The Diamond Bridge Team

Carole Yates & Mike Swanson

Mike was born and brought up in West London. He went to Liverpool University in 1969 and in 1971 he met Maureen at the University Bridge Club. Mike and Maureen were married in 1974 but have no children (no time!). Maureen worked as a GP for 15 years before moving on. She retired from the post of Medical Director for Western Cheshire Primary Care Trust in 2013 and gave up all part-time work commitments in early 2018. Maureen's main achievement in life is probably transforming Mike away from a love of Tottenham to become an avid Liverpool supporter; they have season tickets for Anfield and go to matches there whenever they can. Maureen tends to accompany Mike on the Diamond Bridge cruises.

Mike worked for several years in Liverpool in the Civil Service, firstly in National Savings and then in the Job Centre, where he ran the Hotel & Catering section. His last "real" job was managing what was then the biggest government scheme in the country for young unemployed people.

In 1983 he was approached to set up a private bridge club in Birkenhead on the Wirral. The club was a tremendous success numerically but only modestly so financially. However, it led to other things, including his rise to the top of the Tournament Directing ladder in record time and offers to run bridge holidays. Mike was responsible for setting up the national scheme of Tournament Director Training courses and qualifications. He was also a regular columnist for many years  in English Bridge magazine with his “John & Julie” articles.

Despite enjoying travelling the world for all her working life, Carole still loves returning to her home in a Staffordshire village. She was married to her husband, Ray, for over fifty years, until he passed away in November 2018.

Carole’s elder daughter, Clair, lives just a stone’s throw away with her partner, Simon. Clair has inherited Carole’s love of travel and, whilst unattached, she used to join one of the Diamond Bridge cruises whenever she could get away from her busy job at a Birmingham Solicitors’ – in fact she became a member of the “One over the Eight” club, having never played bridge! Younger daughter, Becky, only lives a few miles further away and has been married to Julian since 2006.

Carole has been involved in travel for nearly all her working life, though her involvement with bridge only happened by accident. The travel agency at which she worked for 17 years was approached in the mid 80s to help organise some foreign bridge holidays. She found herself heavily involved in this aspect of the agency's work and ended up escorting the groups as well. From 1987 to 1989 Mike Swanson was employed as the sole Tournament Director for these holidays and in November 1989, after he decided to go his own way, he persuaded Carole to set up Diamond Bridge with him.

Now some 30 years on, Mike & Carole look back on the hundreds of exciting destinations they have visited, the funny events, the wonderful characters they have met,  the many  Diamond Bridge clients that have become good friends over the years - and think what a great job this is and look forward to meeting many more Diamond Bridge clients both old and new over the coming years.

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