up to 13 tables and for the top N/S and E/W Pairs for larger movements is awarded a free evening at the next Tuesday evening that he or she attends. This does not apply to the Development Fund levy.
LEAGUE MATCHES During the period September to May the Club enters teams in the Rugby and District Bridge League and the Coventry Bridge League. All members are encouraged to participate as this is one way to improve playing standards of the Club in general and individuals in particular.
TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS The bridge, during each Club meeting, is controlled by a tournament director who is a member of the Club. The Committee would like members to join the tournament directing team and training can be provided.
STEWARDS The duty steward is responsible for ensuring that the equipment is correctly laid out before play starts and collected and packed away when play finishes. Club members are requested to assist the steward in these duties.
JOURNALS As the Club is affiliated to the EBU it receives copies of “English Bridge” six times a year and the Year Book of the Laws & Ethics Committee once a year. These are available for members to read.
PLAYING CARDS The Club purchases packs of playing cards from the EBU at a lower cost than charged by local shops. Members may purchase these packs from the Club at cost.
SMOKING The Club rule is that there shall be no smoking in the playing area.
DEVELOPMENT FUND Some years ago the Club had difficulty in securing suitable premises at an economical rent. It could not buy its own premises because sufficient funds were not available so in 1990 a Development Fund, aimed primarily at providing these funds, was opened. Funds are generated by: (a) proceeds from Thursday evening bridge, (b) a levy taken as part of the Tuesday evening table fee, (c) other events organised by the Development Fund Committee. The Development Fund is separately accounted for and separately identified in the Club’s balance sheet.
CONSTITUTION A copy of the Club’s current Constitution can be obtained from the Treasurer. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING This is held on the first convenient Tuesday in April of each year (see membership card). Among other matters the agenda covers: (a) reporting of the previous year’s activities and financial position, (b) election of Club officers and Committee members, (c) presentation of prizes, still leaving time for playing bridge.
CLUB COMMITTEE Names of officers and members of the Committee are listed on the membership card. Their duties are listed below.
ALLOCATION OF DUTIES
(a) The Secretary is responsible for: (i) Preparing an agenda for each meeting and distributing it beforehand. (ii) Taking minutes of each meeting. (iii) Dealing with correspondence. (iv) Booking alternative venues when the normal venue is not available. (v) Organising matches with other clubs. (vi) Ordering equipment.
(b) The Treasurer is responsible for: (i) Finance and related matters. (ii) Holding copies of the current Constitution and, when requested, making them available to members.
(c) The Chairman is responsible for: (i) Chairing Committee and General Meetings. (ii) Custodianship and engraving of Club cups and trophies. (iii) Keeping equipment tidy and repaired.
(d) The Membership Secretary is responsible for: (i) Enrolling members. (ii) Preparing a membership telephone list each year. (iii) Ensuring that each member has a copy of the welcome letter.
(e) Captains of Rugby Bridge Club sponsored teams are responsible for making League arrangements.
(f) The Master Points Secretary is responsible for: (i) Issuing Master Points.
(g) The Publicity Secretary is responsible for: (i) All aspects of Club publicity.
(h) The Senior Tournament Director is responsible for: (i) Giving monthly etiquette announcements. (ii) Custodianship of EBU Tournament Director Guide and the EBU Manual of Duplicate Bridge Movements. (iii) Training of Club Tournament Directors. (iv) Ensuring that a Tournament Director is available for each Tuesday session.
(i) The Chief Steward is responsible for: (i) Ensuring that a Steward is available for each Tuesday session.
(j) All Club members are expected to take their share of appropriate duties.
(k) The final users of the table are expected to clear all the equipment away from the table at the end of the evening.
HOSTING A host is available for Tuesday evenings. Partners will be found where possible for Thursday evenings upon request.
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ª©§¨ª©§¨ª©§¨ª©§¨ª©§¨ª©§¨ For general enquiries contact the Secretary: Chris Rowles on 01788 576943 © Peter Augustus 2006-08 Views expressed on this site are those of the webmaster, not of the Officers of Rugby Bridge Club |