Fancy calling house from your house? Join street bingo!

With the nationwide lockdown actioned back in March, and another looming above us, it has been heartwarming to see the ways in which communities have come together to support each other and beat the boredom. At the end of March, we saw one man hold a socially-distanced bingo game for his street!

A similar story of great community spirit comes from the Gillespie’s in Cleator Moor in Cumbria. Eric, 57, and Christine, 58, have been hosting a weekly bingo night on Tuesdays for their neighbours on Priory Drive, raising both money and spirits at the same time. It makes a change from hitting up your favourite online bingo site.

The Gillespie’s came up with the idea at the beginning of lockdown and the community has been supporting the events and getting involved for four months now, come rain or shine! Once there was even a downpour and the residents of Priory Drive simply brought out their umbrellas and carried on daubing. There are roughly 50 or 60 neighbours coming out every week! Now that is community spirit.

With hot dogs and home-made soup, crisps and fizzy drinks all on offer this community goes all out for the weekly event. With the bingo raffle, neighbours are paying £10 for a line and £25 for house across four games every Tuesday evening this community is raising big money for good causes. 

They’ve even done a collection for the local food bank where they “collected four or five big boxes off Priory Drive and there are only about 40 houses (there are three cul-de-sacs and the street itself).”

Eric and Christine haven’t only just started on their charity venture, each year they decorate their house and host games in the garden, collecting donations throughout. Over the last 20 years they have raised around £20,000 for the children’s ward at West Cumberland Hospital. 

If you agree with us and think this is a brilliant idea, why not get involved yourself and host your own street bingo night, or even a virtual bingo night with friends? There is no better way to get your friends, family, or even neighbours all together and having fun!