Bingo Blanche breaks charity landmark
For nearly 11 years she has been calling out 'Clickety click, 66,' and 'Two fat ladies, 88,' to raise more than �30,000 for good causes.Blanche Gibbs has been described as a community 'star' after she broke the �30,000 fundraising landmark by organising her latest bingo night at Ludham, near Great Yarmouth.
FOR nearly 11 years she has been calling out 'Clickety click, 66,' and 'Two fat ladies, 88,' to raise more than �30,000 for good causes.
Blanche Gibbs has been described as a community 'star' after she broke the �30,000 fundraising landmark by organising her latest bingo night at Ludham, near Great Yarmouth.
Because of her regular bingo nights the 78-year-old has raised vital funds to help the air ambulance and schools, charities and voluntary groups in the area.
Mrs Gibbs decided to hold charity bingo nights in August 1999 after a young boy was knocked over by a car in Stalham and thought it would be nice to support the air ambulance which attended the incident,
Since then she has gone on to organise more than 100 nights of bingo fun, which often see up to 50 people try to win prizes in Ludham's church rooms. She also buys all the prizes, such as food hampers and soap powder.
Yesterday Mrs Gibbs' efforts were praised by North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb, who had presented her with an MP's Heroes award in August 2008 to mark her achievements.
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Mr Lamb said: “She is a remarkable woman and a real star. She is an absolute example to us all for putting others before herself - while entertaining a lot of people on the way.”
Mrs Gibbs said: “When I started 11 years ago I never thought I would still be going today.
“The reason I think the bingo nights are popular is because it gives people somewhere to go and socialise and have fun.
“I hope to keep going until I am 100 at least.”
Mrs Gibbs' next bingo night at the Ludham church rooms starts at 7.30pm on Tuesday, June 22.
