February has seen the successful start of many of our competitions. I hope that you enjoy any of the competitions that you take part in.
Congratulations to our 2017 Club Pairs Champions, Cath Whiddon and Ann Small, and also to all our members who did so well at the Gold Coast Congress.
March is a busy month, with the National Open Teams event, the Margaret Smale Inter-Club Teams as well as our Annual Swiss Teams Congress. All these events rely on volunteer help, so please help with catering and tidying if you can. Requests for helpers will be on the notice board or on Pianola.
The Committee wishes to inform all members of some compulsory tax changes which will take effect from 1 September 2017.Peninsula Bridge Club is a non-profit association, but is still subject to taxation rules. We are fortunate to have Bob Whiddon as Treasurer, who is a qualified accountant, and who has been ensuring that the Club meets all its financial responsibilities.
This year our annual turnover reached an annual rate of $150K and as a result, we are required by law to register as a GST entity. This means we must pay GST on our annual subs and table money, but that we also qualify to get a GST refund on GST included in goods and services we pay for. In order to register for GST we are required to first have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and tax file number (TFN). This has now been done and we have registered for GST but have not yet received details on this from the tax office (ATO).
The Committee would like to thank Verl Lawrence, who has done such a marvellous job for 17 years as our Chief Director. Along with her husband John, Verl has contributed to the Club in an amazing way. She has guided our directors in training, directed numerous events over the years, as well as being so friendly and welcoming to members, new and old. On Saturday 29 April, we will be thanking her with an afternoon tea. I hope you can either come to the session to play or drop in at 2pm for a glass of champagne!
Over the last few months, the Committee has been evaluating the implication of the Club becoming a GST entity from September 2017. It is now able to report back to all members and present the key information. The Committee has identified the actions we believe are required in order to maintain sound financial and operational management. I encourage you to attend the Information Session that will be held at 11am Saturday 3rd June. The Committee wishes members to be fully informed of the reasons for the proposed changes. All the details are available on the website and on the noticeboard at the Club.
In June, the Committee reported to members regarding the proposed changes, which are necessary for the ongoing sound management of the Club. The Information Session was well attended and generated some excellent questions, suggestions and discussion. The Committee has now commenced recruitment of a part time administration helper, who we hope to have on board in July or August.
There was a fabulous turn out for the Charity Pairs evening on 16 June and it was an enjoyable event for all. Many thanks to all who helped make it possible. Approximately $1600 was raised on the night which was a great result!
This month we have our Swiss Pairs Congress on Sunday 30 July. If you haven’t been in it before, come along with your partner! It is a fun day, with the room packed with tables and players of all levels.
July has been a month of celebration! We have been able to celebrate some wonderful member milestones, with Gino celebrating 50 years of membership and Joyce Low turning 90. Congratulations to other members who are having significant birthdays- please let Mary Farrell know ahead of time so we can organise an afternoon tea, as we all love our cake!
We have also had some success in the competitive arena, with our narrow win at the Sydney North Interclub Pairs Event held at Trumps. It was a very friendly event which always makes the day a success, regardless of the outcome.
August has been a busy month on the Congress and competition front. Coffs Harbour was well attended and all had a good time. Well done to Peter Clarke and Hans Van Weeran (representing NSW) as well as Cassandra Mitchell and Clare Filmer Ramsay for a competing at the 2017 Australian Restricted Championships in Canberra. Congratulations to Cath Whiddon for winning the NSW State Individual Tournament. Well done to David Farmer and Viv Eldridge for winning the Charlie Mitchell Shield.
Most importantly, well done to everyone who has managed to avoid the awful winter flu!
On an organisational front, Robin Ho, our new administration assistant, is doing a wonderful job of helping with the finances and the membership process. The Committee has been getting ready for the transition to GST status, and I am happy to report that everything is in good order. A special thanks goes to Bob Whiddon and Max Patterson for all the work that they are doing behind the scenes.
A highlight of September was our Annual Charity Pairs fund raiser. There was an excellent turnout and a fun day was had by all. More than $2,800 was raised. Thank you to Sue Riley for the wonderful effort she put in on the organisational and catering front. Who could possible resist her profiteroles! We are grateful to Shirley Corbett for the exquisite hand- made quilt which she donated. It raised more than $200 - Sue Falkingham was the lucky winner.
We are hoping to reach $9,000 for the year’s fundraising, which includes money from the Charity evening plus money raised from plant and book sales. We appreciate Robin Hoey’s efforts in supplying the plants and thank those who help with the books. There will be some raffles at the Club -please buy some tickets to help us reach the $9,000 target.
