I spoke last month to you about the importance of preparing for the future security of our Clubhouse.
It has been wonderful to hear back from you, and that you are overwhelmingly in support of this strategic direction. Thank you to all of you who took the time and interest to communicate your support, questions and suggestions for future savings.
The decision to no longer issue winner’s tickets is one part of a broader review of the club’s finances, to ensure that we continue to add to our surplus.
Our club is a not-for -profit, member run club which relies on our volunteers to take on many of the tasks involved in keeping the club running. We have a wide range of tasks and roles - being on the Committee, or a Sub-Committee or a Working Group, helping in the kitchen, directing sessions, tidying bidding boxes, making cakes for events, dealing cards, washing the tablecloths, convening events, helping at our big social days, managing the cash and prepaid vouchers, taking the rubbish out, maintaining our clubhouse and many other tasks that have to be done by someone! Most of these tasks are done on a purely voluntary basis or for a nominal return.
Calling upon members to volunteer their time is central to the club’s good management. Like most of us, I chose to volunteer at the club because I wanted to give something back to a community which has helped me in many ways. The experience of volunteering it is very enjoyable and is a way to really get to know the other members of our large community.
Many of the club’s older members have volunteered over the years and even decades and some of our newer members are keen to find a way to contribute. If you don’t currently have a volunteer role but you are both able to help in some way and would like to, please talk to me or to any of the Committee and we’ll find something that suits you.
In line with our need to strengthen the volunteer ethos, the Committee unanimously decided to cancel honorariums to Committee members at our June meeting. In response, Trevor Laughton - who has had the time-consuming role of issuing helper and winner tickets for several years - has offered to continue his role on a volunteer basis, without any renumeration. Thank you Trevor for your ongoing help and support.
Similarly, we are calling upon members to volunteer as fill-in players to support visitors and players unexpectedly without a partner, rather than needing to pay additional directors to be available to provide this important service. It is also a way for members to meet different players, so it offers a range of benefits.
We are continuing to review other ways to identify savings, such as exploring sponsorships - if you have a business contact that might be a suitable sponsor for a congress or diary production, please let us know.
Happy bridging!
Sarah Young
