Bridge Babes Hit the Highest Levels of NZ Bridge!

Standing as a tag team, Cambridge's Clare Coles and Jane Stearns have been elected to the two vacant positions on the Board of New Zealand Bridge!! The new chairman will be Alan Dormer of Auckland.

Cambridge has long been a prime beneficiary of the talents of these two ladies. Both hugely talented, accomplished, entrepreneurial, they declared themselves as standing on neither side in the current arguments within the Board.

Their manifesto declared their underlying values to be:

• Viewing bridge clubs that are affiliated to NZB as custodians of the game in their communities
• Recognising clubs as far more than a place for a game of cards. They see clubs as inclusive environments welcoming members regardless of background, age, ethnicity, gender or race. They see clubs as a place for fostering friendship as well as enabling members to develop their card skills at all levels. Bridge clubs are valuable and they wish to give them the support and help needed to enable them to thrive in their community
• Ensuring smaller clubs and those regular club players that come along every week to their local club for their game have their needs addressed. They believe these bridge players are the backbone of the game in NZ, and should be given value for their financial contribution to NZB

Together, they have worked to transform the culture and aspirations of the Cambridge Bridge Club and Jane has gone out into the wider bridge community transforming clubs nationwide.

Bringing their winning formula to Board level will enable all clubs across NZ to have access to it together with encouragement and support from NZB to help in their stewardship of bridge in their community.

Now elected to the Board these ladies are prepared to listen to all sides of the arguments and keep an open mind on the best way to grow the game of bridge in NZ. Bringing stability and unity to the bridge community in NZ is a priority. Achieving the Board’s mission to “facilitate, maintain and Grow the Game of Bridge in New Zealand” will be their mandate.

Combining Clare’s key strengths in governance and employment and Jane’s key strengths in marketing and club/tournament growth, they seek to jointly take the game of bridge to a new level. It is time for change. Their promising to bring a new perspective, enthusiasm, professionalism, and a proven track record of success in growing clubs nationwide has obviously appealed to the majority of clubs that voted. Good Choice, we say!! Go the Chiefs!!