Did you know that Bingo is currently played by over 3 million people in the UK and the advent of online Bingo has seen over 100 million people playing live around the world?

Legend has it that the game originated in Italy in the 1500s and later became popular with the French aristocracy. Its name has changed many times over the centuries, but the premise has remained the same; cover all the numbers on your card before anyone else to win.

I know that the perception of Bingo is that it’s a little outdated and I am aware that coming from a group of care home residents it might sound a little cliché, but I’m just going to say it, “we love a game of Bingo at Timken Grange.” We take part in some lovely activities; we learn new things and we get to express our creativity but when all is said and done you cannot beat a game of Bingo.

Bingo is a regular weekly event; we look forward to it. We get together, we drink tea, eat cake and win chocolate bars. It’s fabulous.

The team always makes it such fun; we’ve educated them in the language of Bingo, and we giggle as they try to remember it.

Many of us ladies have been playing the game for decades, but we didn’t see too many men in the Bingo Hall on a Sunday night. It’s very different now. The men love to join in, I don’t know if it’s for the enjoyment of the game or the chocolate but it’s nice to have them along. 

Maybe it’s the thrill of the win or the warmth of the familiarity of it all but we really do look forward to our weekly game.