BGA Membership Drive 2012

This year, the BGA is making a concerted effort to attract new players to the game of go by encouraging new go clubs to form in Universities and Colleges. We are asking as many as possible of our existing go clubs to consider sponsoring a new club in their local University or College by running a “go stall” at the “Freshers’ Fair” event in October, and helping any interested students to set up a new Go club and get it established.

The BGA will support any of our clubs who are willing to take part.

Setting up a go stall at a Fresher’s Fair

Clubs taking part first need to identify a Go player in the University or College, staff or student, to take the lead in arranging for a “Go stall” at the Freshers’ Fair event. You will need some Go equipment to demonstrate the game. Your club may already have some equipment. However, the BGA can supplement this with some basic demonstration sets. These are 9x9 laminated cardboard sets with plastic stones (five sets for £20) plus some “Play Go” booklets. These sets are useful at a busy event because students interested in the game can simply try it out for themselves.

“Sign up” as many interested students as possible.

Equipment for a new club.

A new go club will need boards and stones. The BGA has arranged with Pentangle Games, our preferred supplier, to offer a “Go Club Starter Pack” consisting of five good quality 19x19 wooden boards and stones plus one or two go books for beginners for a total price of £250. Of this the BGA will pay £50.

If sufficient students have signed up to show interest, we expect there is a good chance that the university will be willing to pay the remaining £200 to buy the equipment.

Continuing support

You will then need to support the new club by occasional visits for informal tuition, etc. until it is fully established.

Contact us!

If you are interested in taking part in this scheme, let me know and we can discuss what more the BGA can do to help. For example, we may be able to identify local BGA members who can assist at the Freshers’ Fair event.

Colin Maclennan
020 8941 1607
colin.maclennan@btopenworld.com