Residents at Friends of the Elderly’s Luton Residential Care Home ‘Bang the Drum’ and Celebrate This Year’s National Bingo! Day
At Little Bramingham Farm, the Luton-based residential care home run by Charity, Friends of the Elderly, which is celebrating its 120th Anniversary this year, the residents have had a ‘Jump and Jive’ time celebrating this year’s National Bingo! Day.
“The residents never miss their weekly Bingo! games, it’s one of the most popular sessions on our wide and varied activities calendar,” said Emma Lawrance, the Registered Manager at Little Bramingham Farm. “Back on the 27th June 2021, National Bingo! Day was formally recognised in the UK and as the residents thoroughly enjoy their weekly Bingo! afternoons, we knew they’d love to ‘Rise and Shine’ and make ‘Time for Tea’ to celebrate the day’s anniversary.”
“National Bingo! Day is a day which is dedicated to commemorating, celebrating and of course, enjoying the wonderfully entertaining and inclusive game of Bingo,” added Karen Charity, Little Bramingham Farm’s Activity Coordinator. “The residents adore their Bingo! games, which can get rather competitive, but are always full of laughter and fun, so they needed no encouragement to have a special National Bingo! Day session.
“I set the room up so everyone can see me and I make sure I speak loudly and clearly so everyone can all hear me. I like to make sure that all the residents have time to check their Bingo cards and are up-to-speed with the numbers.” …
“For National Bingo! Day I thought it would be nice to give the residents a few fun facts, so I did a bit of research into the game,” continued Emma. “I was surprised to learn that quite a few celebrities are keen Bingo! players. Welsh actress, Catherine Zeta-Jones has played Bingo! since she was a child and, evidently, loved going to the Bingo! hall with her parents. Once, her parents won about £100,000 playing Bingo! and, with their winnings, sent Catherine to dance classes which allowed her to follow her childhood dreams.
“Other famous Bingo! enthusiasts are Sharon Osbourne, wife of rock singer Ozzy Osbourne, Robbie Williams, Supermodel Kate Moss, Mick Jagger and entertainer Shane Richie, who is – evidently – often seen at weekends in Bingo! halls playing the game.”
“At Little Bramingham Farm, we design a wide range of meaningful activities for the residents which are all created around their likes, preferences and favourite pastimes,” added Karen. “Playing Bingo! has many benefits for older people as it is a fun, interactive way for them to socialise, interact and laugh with each other. It also enhances hand-eye coordination and keeps players engaged and focused. Listening to the number being called, finding the corresponding number and marking or dabbing the appropriate number can also stimulate brain function.
“We have a variety of different Bingo! games in each session. We play One Line, Two Lines and, of course, the main attraction – A Full House. My favourite Bingo Call is ’46 – Up To Tricks’ as this always gets a giggle.”
Emma and Karen always make sure that there’s a wide range and variety of Bingo! prizes to hand out. “Our weekly Bingo! prizes range from nice smellies and toiletries for both ladies and gentlemen, chocolates and treats, to small bottles of bubbly or wine. The prizes change for our themed Bingo! sessions such as Easter, Halloween and Christmas,” continued Karen.
“It really was ‘Tickety-boo’ seeing how much the residents enjoyed the National Bingo! Day session, they were totally engaged and motivated – and best of all, they were laughing and joking, having a wonderful time,” concluded Emma.
