From the 2nd to the 4th of September EBED held its Junior Summer Camp at King’s Park conference centre, near Northampton.

It was the first EBED camp since 2019, and as much as online bridge has been vital to get us all through Covid, there is no substitute for face to face bridge, particularly when it comes to young players.

Fifty children and young adults (ages 8 to 18), from absolute beginners to junior internationals, gathered for a weekend of bridge and a lot more.

Training sessions were intense, and all the teachers were impressed with the effort all learners put into it. I would like to personally thank Alan, Bernie, Holly, Michael, Nicky and Sally, who all donated their time and shared their knowledge and passion for the game. Without them – and EBED staff, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes – the camp would not have been the great success that it was.

Two duplicate sessions and speedball on both nights gave everyone a chance to compete and test themselves.

When not playing bridge, the kids enjoyed roller skating, football, rounders, table tennis and pool. Judging from the noises coming from the rooms in the dormitories, some unsanctioned pillow fighting went on as well! A quiz, masterfully conducted by Michael, wrapped up the proceedings, just before prize-giving.

The camp also saw the conclusion of the first edition of the Grand Prix. This new competition comprises of six events – three face to face and three online – played all year round. The wonderful prizes were donated by the Makers of Playing Cards Charity, a long-time partner of EBED, and the overall winner of the GP was the U16 England superstar Charlotte “Lottie” Bedford (pictured above with Michael Byrne presenting the trophy).

The next edition of the Grand Prix will begin in earnest in October, at the Autumn Junior Bridge Camp, run by William Bourne.

See all photos from the event (opens in new window)
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