You’ve heard of online bingo helping charities raise money with a percentage or bonus going to a particular cause but a group of pro-active rowers have used a bingo night as part of a big group effort to raise money for their rowing club in Portland! So all those involved in the excitement of the bingo hall helped the club to fund a new boat and kit for the club.
The clubs fundraising target is £33,000 so the bingo night that raised £450 at the Wyke Regis Working Men’s Club was just a small contribution to the overall target but to steal a line from a famous British supermarket - ‘Every little helps’. As well as bingo they have been coming up with lots of other innovative ideas to help crack their target sum such as a quiz night and charity auction evening also held in the local community. A big amount of the costs have been funded by a really generous lottery grant from Sport England too- £10,000 to be exact! They’re not stopping there either – the fundraising efforts are just getting better with the next thing on the cards being a Gig night. With a buffet and great live music this night is sure to be as successful as the others!
This great determination just shows what people can do when they put their heads together and knuckle down. Community spirit and things such as local fundraising bingo nights are a rarity these days so it is really charming to see this Portland rowing club fundraiser bringing people together in such a way. Who knew that calling out the bingo numbers could benefit British sport? The wooden rowing boat is well on its way with all the combined efforts – bingo included- already tallying their fundraising total at more than £12,200.
So for any other clubs looking for a way to raise some money for kit or equipment Portland Gig Rowing Club has set a great example to follow, from bingo to lottery grants they’ve done a great job in their labours to raise the cash.