THE Sobell Bridge Club, based at Mount Vernon Hospital in Northwood, has raised £43,000 for Michael Sobell Hospice this financial year.

Doug Edmonds, its chairman, presented the final quarter’s cheque of £9,000 to Lindsey Fealey, Sobell chief executive, at the club’s Sunday evening session at the weekend.

The club was set up in May 1992 with two main aims, to provide an opportunity for those bereaved or alone to meet socially in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, as well as encouraging members to support the work of Michael Sobell Hospice.

The club has grown from a membership of 30 to more than 350 in 23 years, with 1,375 people visiting it over that time.

It has raised more than £700,000 for the hospice since it was founded.

In its early days, the club was held in church halls, a cricket club and in the hospice seminar room, but, as its popularity grew, it needed a permanent home large enough to cope with an increasing membership.

The club created a building fund, which allowed it to part-finance a new building on the Mount Vernon site to be used by the fund-raising and education team.

This site included a large hall able to accommodate the bridge club. The premises opened in 2007.

The club is run by volunteers and is open five nights a week, except Wednesday and Saturday.

It offers 12-week sessions for Beginners and Improvers, with tuition and supervised play, as well as a number of Duplicate Bridge nights. The club also organises bridge weekends.

For more information, visit the website at www.sobell-bridge.org.uk or call Doug Edmonds on 01923 829845.