
Long before Vida played bridge, she enjoyed success as an athlete and ran against the top athletes of her day including Fanny Blankers-Koen. She never beat Fanny but has fond memories of hearing Fanny bearing down, apparently taking one stride for every two that Vida needed!
The Binghams and the Flemings became good friends and when Dimmie Fleming’s husband died, Vida assisted with the successful Flemings bridge business including running, in Portugal, one of the earliest bridge holidays.
Vida became Dimmie’s last lady partner and in 1980 and 1981 they played in the winning team of the Whitelaw Cup, the English women’s team championship, and in both those years played for England in the Lady Milne.
Vida’s real passion was National Hunt racing, and many will remember that Vida’s Mon Mome won the Grand National in 2009 at 100-1. Vida remained to her dying day irritated by the label for Mon Mome as rank outsider, pointing out that the horse had performed well and was very much suited to long distance races usually finishing very strongly. Mon Mome had finished the race just behind the leaders in 2008 and certainly had more than a one in a hundred chance of winning!
Vida was well known on the Sussex bridge scene where she won several local competitions and regularly played at Tunbridge Wells bridge club on the club’s strongest night.
A kind and generous woman, who will be sadly missed by many.