MORPETH BRIDGE CLUB
Charity number - 1179596
Chairmans Report 2024-25
Trustees: Paul Ingoe (Chairman)
Alistair Kemp (Secretary)
Jim Turnbull (Treasurer)
Morpeth Bridge Club is proud to be affiliated with both the North East Bridge Association and the English Bridge Union. The club’s purpose is “the advancement of amateur sport by promoting the game of bridge for the benefit of the residents of Morpeth and the surrounding area.”
The club meets every Monday evening at St James Community Hall in Morpeth for face-to-face (F2F) bridge. In addition, an online tournament is held on Wednesday evenings via Bridge Base Online (BBO). Table fees are £2.50 for F2F sessions and $3.00 for online play.
Trustees convene four times a year, in addition to the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Minutes from these meetings are published on the club’s website, and trophies are awarded at the AGM to recognize achievements.
Over the past year, attendance at Monday night sessions has improved, averaging nearly 10 tables — an encouraging increase from the previous year. However, participation in online events has declined, averaging just 3–4 tables, despite active outreach to both EBU and non-EBU clubs in the region.
In the annual Team of 8 competition, which includes EBU-affiliated clubs from Northumberland, Durham, and Teesside, the Morpeth team was unfortunately relegated from the top division.
Despite the dedicated efforts of the Committee and Trustees, and extensive marketing campaigns, recruitment of new players to bridge has not met expectations. Further discussions are ongoing to remedy the situation.
Although revenue increased 3.5% on the previous year, the club suffered a loss of £900.59 largely due to a 14.3% increase in hall rental and the purchase of a new laptop. The trustees are proposing a number of options to club members to remedy the situation.
Cash in hand stands at £5,286.14.
Paul Ingoe