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ECF Support for Grassroots Chess Development

With the Grassroots Initiative launching in July 2024 we are now approaching the 2nd Anniversary with a reasonable amount of the 10,000 pounds allocated to the East of England left. This money needs to be spent and please, if you have something suitable for a grant submit it as soon as possible.

ECF are currently reviewing the Initiative but are unlikely to provide further funds if there are unspent funds suggesting a lack of demand/interest.

This year the grants have been mainly to schools and Junior clubs. Mick Riding has been publishing updates in Chessmoves and in this months issue they feature some grants made in the East of England.

Any applications are now considered on a rolling basis rather than quarterly. See the updated page on the ECF website ECF Grassroots Initiative English Chess Federation

Prospectus 5.1 can be downloadedd here

As always if you have any questions or wish for advice then contact me: j.r.wickham@btinternet.com .

Some things to consider:

1. Provide as much details as you can on the application form and answer all questions

2. Ensure you indicate the amount required and the date it you need it

3. Make sure you sell your initiative and justify the request

4. The funds are for new initiatives and not to replace a clubs old stocks (e.g. clocks or sets and boards where the old items are still serviceable)

However, where a club has a reason to acquire new equipment which cannot be funded via club funds then an application may be considered but you need to make a case for it and justify it.

5. We are looking for sustainability and may seek a buy in by not making a 100% grant.

A reminder about the details of the initiative below.:

I am the Coordinator for the East of England which comprises 6 counties (Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex) and all applications to the fund are sent to me for approval. In cases where I have a conflict of interest I have some assistants to whom I can refer.

Individuals, Clubs and Organisations can apply using the application form https://britchess.wufoo.com/forms/ecf-grassroots-chess-initiative/ Please note that I cannot accept applications sent direct to me. Remember to indicate the East of England as your region.

The prospectus outlines the process and give a guide on the types of grants. You will need to justify your application and please ensure you complete all section of the application form as detailed as possible. If accepted you will be asked to provide follow up information on how the project was implemented and what the outcomes were.

Forthcoming Events

Paul Kemp has kindly produced a brief summary of a number of local events in the spring, that you or your club juniors may be interested in. Please circulate to all that may be interested.

2026 Spring Events

2026 Chess Calendar

Cambridgeshire Rapidplay 2026 27th September

Entries for the 2026 Cambridgeshire Rapid Play at Whittlesford are now being taken.

Entry form can be dowloaded here

Alternatively we can take entries online

Cambridgeshire Individual Championship 2026

November 28th - 29th

Entry form can be download from here

Anglian Learning Chess Academy for Under 16

EACU 6th FIDE Rated Chess Congress

Entry form can be downloaded from here

Online entry via the link here

The British Rapidplay Championships was held March 14th & 15th in Peterborough. Results to follow.

New Venue & Clubs

March

Northstowe

Wisbech U3A - meet in the afternoon.

Wisbech

SEASON RESULTS

Current Season 2025-2026

Jamboree 2025
A very successful Jamboree was held on the 20th May at St.Ives. It was a good event with 10 teams entering, and Linton getting revenge over St Ives for last year's defeat.

Pictures in the Gallery

Past Seasons

CAMBRIDGESHIRE INDIVIDUAL 2024
Results to follow

FIDE RATED CAMBRIDGE TOURNAMENT FEBRUARY 2024

The 2nd Cambridge International Open was held from 19th to 25th February 2024. Results here

NEW MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

A new version of the ECF League Management System will be in use this year and thIs site will reference that for results throughout the season. I must take this opportunity to thank Dave Wild whose East Anglian Chess Results site has been SO valuable in the years I have run this site. Thank you for all your hard work.

Cambridgeshire AGM

Details of the 2025 AGM to follow

Previous AGM Minutes

Constitution from the meeting held on Tuesday, 27th June are now available.

AGM Minutes 2022
AGM helds at St Neots June 2023

NEW PUBLICATION

The Southern Counties Chess Union - a restropsective
by Anthony Fulton.

Published in May of this year you may be interested in this publication which also references Cambridgeshire.

Details can be downloaded from here.

Previous Season Results

SEASON 2021-25

Congratulations to the winners of the various tournaments.

The results of previous seasons are available from the various club pages as pdf files which can be viewed, saved or printed. They are taken from the C4 site and provide a permanent record of the matches & players.

As of July 1st 2022 the East Anglian Chess Results site is closing and we will be using the ECF League Management System.

Peterborough Chess Club have a new Venue. 31.03.22

CHRIS ROSS

Many players in the Cambridgeshire League will know of and have played against Chris over the years. He has just finished his first book, Blind Faith and hopefully you might be interested in purchasing a copy of this splendid publication. From Chris he says...

I am emailing to hopefully bring some small amount of joy and excitement into our world. After some considerable time, I have finally managed to pull together a manuscript, that may bring some enlightenment into some of you. Most of you will be aware that I have occasionally sent out annotations to my games. It has been a fascinating journey over the past quarter of a century and how far I have travelled and developed. Such a demonstrative passage.

I have decided to share that experience and wondrous journey with the world now and have created an inspiring volume. I sincerely hope that you will find it both instructive and developmental.

The book has now been opened up for pre-order purchasing. We are having a period of pre-order purchasing, so that we can gauge to how many printed versions will be required. Naturally, the printed version is more expensive than the E-book version. Those wishing for a signed copy of the book simply need to indicate to me that they wish for this. This may incur a few extra days delay in receiving the volume, but those wishing for the signed copy, notify me accordingly.

The date of release is 09 May. Those ordering the E-book version will be sent this on that precise date.

The links that you require to pre-order this book are given below.

Paperback edition:
https://steelcitypress.co.uk/product/blind-faith/

E-book edition:
https://steelcitypress.co.uk/product/blind-faith-ebook/