SCOTTISH BRIDGE UNION
Dear Members
Welcome to the new season. Although bridge is played all year round, the Scottish calendar traditionally “starts” in September. Lots has happened since I last wrote to you.
Mempad Upgrade
Mempad consists of a membership database and a Masterpoints system. A necessary major upgrade was done over the summer and has now been completed. This involved an enormous amount of work by Bill Whyte and his team, for which we are very grateful. There is a definite “new look” to the site and feedback so far has been positive.
Website
Those regular users of the website will notice some enhancements, in particular drop-down boxes that make navigation easier. There is still a lot of work required to further improve navigation and make it easier to identify, enter and pay for competitions, amongst other things. We would welcome volunteers to help manage the content. If you think you can help, please get in touch.
General Secretary Appointment
Following a recruitment drive to find a General Secretary to replace our General Manager who had resigned for health reasons, we expect to announce a new appointment next month. In the meantime, please continue to refer questions to the respective convenors or myself.
National Competitions
At the AGM, members voted against a Member Resolution that all National Competitions should revert to face to face. The Board expressed the view that a more flexible approach is required and agreed with the proposals put forward by the Competitions Committee that although most traditional SBU competitions should be played face to face, some SBU National Competitions will better meet the needs of our membership by operating online.
Subsequent feedback from members suggests that opinion is widely divided, some suggesting all or most National Competitions should be online, some suggesting all should be face to face, and some content with a mixture. The calendar of events for 23/24 has been published on the website which reflects the Board’s view that we hold both F2F and online National Competitions. The objective is not to maximise participation at any single event, but to allow opportunities to participate for those with a strong preference for either F2F or online events.
In the New Year we shall canvass all members to try to ensure that we are meeting the needs of most of our members. We know we cannot please all our members all the time, but it is important that we hear from as many of you as possible so we can best serve your interests.
Under 31 World Championships
Congratulations to our U31 team which qualified for the knockout stages but lost in the quarterfinals. This was a particularly good performance against some very strong opposition. We were delighted with the generous response to a request for donations to support the team.
National Competition Winners
Congratulations to
- Paul Maiolani & Jim McMenemy, winners of the Stirling Pairs
- Derek Sanders, Gints Freimanis, Prajjwal Prajjwal and John Di Mambro, winners of the Edwin Berry Swiss Teams
Café Bridge
Cafe Bridge recommenced in Scotland this summer with events in Prestwick, Strathaven, and Perth. Thanks to Victor Lesk of BriAn Bridge, Miriam Drysdale and her friends, and other members who helped with the organisation. Further days will be held in Dunkeld and Plockton in October. Support for future events is available.
Cafe Bridge is usually a duplicate event for pairs, often held to raise money for charity, moving to a new cafe or restaurant after each round, with the entry fee covering refreshment or food at each venue. It is sociable and fun and can attract players from SBU clubs and non -affiliated Clubs. Details and registration for the events can be found on our website.
And finally
Have a great season and remember bridge should be fun, so please treat partners, opposition, and tournament directors with the same respect as you would expect to be treated yourself.
September 2023