February 2018 | Local News
Build Bridge to Better health New research in Scotland has concluded that playing the card game bridge has a ‘statistically significant’ positive effect on wellbeing’.
LOCAL CLUBS The Bridge Club at Maccabi Youth & Sports Centre has Tuesday classes for beginners, Wednesdays for intermediates and Mondays are for improvers. E: bridge.eastren@gmail.com. Eastwood House Birdge is for beginners to intermediates. The sessions are Mondays 1pm to 4pm and Tuesdays 7.15pm to 10pm. T: 0141 639 2921
The Stirling University study, Individual Wellbeing and Bridge: An Empirical Analysis, reported on the findings of 7,000 bridge players. The scientists were interested in the theory that playing bridge delays the onset and reduces the severity of dementia. The report stated: “Bridge is a mind sport that, even at amateur level, requires much work in terms of developing bridge partnerships and strategies… “Players report high levels of subjective wellbeing, revealing they are optimistic about their future and the opportunities available to them, satisfi ed with the way their lives have turned out, sociable, unencumbered by money concerns and in control of their own lives.”
Another bridge group meets on Wednesdays and Thursdays at Williamwood High School, Clarkston. E: chrisnesbitt42@ googlemail.com. Now the university teams will address a further hypothesis that playing bridge can directly develop and maintain the neuronal pathways in the brain. Chris Nesbitt is a keen bridge player and a member of Bridge Club at Maccabi, Giffnock. He said: “I do believe that playing bridge is good for your mental health and aids mental agility. I would say it is never too late, or too early to start, with bridge.”
Katie Wolfson, of Eastwood House Bridge group, added that she was once told: “If you play bridge it is an investment in your age.” She added: “Studies over the years have shown that bridge can aid improved mental ability into your senior years. The other great advantages are that it’s a game for all levels and people from all walks of life. It is so sociable and you can play it anywhere.”
Informal Bridge classes are organised by the U3A on the first and third Tuesday of the month at Newton Mearns library. See u3asites.org.uk/ eastrenfrewshire/welcome St Josephs Bridge Club meets in the church hall Clarkston on Wednesday evenings and Friday lunchtimes. See www.bridgewebs.com/ stjosephsclarkston
NEWLANDS
ASSESSMENTS FOR NURSERY TO PREP 4 • TAKING PLACE NOW •
0141 342 5494 | theglasgowacademy.org.uk The Glasgow Academy is an educational charityregistered in Scotland: Charity Number SC 015368
32 | To advertise, call Debbie now on 0141 433 8140