Variety, the Children’s Charity, was thrilled when Gala Leisure, as part of the Bingo Association, launched a bingo game to raise £250,000 for the charity. Weeks before the game campaign ended, a staggering £315,000 had been raised. Then the numbers just went up and up, culminating in over £400,000 being donated to Variety.

Gala Leisure launched the game, called the Gala Charity Game, on May 31, last year and it ended on March 18 2018. A whopping 9.5 million games were played during that period and each game cost £1 to play. Gala Leisure donated 5p to Variety for every game purchased during the campaign.

Colleen Ettridge, Head of Fundraising at Variety, said:

“We are extremely grateful to Gala Clubs and their staff and members for so enthusiastically getting behind the charity game and raising such a fantastic amount for Variety.”

The generosity and enthusiasm of Gala’s staff and customers meant that £315,000 had been raised for Variety by December last year – just six months after the game was launched.

Weeks after Gala exceeded its £250,000 fundraising target by £65,000, star of Star Wars, Warwick Davis accepted a presentation cheque for £315,000 on behalf of Variety at the Gala Bingo Club in Peterborough.

Five other celebrities attended two cheque presentation events around the UK. They are comedian Stan Boardman, singer Michelle McManus, impressionist Joe Longthorne, singer Darren Day and comedian Bobby Davro, who joined Bingo enthusiasts in Swindon and Feltham.

Bobby Davro said:

“I’m delighted to be back at Gala Bingo Feltham celebrating staff and customers’ fantastic generosity in raising £315,000 for Variety. As a long-standing supporter of the charity, I know what a difference these funds will make to the lives of children throughout the UK.”

The money raised by Gala Bingo clubs will be used to fund Sunshine Coaches, specialist, sensory and medical equipment as well as grants to youth clubs in need of essential equipment.