Minutes of Meeting of the Oxfordshire Bridge Association Management Committee held on Thursday 8 January 2004

Present: Keith Sadler (Chairman)

Alan Wilson (Treasurer)

Mary-Ann Sheehy (Secretary)

Nick Smith

Brenda Harris

Peter Stevenson

Sandra Nicholson

Nick Perceval Price

John Gunn

Gordon Carroll

Esme Alden

Peggy Manuell

Maxine Henry

Stephen Brown

Apologies: Bill McCarthy

Jean Squires

Sandra Claridge

Brian Claridge

Erika Sheppard

Peter Baxter

Norman Gascoyne

Approving Minutes

Minutes of 8 January OBA Management meeting approved subject to a couple of minor changes. The corrected minutes will appear on the website.

Matters arising

a. Concern was expressed regarding the absence so far of the AGM Minutes. Efforts to contact Pat Rhodes Fisher would be made.

b. Duplimate machine: current cost approximately 4.5K. Probably enough money in the kitty. Meeting to progress this to be organised by Stephen Brown: Frank Harris from OBC and Erica Sheppard from Summertown to participate.

c. Wessex League: Stephen Brown to hold meeting to discuss issues raised in January meeting regarding structure of Wessex League.

Chairman’s Report

d. Green point Event 19 June 2005. Banbury Sports Club (?) booked. Arthur and Sarah Tulip happy to process applications. Banbury BC to be asked to set up and take down tables and chairs. Stephen Brown Director.

e. Green point Event: 2006.We will be applying for a date.

f. Use of OBC premises. It was agreed after much discussion that for the future OBA diarised Sunday events will be charged £25 for use of the premises. Any extra/additional events will be charged at the rate set by OBC of £20. Thanks were expressed to Pauline Brown for stepping in and doing tea for the Swiss Pairs.

Treasurer’s Report

g. Thanks extended to those who help on Tuesdays to collect the table money.

h. Apologies of late payment of capitation to OBC. April to December 2000 outstanding. Will be paid immediately and thereafter quarterly.

i. Financial position. Healthy. No deficit foreseen

j. Issue as to whether the Golfprint event was an OBA event. Decided that it was and therefore the float for expenses should be provided by OBA.

Tournament Secretary’s Report (Written by Bill McCarthy)

k. County Pairs: total entry 63 (all time low). No semi fnal in 2004. The top 20 invited to final on 4 April. Much discussion as tohow to raise interest. Proposal to change the format. Hold the heats on ordinary club nights, no extra tariff. Only play in one place. Semi-Final, make a charge of £3.50 and Final free.

l. Beck Cup Heat: Very low participation.

m. Men’s Pairs. Only 13 pairs

n. Swiss Pairs.Definite improvement to 28 pairs. This definitely due in part to advertising via the results link on website. And general publicity.

o. Harwell Cup:. Lower entry down to 11 teams.

p. Haddenham Swiss Teams: Postponed to 8^th February.

EBU delegate

Brenda Harris provided a written report of the recent EBU meetings on 1^{st October 2003. The notes are attached to these minutes.}

Publicity Secretary

q. Brenda Harris reported on the outcome of the questionnaires which had been circulated at the Men’s Pairs Competition and the Swiss Pairs. Outcome as follows (113 replies in total):

In answer to the question: How did you hear about this competition:

Posters 4

Prospectus 34

Website 8

Previous attendance 40

Word of mouth 17

Other 14

r. Bid for Life: this is an event promoted by Andrew Robson. It is a charity event to raise money for Cancer research. Results will be published. OBA decided to hold it on 23 March donating the OBA table money.

Stephen Brown

s. Thanked all those who helped in the management of County night:

Directors:

i. Steve Noble

ii. Krishan Jalie

iii. Marian Day

Scorers:

Lynne Hayes

Graham Elliot

Rita Todd

t. Announced the publication of a new updated White book. Will give copies to Krishan and Marion. Various changes, the notable ones will be put on the Website.

u. Proposes to put a problem hand on Website that requires a ruling. And then will give the ruling and answer any questions arising.

Match Secretary

v. Nick Smith reported that teams had competed against Warwickshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.

Task Groups

w. Newcomers

Members (Jan Spang, David Howard and Alison Nicholson).

Proposed 3 events:

1. Pro Am 29 Feb at Benson Village Hall. Alison and Keith Sadler to run with Bill McCarthy directing. Publicity needed.

2. Bridge for All April 18 at Abbey Centre Abingdon. Bill McCarthy Directing.

3. Sandra Landy County Pairs. Flighted: B up to Club master; A. up to District Master. on May 9^th at Thame Football Club. £7 per pair. Winning top 3 win membership to OBA for the next year. Alison is putting together the Rules for this.

x. Wessex League

Meeting to be called by Stephen to discussion proposal re structure of league.

y. Premises

Peter Stevenson reported that OBC had put in offer for the premises and now waiting for response from University College. Discussion as to whether a grant might be forthcoming from EBU. Agreed that if an approach was to be made Sandra Claridge/John Williams would be best placed to do so.The fact that it is the OBA headquarters might assist. It was noted that Wallingford Club has been given notice to quit from its premises.

Constitution

No progress as yet, Gerald Falconer no longer there. Need a task force: Alan, Frank, Stephen.

Finances

General comment by Keith Sadler as regards the finances, expenses/costings. Need to be looked at. Agreed that Alan will form small subgroup to report back to AGM.

Survey.

The results of the Survey which Keith had conducted had been interesting. Emerging themes from the Survey were as follows:

z. Not too much enthusiasm for county competitions

aa. Significant enthusiasm for a ”banded” Annual Congress

bb. Large majority of respondents are Wessex League players;

cc. Good understanding of role of OBA

dd. Despite relatively limited enthusiasm for county competitions, three quarters said they would like to play in events outside their club to make them into a better player: how to achieve: what should we be doing to enable this.

ee. We should hold some events outside Oxford, the OBC premises is not a deterrent.

AOB

Victor/ix Ludorum

Nick Smith had done some thinking on this. His proposal was basically that a new league table be created. This would relate to accumulated success over all the County Competitions. Thus, the most successful pair/team/person who had participate din the most events would win. However, achievement in each event would be weighted: e.g. flitch (where there are hardly any competitors) would give fewer points than the County Pairs. It was agreed that this should be matter to be looked at by the Tournament Committee. Action Stephen Brown

Amit Badiani Cup: Stolen. Mike Webley had received insurance cheque. Esme Alden agree to deal with Paines’ to get replacement.

Sandra Nicholson: CASS

And FINALLY Many congratulations to Alan Wilson and his team for coming second in Gold Cup. Fabulous achievement and 35 Greenies in one go!

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

1^ST APRIL 2004 AT 7.30