MAYFIELD DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB

 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING   -  Tuesday 21 April 2009

 

 

The twenty-fifth Annual General Meeting of the Mayfield Duplicate Bridge Club was held at St John’s Church Hall, Tadworth on Tuesday 21st  April 2009.

 

 

The Meeting commenced at 7.30pm with 55 members present including the following 9 Committee Members:

 

    Sylvia Timberlake (Chairman)    Chris Pullan (Treasurer)

     Peter Lee (Captain)                  Rosemary Rice (Secretary)

     Andrew Barnett                        Malcolm Channing

      Keith Jackson                          Ann Madden

      Ron Maclaren        

                                                                                                     

Apologies for Absence

Norman Grant, Audrey Kolbe, Margaret Lee, Liz Martin,

Adrian Patrick, Priscilla Rhodes, Roy Smith, Roger Sugden, Denny Wade, Dorothy and Alan Wharton

 

Chairman’s Report

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the Meeting and asked for queries on the minutes of the last AGM.  Being none, she signed the Minutes noting their acceptance proposed by David Dick and seconded by Joan Cullen.

 

The Chairman asked that the meeting take the reports of the Chairman, the Secretary and the Captain as read as they had been displayed on the notice board so that the members could have an opportunity to read them. 

 

A copy of the Chairman’s report is attached (A).

 

The Chairman noted particularly the section in her report about whether the Mayfield should remain affiliated to the EBU after P2P is introduced next year. The Committee recommended that the Mayfield should affiliate and asked for a vote from the floor. Most were in agreement and there was no-one who voted against.

 

The Chairman announced her pleasure in nominating both Jean Davies and Dorothy Wharton as Hon Life members of the club. The members received this with enthusiasm.  Sylvia will write to Dorothy  as she was not at the meeting.

 

 

Secretary’s Report

Report taken as read.  There were no questions.  A copy of the report is attached (B).

 

Captain’s Report

The report was taken as read, a copy of which is attached (C).

 

He then asked Liz Phillips as one of the earliest members of the Mayfield Club to present the trophies to the prize winners as set out in the Captain’s Report.  Rosemary Rice distributed prize vouchers to winners and runners-up after the Meeting to save time.  The full list including runners-up is attached (D).

 

At the end of the prize giving, the Chairman announced that Mary Street had offered to donate a trophy for the Friday Pairs Championship, which had recently been introduced as a new competition. The cup would be known as the Cliff Street Trophy and Mary offered it as a fitting memory for her late husband’s great contribution to the Mayfield during his long and very successful bridge career.

 

Treasurer’s Report

The Treasurer presented the accounts, a copy of which is attached (E).

Chris reported that the Club is in a healthy financial position with the reserves standing at £13741. This year made loss of £1744 resulting from £1758 spent on the Jubilee party together with unforeseen tax of £219 on interest earned by the reserves. This had resulted from an HMRC rule change regarding tax liability in excess of £100. Chris gave assurance that he had calculated interest at £97 this year so that should not occur again this year. He also reported that we will keep the existing annual fee and table money unchanged.

An error in the original accounts, changing surplus to deficit, has been made and a newly signed copy has been filed.

 

The adoption of the accounts was proposed by Pam Hoskins and seconded by Helen Seymour, and carried unanimously.

 

Chris Pullan thanked Martin Trouse, the Hon Auditor, for auditing the accounts and presented him with 3 bottles of wine for his efforts.

 

Elections and Appointments

The nominations of the existing Committee members had been posted on the notice board with all Committee members proposed and seconded so they were duly elected. The Chairman said that she wished others would put their names forward in the future.

 

The Chairman thanked Martin Trouse for auditing the accounts and, as he was willing to stand again for an 9th year, his election was proposed by John Timberlake, seconded by Ron Maclaren and carried unanimously.

 

Any Other Business

 

Fiona Clark questioned why we needed to keep such a large reserve.
The Chairman explained the contingency required for purchase of new equipment, and safeguard against loss of premises. In response to other similar comments in the past, nearly £2000 had been spent on the very successful Jubilee Party to which all members had been invited.

 

Pam Hoskins asked that more should be done to eliminate slow play.
The Chairman responded by saying that this was discussed at every Committee meeting and asked Malcolm Channing to comment on a new ‘clock’ driven by a computer that had been trialled for the first time last Friday He said that some members had expressed a view that it was distracting and it may not be appropriate for Friday which is intended to encourage beginners. This device would also be used on a Tuesday soon, but the volume on the speakers needs to be increased to be more effective.  Directors will make increased efforts to speed slow players.

 

Valerie Lacey commented that, if the 1st and 2nd rounds are slow, then it seems to continue and suggested that particular attention to moving on fast after these rounds may be a good idea.

 

Geoff Whitehead thanked the Committee for all their work over the past year and commented particularly on the success of both the Christmas party and the Jubilee event.

  

 

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8:00 pm.

 

 

 

SYLVIA TIMBERLAKE - Chairman