SBU News

Dear Members

I hope that this finds you well, and that you are continuing to enjoy your bridge, whether online or F2F.  In this newsletter to SBU members I want to highlight a number of new and exciting developments.

Considering our responsibilities as we return to ‘a new norm for bridge clubs’

Firstly, particularly in light of the prevalence of a new strain of COVID-19 and Scottish Government statements, we need to remind players of the legal requirement to wear masks at bridge clubs. It is an individual’s responsibility to wear a mask (although some clubs may be misinterpreting current Scottish Government policy when  they ‘allow’ masks not to be worn in certain circumstances).

We must ensure that playing in clubs and at congresses is carried out in an environment in which all players are comfortable.  It would be wonderful to see more people returning to clubs and that these precautions, which we have largely come to terms with in our daily lives, are observed.

We seek Government agreement via the Covid Unit of Public Health Scotland that the use of Perspex screens is an acceptable mitigating feature at the table.  If so, the SBU will purchase these to use in the Peebles Congress, and they will otherwise be available to clubs for hire.

SBU to become Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO)

At the SBU general meeting of 30th August, 2021, you gave Alan Goodman, elected as my successor at the 2021 SBU AGM, a mandate to proceed on our behalf with the process of seeking approval from OSCR (Office of the Scottish Charity Register) for the set up and registration of a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). On 28th October 2021 OSCR wrote to Alan Goodman, stating that our application to become one had been successful. 

What does this mean for club players/members of the SBU?    

The SBU, an unincorporated association with no legal entity, is now on a journey to fully ‘switch’ to a SCIO, a legal structure which has been purpose built for the voluntary sector in Scotland.

The Trustees are now refining various governance-led documents which reflect the Vision and Goals of the new entity, as outlined in the Draft Constitution submitted to OSCR and the detail in the application itself.

They envisage a welcoming receptive member-led organisation, focused on effective communication, growth and continuous learning, embracing change whilst continuing to improve, which should directly benefit clubs and members alike.

A meeting will be held on 11th January, which will seek final agreement from members for the ‘switch’ of the membership and assets from the ‘Old Org’ to the New, with a projected start date for the new SCIO. A formal notice will be issued to members mid-December, which will include the working constitution accepted by OSCR, and some detail of the so-far intentions of the Trustees.

To help embed the principles outlined above, we have set up a working group to guide the NewOrg as we plan for the future. It is an exciting chapter as we shape the future of bridge in Scotland, and we would very much like to recruit new members into this group. Notes of interest would be gratefully received – please contact Chris Goode, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., to find out how you could be involved.   

SBU Secretary

Carolyn Dempsie, who has been the SBU Secretary since 2019, has stepped down from the role.  She has served the SBU council and members with considerable ability, tact and goodwill and we shall all miss her professionally and personally.

At present all mail to the SBU Secretary is redirected to myself.  Once the Trustees are clear what is required in the way of admin support in the new organisation, the role will be advertised, but meanwhile do let me know of your interest, or of possible contenders.

Future landscape of competitive bridge in Scotland: SBU tournament charging policy

Our Tournament Convenor has drawn up a paper which outlines the rationale and outcome of SBU tournament charging policy. This paper, developed in response to member queries, will be one of the items considered by the working group, and is available to any interested member, on request.

SBU Future Updates  

Embracing change the SBUNews is evolving – the editorial board’s first monthly newsletter, aimed predominantly at Bronze players, will be available digitally from mid-December. It will be circulated to all members, as well being posted on the SBU website. Your feedback, as always, will be sought.

A quarterly E-zine, with a projected first publication date of February 2022, will also be circulated and available on the SBU website.

Contributors to each will be welcomed by Liz McGowan and her editorial board.  The editorial board itself would welcome some ‘new blood’. They are looking for people with journalistic, publishing, marketing and promotional skills as well as editing and presentation.  Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further details.

With best wishes.

Joan Forsyth
President
Scottish Bridge Union

December 2021

Many of you took the time to comment, mainly positively, after receiving the summary AGM report, and the separately circulated President’s AGM report.

Since the AGM, SBU Council have met on the 13th June and 23rd July, continuing the necessary practice since March 2020, of meeting every 4-6 weeks.

There are a number of key personnel changes to report but I shall kick off with some important updates.

Planning Bridge for the Future

Following the June issue of the Covid Risk Assessment template and update of where, in the Scottish Government’s Guidance Documents, indoor bridge playing lay, it was noted at the July Council meeting that from July 19th, there had been further lessening of restrictions for “events” on the Government Web site.

However, the Government had themselves now issued a related Events guidance template which still suggested considerable precautions to be exercised on site. Allowing for the fact it covers all types of “events”, you may wish to consider this additional information found on the relevant Government site, under, Covid-19, events sector guidance, July update.

The Working Group will continue to monitor the situation and issue further guidance when it would be useful.

Towards Corporate Status

Council was updated by Alan Goodman at the June and July Council meetings.

Your District Chairs have had presentations on an outline of the proposed new structure with a timeline for implementation. This may have already been fed back to constituent Clubs.

The intention is to ensure that the SBU becomes Incorporated hopefully, by the year end.

This will obviously result in a Board, with elections at General meetings, and therefore the persons in overall charge will not, de facto, be your District Chairs, although of course as individuals, they can stand for Election.

Such a structure should strengthen Governance throughout the SBU and better protect its officers. This is clearly an important step for us all and one which you should be best prepared for before an EGM to be held on 30th August.

Various dates will be shortly issued for an audience with SBU officers led by Alan Goodman to which all club secretaries will be invited so that they can hear first- hand about the proposed new operational structure. If you would also like to be invited, please let me know.

Your interest and input are essential to the process. It is your SBU and your future and we are asking for your help to decide it.

Prior to the post AGM meeting where Convenorships are ratified, it was explained to all those present that these posts may change in the new structure, both with regard to their scope and also whether or not they remain stand alone.

It is envisaged too that the future Convenorships will have much closer working relationships with Districts, and during the next few months some of the realigning will start.

Changes within Convenorships & other key posts

The SBU Home page should be shortly updated with Council Membership, Convenors and their Committees, but here is some background detail of any changes.

L &E – At the post AGM Council meeting, Russell Frame was approved as the new Chair of L&E, Liz McGowan stepping down after many years’ service. Liz’s considerable contribution to the formation and compilation of all the earlier Disciplinary Procedures & Protocols and her wise counsel on TD disputes was acknowledged.

The July Council meeting noted with regret Brian Short’s resignation as Chair of the Investigation Panel. Russell Frame, as chair of L&E, and myself as President, paid tribute to Brian’s service. He had, over a fairly short timescale, built up and trained, a formidable workforce. He had spent many hours drafting the SBU Disciplinary Code, working with Mike Ash under the stewardship of the Chair of L&E, to best ensure good practice Disciplinary Procedures.

Council acknowledged that the work undertaken by an Investigation Committee in any Disciplinary Investigation takes a considerable toll of the Investigators’ stamina. Their essential painstaking contributions must continue to be acknowledged and supported.

Iain Taylor has been appointed as the Chair of the Investigation Panel.

He should therefore be your contact from now on, in suspected cheating cases:-

Iain Taylor .

Following the first case to reach a Disciplinary Panel and a conviction, in April 2021, Council had commissioned a review of the revised Disciplinary Procedures. The July Council meeting agreed that a small Working Group should be convened under the Chairmanship of Alan Goodman as a matter of urgency to complete this task.

Tournament Committee

The Online Tournament Committee and existent Tournament Committee have merged. Fiona Greenwood took over as Convenor at the post AGM meeting, following Anne Coles’ resignation.

The considerable debt that the SBU and members owed to Anne Coles was acknowledged. She set up, with support from Anne Brodie-Allan and the Online Tournament Committee, the various SBU virtual Clubs on BBO, ensured that a trained and “finished” BBO TD workforce was available to nurture bridge playing at all levels, and started populating the SBU on line Calendar.

Again, mention was made of the sacrifice these SBU volunteers make as they dedicate so many hours to keep us playing in as safe an environment as possible.

Education Committee

Sam Punch, Convenor, helped reinvigorate bridge Education within Scotland. Her post was seen as a partnership between BAMSA- “Bridge, a MindSport for All”, her academic, research-led project that explores the social world of bridge and the benefits of mindsport, and the SBU. Sam had announced at the post AGM meeting that she wished to stand down when a worthy successor was found.

Sam’s convenorship has encouraged many new initiatives, highlighted in the AGM President’s report, and more continue to develop. Two further new teaching Hubs have emerged, and exciting partnerships are being developed in the world of teaching of Bridge in Schools between various SBU initiatives and Sue Johnson of the New Tricks Bridge Club.

The future of bridge in Scotland in relationship to bringing in and nurturing young talent looks very promising. Alisdair McLeod, Junior Coordinator, is fully involved in these initiatives which are increasingly co-ordinated.

Council was delighted to welcome Marina Evans to the post from the 5th July.

Finance Committee

Sarah Gunn has been approved as the new Finance Convenor, subject to a transitional “handover period” with Fiona Greenwood.

Fiona has been an extremely productive and hard- working Finance Convenor. Working closely with the Tournament Convenor and Master Point Policy Convenor she has streamlined and rationalised charges, prizes, MPs etc across the spectrum of District and SBU events. She has continued the work of her predecessors to best ensure Financial Governance, a task which she readily admits is a “work in progress”.

Sarah will work closely with Scott Macdonald, SBU Treasurer, as she eases into the job hopefully to start the transition into our new operating Structure.

BGB

Mike Ash has announced that he is stepping down as the SBU rep on Bridge Great Britain, which convenes all the various Home Internationals.

Mike has served us well in the post helping successfully promote our interests, in particular this year with regard to additional substituting during on-line matches.

July Council were delighted to approve Liz McGowan’s appointment to the post.

SBU News

In recognition that the new Structure will likely promote Marketing and Promotion as an entity, it is understood that the SBU News as we know it, will likely be subsumed within an emerging more proactive communication policy. I know that this is an area dear to many of your hearts.

If any members have an interest or expertise in these areas and would like to help the SBU please get in touch with me for an informal chat. Yours ideas and comments, as ever, are welcomed.

Best Wishes,
Joan Forsyth

Here is Joan Forsyth's President's Newsletter July 2021 for the AGM

It is some time since my last message.

Many of you have been in touch in the interim period seeking advice and/or updates on many of the items I referenced as “works in progress” or “under development”.

The most important consideration which really underpins everything else is which rules, advice and guidance should be adhered to and/or followed by the SBU, Districts and Clubs when considering if and when it is safe to return to face to face (F2F) bridge in Scotland.

It is relatively easy to provide good advice as to how best to ensure safety, once it is clear that any bridge provider is, all things being equal, free to consider restarting F2F bridge.

There are excellent bridge club tailored risk assessment templates available. There are many sites offering various environmental economical safety enhancers- Table top dividers; table extenders; screens; table top card dealers; sanitisers etc.

However, it seemed to me to be irresponsible and unsafe for the SBU to give out any information that might suggest we were endorsing a return to F2Fbridge under any circumstance if it were not absolutely certain that such information was sound.

The reference text in Scotland, as reported in our original message foretelling the advice for all F2F bridge to cease in March 2020, was and remains that found here-

https://hpspubsrepo.blob.core.windows.net/hps-website/nss/2973/documents/1_covid-19-guidance-for-non-healthcare-settings.pdf

However, Section 3, “Information and Guidance for Specific settings” does not specifically or even generally cover bridge Clubs. E mail exchanges with Health Protection Scotland seeking clarification, resulted in the advice that Bridge Clubs should adhere to the Household gathering rules pertinent at the time irrespective of the setting. The latest published Document, as of September 14th., stated

When meeting people outside your household for a social gathering, you may meet people socially from no more than 1 other household at a time indoors or outdoors. You should stay at least 2 metres apart from people from other households at all times.

No more than 6 people in total (from a maximum of 2 households) may meet at any time in such settings,

I am sure I don’t need to remind you that today this advice became tighter. Now you cannot mix with any other household member indoors.

Having been advised by Health Protection Scotland that such rulings were unlikely to be relaxed for the foreseeable future, the SBU Council, on the 20th September 2020, agreed that Clubs and Districts should be advised that F2F bridge in Scotland will not be possible until such time as significant changes or clarifications to the rules are announced.

If and when we can announce that, with all Public Health measures being in place F2F bridge can resume, we shall provide as much help as we can to help play resume safely.

We have clarified, for example, the terms of our cover with the SBU Insurers. Once it is considered safe to return to F2F bridge in Scotland, as long as we and Clubs which rent premises can evidence that we have done everything we can to follow relevant guidelines to mitigate the risk of players and/or staff contracting coronavirus in the play environment the SBU Public Liability Cover would protect us. Scott Macdonald, SBU Treasurer, will be happy to advise eligible Clubs further on the terms of cover. Clubs who own their own premises should seek advice from their own Insurers.

The SBU is now planning an online Bridge Calendar for the 2020/21 season. If in the meantime F2F can resume we shall regroup. The Tournament Committee, together with the Master Point Committee, and the Finance Committee are tasked with drafting up asap an on-line calendar to include National events, hoping to be able to provide a reasonable mix of events for all, whilst doing their best to not stifle Club and District initiatives.

Our newly renegotiated Contract with BBO with the removal of the Exclusivity clause, now allows us to consider other on-line bridge providers. This will help all of us broaden the type of on-line bridge experience we can offer.

In line with Scottish Government advice as described, the SBU December Congress at Bellshill has been cancelled by the hotel. It is hoped to run, on the same WE, a National on-line Congress, convened by Bill Whyte. I have asked for a virtual president’s drinks party to be included! [Bring your own.]

Meanwhile, an advert is being prepared for a replacement Congress Convenor to help ensure continuity with our work with GEBOS [formerly BOS].

The Tournament Committee has reported that over 30 BBO TDs were trained through the first training programme. Many of those trained have, in turn, volunteered to train others to help Clubs start their own online presence. These new trainees are “finished” off by Anne Brodie Allen to help ensure our trained BBO TDs meet the spec. laid down by BBO.

There are now many games available in the various SBU, SBU_X, and SBU_X_XX virtual clubs. A considerable amount of work is undertaken by the TDs themselves, by Eddie McGeough, Alison Carmichael, Gordon Milne, and Alan Officer to ensure that results are uploaded in usable and recognisable forms, and that, where applicable, MPs are allocated. The SBU has agreed to trial embedding a Bridgewebs site on their own Website to help further the translation and scrutiny of results.

Thank you for so patiently waiting for your BBO earnings. As you know, the first payments have now been made.

The Membership Secretary reports a so far near normal return in Subscriptions. We are indebted to our members for their loyalty and especially to those working so hard to keep clubs “going”. Although some clubs are hibernating, some are temporarily merging, and one or two new applications are the pipeline from clubs seeking to affiliate.

As referenced earlier, the SBU aims to do everything they can to help Clubs keep afloat.

The new SBU branded teaching courses have been launched and there are a considerable number of on- line teaching initiatives happening across Scotland. As stated in the previous Home page post from our Education arm, the SBU supports all teaching initiatives across Scotland. New consortiums of teachers already report extremely rewarding and valuable resource sharing.

Although the Council has not agreed to publish Council minutes, they have asked me to regularly update you on significant decisions.

Please, in the meantime, do continue to contact your District Chairs or, where appropriate the SBU Secretary, Convenors or myself, with your comments and concerns.

With Best wishes, Joan                                                                                                         22/09/20