Derek Povah

In 1987 Mr John Derek Povah, the well-established chairman of the Rolls Royce Bridge club, realised that there was a shortage of opportunities for new bridge players in North Derby.

He had qualified as an EBU bridge instructor and taught evening classes. He so enjoyed teaching bridge he decided to establish some bridge classes in the Allestree area. His excellent approach to such classes, which were so enjoyed by the participants, was such that, when they had been completed, they asked Derek to help them to continue playing bridge.

Derek decided that the best way to achieve this would be to create a bridge club in the Allestree district and this led to the formation of the Allestree Bridge Club, under Derek’s chairmanship, in 1990. This club has subsequently grown to become one of the largest bridge clubs in the South of Derbyshire with over 150 members with some 4 sessions of bridge each week. Derek has remained Chairman of the club until 2011, playing virtually every week, directing regularly and has helped and supported new and regular members.

Derek Povah’s actions over the past 20 years have provided the EBU and the DCBA with a number of its most important members, that is, THE AVERAGE CLUB PLAYER – the backbone of the English Bridge Union.