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We are finalising bookings for Barnsgate on Sunday June 10. A minibus has been arranged if you would like to book please contact Brenda Piper or Pam Newman as soon as possible.
We are pleased to announce a new ‘away day’ on Tuesday September 11 at the Amex Football Stadium. The catering is to be provided by the Brighton Catering College. Please put the date in your diary, menu details will be available soon.
Unfortunately the match against Adur has had to be postponed due to their organisers Bob Whiting’s health. We wish him a swift recovery.
On Thursday 12 July we will be running the annual Kidney Research Simultaneous Pairs. No need to book.
On Tuesday 31 July we will be running the BGB Simultaneous pairs in the evening. As this is not a scheduled club night please enter your name on the notice board.
Stewart Ross is arranging a Festival of Mini Bridge at the Community Centre on the weekend of 16/17 June. It is an opportunity for people of all ages to be introduced to Bridge.
For further information please contact Stewart, email stewart.ross13@yahoo.com or 01273 682439
Slow play spoils the game for the rest of the room. Directors have been asked by the management committee to take action with partnerships that regularly play slowly.
We welcome Pam Newman to her first Committee Meeting on 28 May. If you have anything which you would like to be considered please let a Committee Member know.

Congratulations to Shirley Halmer and Joan Levine who won the ‘veteran’ section of the County’s Simultaneous Pairs also coming second overall. The winners were Tilly Hennings and Jack Woodard both Patcham Members who played in the Worthing Heat.
Congratulations to members Jean-Pierre Simon, Liz Hardisty and Lynne Spooner who together with Jack Vidler won the Elisabeth North County Teams.
Please support the Charity Simultaneous Pairs in aid of Prostate Cancer on Thursday March 8 at 7.15. Cost Members £4 Visitors £5.
On Wednesday March 14 we will be playing the EBU Stratified Simultaneous Pairs at a cost of a voucher.
It has been suggested that some members do not understand the concept of Stratified Points. It is simply a way of recognising less experienced players who do well against players of similar experience. It is a handicap system.
Brenda Piper and Pam Newman are now taking bookings for Barnsgate on June 10. This must be the best value for money bridge event of all time!
Our AGM is on Tuesday 24 April at 6.30 which will be followed by a normal bridge session.
On Tuesday April 10 we are playing the EBU Simultaneous Pairs at 7.15. As this is not a normal club night please enter your name on the notice board.
We have successfully run our first handicap teams on the first Sunday of the month. The reason for handicapping the event is to reinforce the social side of Patcham Bridge while ensuring it remains competitive

The County’s Charity Pairs had the best participation for a decade. As a result both of the Charities nominated by Cathy and Evelyn will receive £550.
On Wednesday February 8 we are playing the County’s Senior Simultaneous Pairs. The cost is £2.50 plus a voucher. To participate in the event you must be at least 55, however others may play ‘without status’.
On Monday February 27 we will play the EBU free simultaneous pairs at 1.45, cost a voucher.
On Thursday 8 March we will play the Charity Challenge Simultaneous Pairs in aid of the Prostrate Cancer Charity. Cost Members £4 Visitors £5.
On Wednesday March 14 we will play the EBU Stratified Simultaneous Pairs at a cost of a voucher.
Our AGM will be on Tuesday April 24 at 6.30 which will be followed by bridge.
A date for your diary our annual visit to Barnsgate is on Sunday June 10.
Patcham is very lucky that on Wednesday they have a number of directors who once a month are willing not to play. However once a month we need a member on standby. This will mean they will have 50% chance of a game. As you are only going to be asked to perform this duty once in five years your committee consider that it is reasonable that if you need to stay for a lift you will be happy to spectate on that one occasion.
Please check the notice board to see when you are the designated stand by.

Our participation in ‘Children in Need’ contributed £418 to the charity.
On Monday 16 January we are running a heat of the County’s Charity Simultaneous Pairs in aid of Age Concern Brighton (nominated by Cathy Glendinning) and Impact (nominated by Evelyn Ransom). Please support the Charities and your fellow members by participating in the event.
The EBU wish to further test their simultaneous pairs system and are offering a free event on Monday 27 February. We will play it at 1.45 for the cost of a voucher.
From February our Sunday teams will be handicapped, based on the team’s performance over the previous twelve months. This should provide each team a chance to win this social event. The cost for members is increasing to £4.50 including a Sunday tea.
We have a heat of the Elizabeth North Team Event on January 10 at 1.45. Last year Evelyn Ransom, Paolo Romanelli, Anne Myers and Margaret Paul came second in the final. Ian Macgregor’s club have already entered two teams into the Patcham heat.
We have purchased Bridgemates and they will be used whenever the Director is in agreement. They save the scorers over an hours work per session and reduce the possibility of errors.
The cost of joining the Community Centre is £2.50 a year which automatically enables you to become a member of Patcham Bridge Club. However members are reminded that they need to attend ten sessions a year to enjoy the special prices for Barnsgate, Christmas Dinner and club heats for Sussex competitions.

Congratulations to Hedy Friend and Pam Newman who are the leading pair nationally for the Wednesday Heat of the Children in Need Pairs. Nearly 2000 pairs participated in the event.
You have a chance to emulate their performance on Tuesday 6 December at 1.45. The EBU are testing their system and providing Clubs with a free simultaneous pairs. So for the cost of a voucher you can compete in this national event. Please enter your name on the notice board.
Currently 70 members have signed up for the Christmas Party on 20 December. If you would like to attend please contact Brenda Piper or Pam Newman.
All sessions over the Christmas and New Year will go ahead as normal except for Boxing Day. The regular Sunday Teams will be on New Years Day.
We are running a heat of the County’s Mixed Pairs on Tuesday 29 November at 7.15 please just turn up.
We are running a heat of the Elizabeth North Trophy Teams on Tuesday 10 January at 1.45 for players with under 10,000 points. Please enter your team on the notice board.
On Monday 16 January at 1.45 we are playing a heat of the County’s Charity Simultaneous Pairs in aid of local Charities. The Charities this year are Impact (action today to prevent disability tomorrow) and Age Concern Brighton. Both Charities were nominated by Club Members, so please support both the Charities and your fellow members by participating in the event.

Your Committee endeavour to provide members with a variety of events.

Ladies Pairs Sunday October 23 at 1.00 – 7.00. Cost £19 a pair including a Patcham Tea. Contact Tilly Hennings 01903 506553 tillyhennings@aol.com

County Heats the Club pay the County Fee for regular members who enter the Patcham Heats. This means you can try to qualify for just the cost of a voucher. Even if you do not qualify you are helping other members as the larger the heat the more who qualify.
- Sussex Pairs Heat Tuesday 25 October at 7.15
- Sussex Individual Heat Tuesday 8 November at 1.45
- Sussex Mixed Pairs Heat Tuesday 29 November 7.15

Children in Need We are playing the simultaneous pairs in our normal Club Sessions on Monday 14 November, Wednesday 16 November and Thursday 17 November.

Simultaneous Pairs We are running this event on Tuesday afternoon 6 December at 1.45 for the cost of one voucher.

Match v West Sussex Sunday Afternoon 11 December at Cuckfield, including a tea. If you would like to play in this match at no charge please contact Peter Langston on 01273 507919 peter@peterlangston.co.uk

Christmas Dinner This must be the bargain of the year on Tuesday 20 December at 7.00. Menu on the notice board, bookings to Brenda Piper or Pam Newman. Parking should be easy as the school has broken up!

West Sussex Inter Club League We have entered a team for this team of eight competition for the less experienced duplicate players details from Evelyn Ransom or Paolo Romanelli

Please support your Committee by participating in some of these events.

The simultaneous pairs on Tuesday 13 September has been switched to a 7.15 start. Just turn up with a partner.

The County run a Charity Simultaneous Pairs and a Seniors Simultaneous Pairs which are not currently played at Patcham Bridge Club. The County are seeking local Sussex Charities that they feel could be supported. The Charity should be one where £400 -£500 could fund a specific activity or project. If you wish to propose a Charity please contact Julia Simpson at jbs@backsettown.demon.co.uk

As you are aware you pay your annual membership fee direct to the Patcham Community Centre and the Bridge Club hire rooms from the Community Centre. The Community Centre support local organisations including projects at the Patcham Memorial Hall, local activities of the Brighton and Hove Neighbourhood Care Scheme and Friendship Lunches for the aged in Westdene.

There is no club bridge on Friday 16 September as the Community Centre has been hired for the weekend by the County Bridge Association for its Autumn Congress. Members are eligible to play in any Congress event including the Venture Pairs on the Friday afternoon. Entry forms are available on the Club and County websites.

The Club will again pay the County entry fee for members playing in Patcham Heats of County events. The next event for members with less than 10,000 master points is the David Pavey trophy on 27 September at 1.45. The leading pairs will qualify for a final on Sunday 5 February.

We have a return match with West Sussex Bridge Club on Sunday 11 December. If you are willing to play in this friendly match please contact peter@peterlangston.co.uk or on 01273 507919.

A date for your diary the Christmas Dinner this year is on Tuesday 20 December. Hopefully there will be plenty of parking as the school will have broken up.

The Patcham Bridge Club Committee next meeting is on Monday 5 September at 5 o’clock. Please let a Committee member know if you would like anything to be considered at the meeting.

Wednesday players have decided they wish to continue to play the current yellow card.

At our Sunday teams on 7 August we will use Bridgemates for scoring. This will mean players will not have to score up at the end. It will also enable the committee to get feedback from members regarding the possibility of purchasing Bridgemates.

Stewart Ross gave a successful ‘Bridge on Line’ seminar. Stewart is happy to assist members in using the technology and can be contacted on stewart.ross13@yahoo.com

Congratulations to John Naish & Chris Stewart (2nd) and Philip Butterworth (5th) in the County Venture Pairs at Henfield on 24 July.

At the recent National Seniors Congress at Eastbourne four Patcham pairs, Valerie Benson & Muriel Bailey, Antony Whiteway & Tilly Hennings, Marit & Peter Langston, Mick Carrington & Mike Keeping qualified for the top 20 pair final. The best result in the final was Mick & Mike who finished eleventh.

It has been suggested that members who play in the afternoon would like to play in simultaneous pairs. Therefore on Tuesday 13 September we will play the EBU simultaneous pairs at 1.45. Please sign up on the notice board. NOW evening 7 for 7.15

The County’s Autumn Congress will be at the Community Centre on 16-18 September. The directors will be Ian Macgregor and Peter Langston. There will be no club session on Friday 16 September however members are able to play in the Venture Pairs in the afternoon, a gentle introduction to Congress Bridge.

Last year 4 pairs (Roy Greenbaum & Russell Gross, Rose Goodman & Claude Fleurent, Alan Blackburn & Fred Arnold, Jean Pierre Simon & Liz Hardisty) made the final of the David Pavey Trophy for players with fewer than 10,000 master points from the Patcham Heat. This year the heat is on Tuesday 27 September at 1.45. The Club will pay the County entry fee for members. Please sign up on the notice board.

There is no Bridge on August 12 because the Centre is not available due to the Annual Horticultural Show.

West Sussex has invited us to a return match on Sunday December 11

The date for Stewart Ross ‘Bridge on Line for all’ session has changed to Tuesday 12 July at 2 o’clock. The session will demonstrate how you can use your home computer to enhance your enjoyment of bridge. To enable Stewart to plan the session please put you name on the list on the notice board.

On Thursday evening 14 July we have a charity simultaneous pairs in aid of Kidney Research, please support this worthwhile charity. We also have a simultaneous pairs on Tuesday July 26 at 7.15; please sign up on the notice board if you would like to play.

It has been suggested that some members would like to play simultaneous pairs in an afternoon and we are arranging one on a Tuesday in September.

A reminder that there will be no bridge on Friday 29 July as the Community Centre is being redecorated. Also there is no bridge on Friday 12 August as the Community Centre is reserved for the Annual Horticultural Show.

Members who play on Wednesday are being asked if they wish to extend the current ‘simple system.’ Details of the proposal are on the website and the notice board. Members will be asked to vote on July 20 and 27 whether they wish to adopt the proposals which have been formulated by Ken Ingate and David Peters.

Our annual outing to Barnsgate was a great success and we have booked next year’s event for June 10.

Directors are unable to finalise the movement until they know how many players are attending a session. It would be very much appreciated if you will arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled starting time.

The Committee welcomes any questions or feedback our email address is info@patchambridgeclub.org.uk

Patcham is the 23rd most successful bridge club in the Country during the last year based on the number of player sessions according to the EBU. This is a reflection of the variety of events we offer to our members.

The Centre is going to be decorated during the period Monday July 25 to Tuesday August 2. They will not work in the evening and therefore the only session which will be cancelled is Friday 29 July. Although they will be working in the hallway on Monday 25 July and members are asked to be careful.

Bridge is cancelled on Friday 12 August as the Centre is reserved for the Annual Horticultural Show.

This years Sussex Autumn Congress is being held at the Community Centre on 16-18 September this year.

A good introduction to County events is the Venture Pairs at Henfield on Sunday 24 July. One of the players has to have less than 5000 MP and cost including tea is £19 a pair. To enter or for more information contact Bob Whiting on 01403 711707.

The biggest Bridge Event in the Country takes place at the Brighton Hilton Metropole between August12-21. The event incorporates Really Easy Congress (15-17 August) Next Step Congress (16-18 August) Senior Congress (15-18 August). The Programme is very varied and players can play as little or as much as they wish.

Do not forget:-

Tuesday July 5 at 2.00 Stewart Ross Bridge on Computer Seminar
Thursday July 14 at 7.15 Kidney Research Simultaneous Pairs
Tuesday July 26 at 7.15 BGB Simultaneous Pairs