When planning activities for your Melbourne Cup day function, don't forget to check out the bargains available through one of our sponsors, Get Wines Direct.  These can be delivered to your Club direct.

Your Club will receive a further 7% off already heavily discounted wines and your State/Territory Association will receive 3% of total sales within their Region.

For an extra $2 per bottle, you can arrange to have the wine labelled with your Club or function details.   These would make great prizes for any competitions you may have planned.

Please support those who support our sport and HAVE FUN on the day!

PS: Don't forget to let your local community newspaper know if you are planning an event.  You may get free promotion for your Club - projecting as a fun place to be.

Bar-b-que cards are now available for use by ABF affiliated clubs. These are business card sized, double-sided cards which you can provide to members to give to family and/or friends who may be interested in learning bridge.

The cards allow for Club information (name / contact details / date of lessons) to be stamped on the back.

If you would like to order some for your Club (see sample by clicking here) then please email the ABF National Marketing Officer at marketing@abf.com.au .

Anyone wishing to apply for a Marketing Special Project Grant for 2015 needs to have their application in by 10 October 2014.

The objective of the program is to implement initiatives for 'restricted' level players - however, any worthy proposal that does not involve the restricted level will be considered.

Guidelines have been developed and can be accessed here.

Joan Butts, the ABF National Teaching Coordinator, will be conducting the final ABF Teacher Training Program (the how to teach) for this year on 25-26 October at the Queensland Contract Bridge Club in Brisbane.  This is free for attendees. 

Details about the week-end workshop can be accessed here.

A Continuing Professional Development workshop (the what to teach) will be held on Sunday 23 November at the Toowong Bridge Club in Brisbane.  This is also free for attendees.

Details about this workshop can be accessed here.

Attendance at the Continuing Professional Development workshop will attract 10 points towards ABF Teacher Accreditation.

The Moreton-Bribie Bridge Club (Queensland) had an article published in their local paper about card sharp Dorothy - a 90 year old lady who took up bridge in her 80s.

The Beenleigh Logan Bridge Club (Queensland) had an article published promoting some upcoming free lessons.

As at 31 July 2014, the masterpoints profile of members of ABF affiliated clubs was as follows:

0-100 masterpoints - 71.37% (Novice category)

100-300 masterpoints -15.63% (Restricted category)

300+ masterpoints -13% (Open category)

Total membership:  35,632

This data reinforces the need for all of us to help make newer players enjoy our sport - particularly if we want to grow our numbers in our Clubs and at our tournaments!

The Victorian Bridge Association and the Waverley Bridge Club offer their members a loyalty discount. 

The idea is that they sell a book of vouchers for their duplicate sessions at a discount to the price of paying for those sessions one at a time.

Information about the program can be accessed here.

Have you Liked the ABF Facebook page yet?  It is a great way to keep up-to-date with information about our sport.

Australian Facebook statistics, as at July 2014, reveal:

Total Users:  13,400,000 (up 200,000 from June)

Penetration of population:  59.08%

Gender Split (M/F) :  46.2% / 53.8%

Largest Age Segment:  25-34 (26.8%)