English Bridge Union
Welcome to Club Management Focus.
This edition contains a great deal of news. As well as the progress on the legal front both in respect of the VAT case and our attempts to be recognised as a sport a number of clubs have taken advantage of relatively new rules to be recognised by the Charities Commission or to use the gift aid scheme for membership. The EBU site offers advice on how to progress either of these ideas. The Club Liaison Officer is also very willing to assist.
From October 1st we will take over Jeff Smith's scoring software and offer it to all our clubs. There won't be any compulsion to use it but obtaining both the program and initial support for free is, I hope, a valuable benefit of affiliation.
We need to encourage people to learn and play bridge. If your club is suffering declining attendances then this is particularly urgent. Helping people to learning to teach is a part of the function of the charity EBED and there are details in the newsletter of how to enrol on a course and also an offer for affiliated clubs which is available.
I'd like to encourage your club to enter the NICKO. Detail is available in this newsletter. It is a competition intended for our clubs and the entry fee includes free entry to the plate competition should your club team(s) be unlucky enough to be knocked our in an early round.
Jeremy Dhondy
Chairman
