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The Trustees of English Bridge Education & Development have committed their time as volunteers because they want to build a generation of new bridge players, who can both derive pleasure and gain benefit from the game - and are now developing detailed programmes to support the charity’s objectives.

Ian Sidgwick, Chair of Trustees

Bridge is one of the best things that I learnt at school. Later I played at university, joining the student team and became secretary of the Bridge Society and team captain. Apart from some social bridge during the early eighties when an expat in Nigeria I didn’t play for over 30 years, then I came back to it and my enthusiasm instantly returned. I’m President of my county association here in Gloucestershire and an elected board member of the EBU.

My career was mostly in the pharmaceutical industry moving from production to supply chain to international procurement, I also delivered in-house training courses in Europe, North America and Japan. My last 10 years of employment was as purchasing director for The Jockey Club. Now retired but busy.

Bridge is such a great game, so many more people would benefit from learning it. I wish to contribute to achieving that.

William Bourne - Treasurer

William started playing bridge at school and like so many others came back to it later in life. He now plays at Tunbridge Wells and Crowborough bridge clubs. He has been a member of EBED’s Youth Advisory Group since 2016 and ran the Autumn Bridge Camp on behalf of Sussex CCBA from 2018 to 2023.  He was awarded the Tom Bradley award for services to Youth Bridge in 2022.  Away from bridge he acted as independent chair of two public sector pension boards from 2015 to 2023 and currently provides independent investment and governance advice - on occasion including challenge - to public pensions and charities.   He hopes to use the same skillset as an EBED Trustee, and as Treasurer to keep it on a sustainable financial path in the longer term.

Tony Cherrett

Tony learned bridge at school and has played ever since. Tony has been teaching bridge in Surrey for 12 years. He organises bridge events and is currently working with EBED on planning a revamped Junior Autumn Camp. He is a member of the Surrey committee. He also runs Caterham and By the Wey Bridge Clubs. 

Tony had a career in IT and International Banking. This involved much international travel and addressing many interesting management and technical problems.

Tony believes we should encourage as many people as possible to play bridge at any level.

Lynne Ballinger

Lynne loves teaching bridge and gets a buzz from seeing students’ progress in their learning. She has a wealth of experience in teaching Adults and Children and has recently retired as an IT Programme Manager. Lynne is a board member of the Stratford-upon -Avon Bridge Club . She passionately believes we need to get more people playing and learning bridge at every level.

Andrea Knox

Andrea is an ex-City Solicitor and Licensed Insolvency Practitioner who runs a niche commercial law firm and plays bridge ‘to relax’. She escaped London 20+ years ago and moved to Llandudno where she rebuilt a derelict farmhouse overlooking the Irish Sea and the Snowdonia mountain range. She lives there with her husband Martin Garvey (whom she met through bridge) and their 3 naughty collies Blarney, Dave and Basil.
Andrea is the current President of the Welsh Bridge Union and Co-President of the fictitious LlanBrighton Bridge Union. She has represented Wales in 3 Lady Milnes and plays in most ACBL Nationals these days and many English Irish events as well as in Wales.
She believes that bridge should be enjoyable, inclusive and accessible and has instigated various new Welsh Bridge Union fun competitions including the annual free Pro-Learner STRICTLY COME TEACHING with glitterball trophy prizes, black tie optional (!!) and the free CAKE CLUB each month for social players. In partnership with Oliver Cowan Bridge Events she also set up the monthly online green pointed DRAGON PAIRS and Andrea and Oliver organise the annual LLANBRIGHTON BRIDGE CONGRESS in Brighton where on the Friday night players compete for the Cymrose Trophy (Wales vs Rest of the World) – a massive cuddly dragon trophy! – followed by Pel Cyflym – Speedball with a Welsh twist to the tune of Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey!!
Andrea is particularly keen to encourage juniors as her eldest grandson has just started to play!

Nicola Bainbridge

Alongside a career in IT, managing some large, high profile and complex projects, Nicky has been playing bridge for over fifty years.
Nicky has been teaching bridge for over twenty years. She qualified as an English Bridge Union Teachers Association teacher in February 2005.
Nicky teaches online and face to face, from beginners to coaching club players. She has a wealth of well-tried materials and teaches either in courses of ten lessons or as weekly seminars or as individual crafted sessions.
Nicky qualified as a Club Tournament Director in 2004 and as a County Director in 2011.
In April 2010, Nicky founded Heart of England Bridge Club. After 15 years, the Club is winding down, but Nicky is still teaching and running gentle bridge.
On the Northamptonshire Contract Bridge Association Committee for three years, Nicky served as shareholder, vice chairman and chairman and is presently a shareholder.