This email has been sent to you as a club or county official. Below is your monthly update from the EBU. Please note there are a number of important topics covered. This email is also available on the EBU website, along with all past EBU Updates, here.
EBU Year End Congress
Last month we asked for all clubs and counties to help promote the EBU Year End Congress. Thank you to all of you that have added the advert for this event to your websites. If you have not already done so, please consider doing so. We would like to match the success of the EBU Summer Meeting held in Eastbourne, which was aided by clubs and counties promoting this event to their members.
The EBU Year End Congress will take place at the ILEC in London. We have created the attached advert for use by clubs and counties, which should be linked to https://www.ebu.co.uk/competitions/year-end. If you need help with this, please call 01296 317215 or email sam@ebu.co.uk.
Autumn and Seniors Congress
As a reminder the next EBU event, the Autumn Congress, is just two over weeks away. Please encourage your members to join us on RealBridge Friday 21st - Sunday 23rd October. The Swiss Pairs will take place on Saturday 22nd from 11am.
In December the Seniors Congress will again be held mid-week on RealBridge, 6th - 8th December. Please remind your members if they wish to take advantage of the early bird special offer, they should book before 30th October. The format for the event will be:
Tuesday - Pairs Qualifier
Wednesday - Pairs Finals & Swiss Pairs
Thursday - Swiss Teams
Host a heat of the Masters Pairs
The Masters Pairs is a two-session competition exclusively for players below a certain Master Point rank. Players must be below the rank of Regional Master, which includes: Local Masters, Club Masters, Area Masters, District Masters, County Masters, Masters, Advanced Masters, Star Masters, Tournament Masters or Premier Masters.
The competition is held at multiple venues around the country, and scored nationally to give overall results.
The competition therefore gives an opportunity for less experienced players to play in a national event, without having to travel too far, and allows them to play against players of their standard rather than entering an event with an ‘open’ field. Players have the opportunity to earn Green Points playing in an event at their club. Prizes will be awarded nationally, including stratified prizes.
It will be held on Sunday 26th February 2023.
If your club would be interested in hosting a heat of the competition please contact comps@ebu.co.uk and we will send you more detailed information.
County Chairs Meeting
Thank you to all who attended the recent County Chairs meeting. The minutes from the meeting are now available to view on the minutes page and the recording from the event can be watched on the EBU YouTube channel.
AGM
As a reminder to all Shareholders, the EBU AGM will be held on 30th November at the Royal National Hotel, London.
Update from the Education Working Group
This group of Board members continues to explore how the EBU can help make more teaching happen in bridge clubs across the country. The current highlights are
- We see many clubs hesitant about embarking on a teaching programme, and we are organising a seminar at which clubs who have gone through this successfully can share their experiences with clubs who have not yet tried.
- With the help of existing teachers we are gathering together a list of resources which will be useful in a teaching programme, to make it easier and less daunting for clubs and potential teachers to get started.
- All our current plans and activities are recorded in the EWG page.
- The teacher database that we have constructed has gone live and can be accessed from the EBU web home page (at https://www.ebu.co.uk/explore/teachers/)
New club directory – please update your club details
Thank you to all clubs who have updated your club details in the new Club Directory. If you have not yet done so, please take a look and complete our online club details form.
If your club offers teaching, make sure you include this in the club details form. More information is available via the Help link on the club directory page. We would welcome any feedback about the new directory.
Improving Membership Data
A reminder for all clubs to please check that your membership lists are current and ask your members to provide up to date email addresses.
Christmas Party/Club Prize Ideas
Royal Mail have quite a few strikes planned For October and November so if you are planning to order party gifts/prizes you may want to order earlier than normal to ensure they are delivered in time for your Christmas games of Bridge!
We have some new items in The Bridge Warehouse for Christmas 2022!
* Silk Ties – Card design
* Novelty playing card socks
* Caspari playing cards & scorecards
* Jigsaws
We also sell Crossword Books, Diaries, Bridge Games, Notepad and Pens and Learn Bridge DVD
Full product info can be found on the Bridge Warehouse website.
Orders will be sent out Monday to Thursday between 9am and 2pm.
Club Director Training
EBED will soon be announcing dates for some new director training offers to be delivered online via zoom. These include “How to run a club Duplicate” our introductory course for those wishing to get in to directing at their club. Also we have two courses aimed at those currently directing online bridge: “Judgement rulings for online bridge”, and “how to direct on BBO”. If you are interested, please contact Mark on 01296 317 218 (mark@ebedcio.org.uk).
Train to become a bridge teacher
Spaces are still available for EBED’s teacher training courses at Brierfield (Lancashire), in November. We are also running an online teacher training course this autumn. Our 2023 teacher training programme will be announced soon. Please check our teacher training calendar for details, or contact Mark on 01296 317 218 (mark@ebedcio.org.uk).
Social Media and Blogs
Please let us know if you would like to suggest a blog article that can then be shared across social media. There is no cost for this, and we welcome your ideas.
If you would like to write a blog, please email sam@ebu.co.uk.
Join us on social media:
EBU Facebook; 
EBU Twitter; 
EBU LinkedIn; 
EBU Instagram