In our newsletter this week...
Vale Perelle Scales
AGM 2026
Beginner Lessons Early Bird Offer
Reminder - Club Closed this Friday afternoon
CBC League - OCTOBER
Online Lessons
Cardplay Wednesday is back!
Youth News
Results
Lighter Moments
Adieu Perelle
Perelle Scales. a longterm member of the Canberra Bridge Club, died this week.
A Queensland girl (and hence a passionate supportet of the Brisbane Lions), Perelle worked as a teacher in that state. She moved to Canberra to work in the Commonwealth Department of Education.
Here she joined the Canberra Bridge Club. A good player, she became a grand master and won the Hugh Hudson Pairs (2012) and the Ted Crichton Mixed Pairs (2016), both with Trevor Berenger. She won selection in the ACT Women's team (with Morag Lokan) in 2023 but was unable to attend the tournament due to ill health. Fittingly she won on her last day in the club on 9 September, with Judy Jones.
Friendly, always willing to chat on matters from bridge to sport to politics, Perelle was keen to help newer members; her earlier career as a teacher enhanced her ability to do so. She has partnered 75 players at CBC; is this a record?
Perelle's contributions to the club are many, including as a committee member and as President in 2017. Possibly her greatest contribution was in running the partnership desk for the Summer Festival of Bridge for many years. With the help of her many contacts she ensured that a space at the table was never left unfilled.
The club extends condolences from our members to her brother Gavin and her nieces, Sophia and Christine, all of whom have been associated with CBC.
- Pam Crichton
Adding to Pam’s words I would like to pay tribute to Perelle’s big heartedness, her zest for life and her abiding passion for bridge. I was just one of her many partners and I always enjoyed our games and our extensive chats afterwards. Perelle always greeted me with “ oh good we can play sandwich no trump”. I regret to say it only came up once over the years.
Just last week Perelle told Lesley and I how much she loved teaching in Toowoomba and the fantastic friendships she forged there. Especially of note was the camping trip where they washed their teeth in red wine!
We will certainly all miss her.
- Janet Kahler
Perelle loved her dogs, of which she had several over the years. Her beloved Nelson said goodbye to this world before Perelle went to the Coffs Harbour bridge congress in 2025. Sadly while there she broke her ankle and spent the next ten months in hospital. In March this year Perelle moved into Amberfield, where she had many visitors from CBC and her loyal family. Her fortitude was admirable. She continued to play bridge when she could and displayed her consummate skills with jigsaw puzzles.
I found Perelle an intelligent witty woman, a good friend and a pleasingly bold bidder at the bridge table.
- Lesley Gunson
Annual General Meeting
All members are invited to attend the Canberra Bridge Club AGM, which will be held in the clubrooms on Tuesday 13 October 2026 starting at 5.30pm.
The AGM Notice including the Agenda and the draft minutes of the 2025 AGM were emailed to members on 21 September and are available on the website. Further AGM papers will be added to the website when available.
If possible, members are asked to submit their questions in advance of the AGM to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. This will facilitate the provision of a complete answer at the AGM.
Election of 2026-2027 Committee – Message from the Returning Officer
The following information is provided for the attention of members, particularly those who:
- will be attending the AGM on 13 October; or
- have appointed a proxy and wish to give voting instructions to them.
Nominations for the election of the CBC Committee for 2026-2027 closed on 28 September.
Given the nominations received, there will be a ballot at the AGM for the position of Treasurer. The nominees are Nicole Finn and Jennifer Bergin.
In addition, there will be a ballot for the five ordinary Committee member positions. The nominees are:
- Jodi Tutty
- Judith Tobin
- Ian Thomson
- Kate Latimer
- Nicole Finn (if not elected Treasurer)
- Fiona Fawcett
- Jennifer Bergin (if not elected Treasurer)
The full election results will be declared at the AGM and published in the newsletter of 15 October.
Proxy appointments
Members who are unable to attend the AGM may appoint another member as proxy to vote on their behalf. Proxy forms are available on the website or from the Manager. There is a box located near the Manager’s Office for completed proxy forms.
Please note that completed proxy forms cannot be submitted later than 2.00 pm on Monday 12 October. Proxy forms need to be checked and collated before the AGM. Each form will then be given to the relevant proxy at the AGM. A member must not be a proxy for more than five other members.
Proxy appointments can be emailed without the authorising member’s signature if the email is being sent by the authorising member to the Manager, received by the deadline, and all other relevant details as required on the proxy form are provided.
Please contact the Manager if you have already submitted a proxy form and wish to add your voting instructions.
Deb Milner – Returning Officer
Beginner Lessons Early Bird Offer
Is someone you know thinking of coming to Bridge lessons next year? Well, now is the time for them to enrol and take advantage of the early bird discount. If they sign up to any of the beginners classes next year, the fee is only $90. After the first of November the cost will be $120 for the six lessons. Alternatively you might like to purchase a gift certificate for the classes as a Christmas present - at the lower price in October!
Reminder: CBC closed on Friday afternoon 2nd October
To give our players the opportunity to play in either CIB or here at our club, we will be opening the Friday morning session to all abilities and cancelling the Friday afternoon session on 2nd of October.
Teams League Competition at the Club - OCTOBER
We have now opened entries for the OCTOBER 2026 CBC League competition. Register your teams now, through the link below.
• https://www.myabf.com.au/events/congress/view/4790
When is it?
Monday 12 October and Monday 26 October.
Each session starts at 6-30 PM at the Club and will conclude at 9-00 PM
Players should aim to arrive by 6-20PM at the latest!
Can you help us find team-mates?
There are no guarantees but we are always prepared to assist. If you need help securing team-mates, please contact Elizabeth or Steve.
What if I have further questions?
If you have any questions, you can speak to Steve at the club or via email:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Online Lessons
The next online lesson with Will Jenner-O'Shea is on Thursday 8th October at 9:30am.
This lesson is on Raising Responder Suit with only 3 Trumps.
CardPlay Wednesday is back!
You can come with a regular partner or on your own – players will be accommodated as necessary.
- When? Wednesday 7th October
- What Time? 5-00 pm Until 6-30 pm (hopefully accessible to both daytime players and workers).
- How Much Does it Cost? $15 per session (charged through MyABF or paid by cash on the day).
- Who is it For? It is aimed at players who have recently transitioned from Supervised Play to B-Grade as well as B-Grade players who may find that they have a clear understanding of system but have received less assistance in how to actually play the cards. In terms of difficulty is it intended to be slightly easier than the workshops William Jenner-O’Shea runs from time to time at the club.
- What is the Format? There will be a brief (ten minute) introduction to a topic of cardplay followed by six to eight hands where the bidding will be provided and participants will be able to put the lesson to work at the table. There will also be handouts with a half-page discussion on every hand explaining the relevant tricks, tips and principles.
There is no need to sign up, this is a walk in course.
Youth News
YOUTH EVENTS at a glance
October 16: RealBridge Youthish Night
October 23: Youthish Night
Saturday November 7: Trivia FUNdraiser
November 13: RealBridge Youthish Night
November 20: Youthish Night
December 5 - 6: NSW State Youth Championships
December 11: Youthish Night Christmas Special
CBC Trivia FUNdraiser
Saturday November 7, 2pm - 5pm
Start assembling friends and family for a FUNdraising Trivia Afternoon.
Cost is $50 per person which includes a plate of afternoon tea, a drink, and the sparkling repartee from our MCs, Will and V8.
Money raised from the Trivia Day will be used to help Youth players travel to events further afield such as country congresses.
Youthish Night - monthly on Fridays from 4:30pm til late
Do you know someone 30 or under who would enjoy playing bridge? Bring them along to Youthish Night, it’s free and there are plenty of snacks and a pizza dinner and you can stay too!
Contact CBC Youth Coordinator Suz Wilkinson This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions
Youth Triathlon
If you were at the club this week, it would have been hard to miss the youth players who assembled for the 2026 Australian Youth Bridge Triathlon.
On Sunday Will ran a whole day of training and development. Then there was a Goulash (where the hands are wildly distributional).
Monday saw two sessions of pairs followed by training and Crazy Pairs in the evening. In Crazy pairs, we add rules to the play for example, play proceeds anti-clockwise or the second highest card in the trick wins.
On Tuesday was the Teams event. And on Wednesday there was the Individual competition (where you play with everyone one else which is a crazy movement!). We also fit in some sightseeing, visiting the Royal Australian Mint and Floriade.
Finally, today, players were paired with an advanced partner “Pro-Am” (Professional - Amateur) and played in the club session. Thanks to all the pros who gave their time to play - Stephen Fischer, David Appleton, Brad Coles and Jillian Hay. It is really meaningful for youth players to get this support and encouragement.
