32 members were present. Apologies were received from Avis Roberts, Harry Freeman, Stan and Andrea Powell, and Sue Evangelisti.

Matters arising from the previous AGM held on 8.5.08 None.

Alan Grunwald reported that apart from few teething troubles the Bridgemate scoring system had worked well.

Alan Parker had surveyed about a dozen local venues which might be able to accommodate the bridge club if the Comrades Club were to close. Of these only the Methodist Church Hall could offer an adequate playing area, storage space and car parking. No immediate action was required on this matter.

Wantage Bridge Club was one of the 10 clubs participating in the recent OBA Sim Pairs. We had the third largest turnout and we were third overall in the number of local points won.

Lyn Morton presented her report which showed a small loss compared with 2007/8 due mainly to the lower numbers of players and partial repayment of the Bridgemate loan. Nevertheless the overall position was reasonable.

As in previous years a fairly full programme of national sim pairs, heats of the OBA and national pairs had been held in addition to our normal pairs and teams events.

In the 2008 Ridgeway Cup we had new winners (Newbury Bridge Club). Wantage finished 3^rd of the 6 competing teams. We have a team in this years competition but only 5 clubs have entered so there is some uncertainty about the future of this competition.

Keith Robbins said that the ‘A’ team had a good season in the Wessex League in Division 3. They had finished as runners-up and hence have been promoted to Division 2 after winning 5 of their 7 matches.

Lyn Morton reported that the ‘B’ team had mixed fortunes so that they finished 4^th out of 7 teams in Division 5.

Papers from the EBU giving details of their plans had been received by the Club on May 1^st so that there had been insufficient time to have these copied and circulated to the committee for perusal. These are available however on the EBU website.

After some discussion, in which Gordon Carroll expressed the view that adoption of Pay to Play would make little difference to our clubs finances, it was agreed that the proposed system should be discussed a.s.a.p. by the new committee and that the committee should make a decision on this issue. A motion to this effect was proposed by Brian Murtagh and seconded by Gordon Carroll. This motion was carried by the meeting.

Since membership has decreased during the past year ideas were sought to reverse this trend.

1. A presentation by Krys Kazmierczak to the committee. Proposed by Alison Nicolson and seconded by Kay Chamberlain. Carried 28 for and 2 against.
2. An open evening to encourage less experienced players. Extra tables could be installed. Mixed feelings were expressed about this idea. Committee members would try to gauge the extent of support.
3. Try to install a host system again, although in the past it had mixed success.
4. Get more publicity in the local press. Gaye Kyle suggested Round & About.

Many members thought that handicap teams and pairs would not be popular nor would Butler scoring on some evenings. A vote was held on the future of handicap teams – 6 in favour and 13 against.

The problem of a pair turning up on a teams evening without another pair was discussed. A host pair was suggested but this idea was not popular with the meeting. Although some members thought that it could discourage the playing of teams on the 1^st Thursday every other month the meeting voted (13 for, 11 against) on a motion proposed by Gordon Carroll and seconded by Arthur Jones that if an odd pair came then we would revert to a match pointed pairs event.

Alan Grunwald announced that the attempt to hold a club championship pairs over 36 boards in 2008 had failed due to lack of support. A similar event was planned for Saturday 7^th. November. A notice inviting entries would be posted by next week and if fewer than 10 pairs had expressed an interest by the end of August, the event would be abandoned.

The following were elected unanimously:-

Chairman Alan Grunwald

Vice Chairman Arthur Jones

Secretary Alan Parker

Treasurer Lyn Morton

Senior Director Keith Robbins

Other members Gaye Kyle, Stan Powell, Avis Roberts and Jonathan Robinson

Any other business None.

Alan Parker ( Hon. Secretary )

14.5.09