WHERE TO PLAY BRIDGE
A Festival of Bridge
Bridge players come together to celebrate the game of bridge, to spread the word that bridge is a wonderful game and that by working together with the Scottish Bridge Union and our partners, Cancer Research UK we can have fun as well as playing our part in helping to beat cancer.
Bridge - it's a Big Deal! Introduced by the late Tony Russ, originator of the Festival
All bridge communities are invited to take part in Bridge - It's a Big Deal!
Our goal is to raise £60,000 for Cancer Research UK
Click here to donate now
We have regular Zoom meetings to discuss planning for events, these meetings are open to anyone. To join the meetings please email festival@ebu.co.uk.
Sponsorship
The EBU are proud to announce the sponsor for the Bridge - It's a Big Deal! Festival of bridge is Play Bridge at Sea.
In celebration of the work of Cancer Research UK, Play Bridge at Sea will provide an additional $300 per suite credit on each booking made by November 1, 2024.
Click here for more information or to book
The English Bridge Union in partnership with Cancer Research UK
During the week beginning September 9th 2024 clubs, counties and players will join together to put on events which in addition to being great fun for players will raise the profile of the game of bridge in the community and demonstrate that bridge can play a part in raising funds for one of the UK's most important charities.
Your event can be anything from a bridge club open day to a full blown bridge marathon - the important thing is that our clubs and counties support 'Bridge- It's a Big Deal!' (BIABD) by joining in to raise awareness of bridge and at the same time supporting our partner Cancer Research UK.
It's not only Bridge Clubs that can get involved. Bridge is played in Golf Clubs and U3A groups for example and all are invited to support BIABD and at the same time support Cancer Research UK.
Players too can support BIABD by holding bridge games at home. Rubber bridge, Chicago, Teams matches - all are fun and can be used to support BIABD.
September 2024 seems a long way away but it's never too early to start planning. Watch this space for ideas for events and all the information and resources that you will need for our Festival of Bridge 2024.
For more information, please contact festival@ebu.co.uk.
For Players
We're excited to invite bridge players from all corners of the country to join The Festival by hosting their own social bridge events! We've got some ideas to get you started, but feel free to get as creative as you want. Don't forget to share all the details with us at festival@ebu.co.uk. We can't wait to hear from you and see what fantastic plans you come up with!
For Clubs
We'd love for all bridge clubs and other groups like U3A bridge groups to join us for our Bridge - It's a Big Deal! Festival of bridge 2024. We've got some cool activities listed here, but don't hesitate to get creative and try something new! Whatever you decide, drop us a line at festival@ebu.co.uk. We'll hook you up with marketing materials, event-running guides, and even fundraising support. We're looking forward to hearing from you!
Tell us about your event so that we can add it to the Map of Events, email festival@ebu.co.uk with the details.
About Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research, influence and information.
Over the last 40 years, cancer survival in the UK has doubled. In the 1970s just 1 in 4 people survived their disease for 10 years or more. Today 2 in 4 survive. Cancer Research UK’s ambition is to accelerate progress and see 3 in 4 patients surviving the disease by 2034.
Cancer Research UK is working towards a world where everybody can live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.
The support of the individuals, communities, groups and corporates coming together, like the English Bridge Union, can help the charity towards this vision.
Find out more by visiting the Cancer Research UK website.
About the finances
The main purpose of this festival is to raise the profile of bridge nationally, encouraging clubs and counties to run special events to do this, while also raising money for Cancer Research UK. As a financial contribution from the national organisation, we intend to pass on to Cancer Research UK the UMS element from all special games run for the festival. We hope that counties will also be happy for their UMS element to be donated in this way, but they are free to opt out of this if they wish and we ask them to let us know if they would prefer not to.
The Festival is seen by us to be good value in supporting a project that will advertise the game and raise the profile of bridge across the country, as well as raising money for a worthwhile charity. We are also delighted to be working alongside the Scottish Bridge Union on this.
For more information
See the menu to the right for important links including ideas for your events.
EBU Chair Adrian Darnell says "The Festival of Bridge is a fantastic idea. It is a superb opportunity for the current bridge community to showcase our wonderful game to the many who have never played the game and to reignite the enthusiasm amongst those who have played but not in last decade or so. I sincerely hope that everyone will get behind the Festival and, through it, attract a new cohort to the bridge tables, and at the same time support the vital work of Cancer Research UK.”