Titchfield Bridge Club - Minutes AGM 15th December 2008

The meeting opened at 7 p.m. with 61 members present. The Chairman welcomed all those members attending the meeting.

Apologies: Celia Parsons, Maureen Smith, Dennis Bonner, Brenda Sanders, Eve Lindsay, Joy Girard.

1. Approval of Minutes: The minutes of the AGM held on 10th December 2007 were approved and accepted unanimously.

2. Matters arising: None were brought forward.

3. Chairman’s Report.

This is the end of my second year in office as Chairperson and I am pleased to report that the Club has had a successful year. Numbers have been maintained with around 20 tables per week with Wednesday evening gaining in popularity.

Ken Hoxey a founder member of the Club died earlier in the year and Gwen Pye a former playing partner to Jim passed away in the summer. Both funerals were attended by club members.

My thanks go to the Committee members for the work and support they have given this year, Jean our Secretary, Neville Keeper of the Cash, Pat, Susan, David and Chris. Jim our Competition Secretary is standing down and I would like to give a special vote of thanks for the quiet and efficient way he has performed his tasks. All of the scoring, results on the web before breakfast the following day, organising Simultaneous Pairs and dealing with the EBU. Jim I shall really miss you for all the help and support you have given me and the Club.

To all those who have directed this year Bill, Chris, Peter, Barbara and Jim, thank you.

For 2009 to encourage more directors a roster is being introduced to enable more players to get involved in the running of the club competitions. A similar system was in operation when I joined the Club about 13 years ago. I have sounded out members on this subject and am delighted to have had such a positive response. A schedule has been set up which covers up to the end of March and this will be put on the Notice Board.

To Harold for organising cards, Barbara getting partners, Alec doing the auditing, Celia the Travellers Queen and Brian always on hand sorting table movements, directing and clearing up. Thank you.

Next week Monday 22nd December we are holding our Christmas gathering. Drinks will be available all evening including tea and coffee. At about 8.30 p.m. we will have a break to indulge in culinary delights. Chris will be hosting this event and I hope as many of you as possible will be able to attend, no partners required. The following Monday 29th December Bridge is being played at Titchfield.

We all look forward with some trepidation to the coming year and I hope we will be able to afford to play. I could not have completed this year without the support of members. I am most grateful to you all. I wish you all a happy Christmas and New Year. Thank you.

4. Treasurer’s Report and Financial Statement.

The Income and Expenditure Account (copy attached) was reported on.

Expenditure during 2007 was up again due to increased rental costs for each bridge evening. Room rental is expected to rise again in February 2008. The Club finances have shown a loss over the past 2 years, current balance is £1,479.94 and it is recommended that the annual subscription and visitor’s fees be increased.

The accounts were approved by the members.

5. Membership Secretary’s Report.

Current membership is 87. We lost 3 members from last year and gained 6 new members this year. Income from Visitor’s fees has increased to £662. As I am not able to attend every one of the 90+ sessions during the year I have to rely on others to help collect visitors’ fees. My thanks to Gina, Brenda and Susan and anyone else who has helped me in this task.

6. Competition Secretary’s Report.

This has been my last year on the Committee and I would like to thank all of you that have helped me over the past 8 years.

Earlier this year Titchfield won the 2007/2008 Basingstoke Cup. My congratulations go to the successful team and my thanks go to Peter Francis for organising the team. Many thanks also go to Harold Scott for making the boards up for the Simultaneous Pairs competitions without error more times than I can remember.

The programme of events for the coming year has been approved by the Committee and is similar to that played this year; the events remain the same with the dates moving a day or two with the exception of the Teams competition which has been moved to April. There will be 6 Simultaneous Pairs all green pointed, the entry fee is £2.90 per player and to ease money collection I’ve recommended to the Committee we charge £3, the surplus going into club funds. They have agreed to this proposal.

I’ve been asked to say a few words about the EBU Strategy Proposals. The proposals from the EBU Board published in June 2007 outlined a scheme intended to revitalise our Clubs and membership. This was eventually adopted by the EBU and work is underway to implement it. In June 2009 the Pay to Play fee will be agreed at a shareholders meeting so that it can be inserted in the Club Contract to be circulated in July 2009. Titchfield Bridge Club will then have to decide whether to continue its affiliation to the EBU by the end of December 2009. This will be done at an extraordinary general meeting of club members, which will be called once the Committee have had time to consider the Club Contract and its financial consequences.

Finally I would like to give special thanks to everyone who has directed on a club evening. This is generally a thankless task and I would remind all players that the director is not the problem; he or she is the poor devil trying to sort the problem out.

7. Community Centre Representative’s Report.

Good relations continue with the Community Centre Management Committee. Susan has attended a meeting in the Village Hall where proposals by the Council for the construction of Youth Play areas in the Village were given. One location suggested was the Community Centre car park; this would mean the loss of car parking spaces. There is already an acute shortage of car parking spaces especially on a Monday evening.The Committee will monitor this situation.

8. Presentation of Trophies.

The President Bill Boswell presented the prizes.

9. Subscriptions.

The meeting agreed unanimously with the Treasurer’s proposal that subscriptions increase to £50 per annum (£28 per ½ year) and Visitors fees increase to £2.50 per session. The increase in Simultaneous Pairs entry fee to £3 was also agreed.

10. Recommendations of the Management Committee.

None were brought forward.

11. Election of the Committee.

The following were elected unopposed. President Bill Boswell, Chairman Gina Hunt, Secretary Jean Pike, Treasurer Neville Vernon, Membership Secretary Pat Lee, Competition Secretary Peter Aubeck, Community Centre Representative Susan Poole, Master Points/ Stationery Representative David Hunt and Chris Barrable Publicity. Thanks were expressed by Gina for all the Committee work Jim Sherman has carried out over the past 8 years

There being no other business the meeting closed at 7.25 pm.

The next Committee meeting will be held on Monday 23rd March 2009 at 5.30 p.m. in the Titchfield Community Centre.