Aims and benefits of the EBU | English Bridge Union

The stated objectives of the EBU include:

“To work to elevate and maintain the status, and procure the advancement, of the game of Bridge in England”.
“To promote, organise and manage, or provide for the promotion, organisation and management, of contests, competitions and congresses”.

EBU provides

The infrastructure for the game, ensuring that fairness operates at every level, so you know you will be playing by the same laws and regulations in any affiliated club, local or national tournament.
Support, and provide services to, its constituent counties, and to affiliated clubs, to facilitate the provision of bridge at a club and county level.
Tournaments, congresses and competitions for players of all levels.
Tournament director training, both at a national level, and also at a club level in conjunction with the charity English Bridge Education and Development CIO (EBED)
Teacher training, via EBED, to encourage more people to learn, improve and take part in the game.
Development of education programmes for schoolchildren, students and adults (via EBED).
Selection, support, training and practice for all our international teams, which range from Under-16s to Seniors.
The National Grading System (NGS) - a method of providing a current grading for all of our members. This has proved very popular with our members.
A Master Point scheme, providing ranks for lifetime achievement in bridge.
An archive of historical bridge magazines going back to the early days of bridge in England. The official magazines of the EBU are available online at www.ebu.co.uk/englishbridge.
A library at our office in Aylesbury available for members to browse during normal office hours.

The EBU is at the forefront of publicising and promoting bridge nationally.

It provides press releases to all the national media.
It works with local, regional and national magazines and newspapers, websites, and radio and television stations, to try to ensure appropriate media coverage of bridge events.
It publishes a bi-monthly magazine delivered to all eligible members and this is also available online to eligible members for download to tablets etc.
It maintains a presence on social media, including Facebook and Twitter.

Developing an awareness of the social benefits of bridge at national government level through its work with the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Social Benefits of Bridge.
Co-operating with other agencies in the scientific investigation, and publicising, of the health benefits of playing bridge: increased mental fitness, reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease, enhanced immune system, benefits associated with a healthy social life, etc. (work being done in conjunction with EBED).

The EBU offers additional benefits to individual members, and to affiliated clubs. See our website for more information: