A LIVELY evening of bingo brought the community together in Audenshaw, raising £435 for Christ Church in Ashton-under-Lyne.
Those in attendance at The Snipe Inn pub enjoyed food and games to support the church on Oldham Road.
The fundraiser featured bingo with a twist – chocolate prizes for a line and bottles for a full house – organised by Karen and David Eato.
Deputy church wardens Sue and Colin Brooks helped to raise £113 through a raffle alone, while Sue ensured guests were well fed by serving pies that quickly became a highlight of the night.
Church wardens Barbara Gaskin and Stenton Withnall were among those attending and said they had a lovely evening.
Thanking those who came along, David expressed his appreciation, with Karen adding that it was a fantastic event.
Looking ahead, Sue highlighted the importance of continued fundraising efforts to support the church.
She said: “Everyone had a good time, and we were so pleased by the turnout considering the truly awful weather. The pie from Williams in Ashton Market went down a storm. Watch out for further fundraising events including the Easter Raffle, which will be drawn on April 5 and the Summer Fair on July 19 from 11.30am to 3.30pm.”
The evening also included a special moment as attendees sang happy birthday to Elizabeth Travis, a long-serving Sunday School Superintendent and PCC member known for giving children two tubes of Smarties on their birthdays – a tradition fondly remembered by many.
The venue was made available thanks to parishioner Paul Carpenter, with guests also thanking his daughter Kate Carpenter for hosting the event.
We reported last October that the historic Christ Church – founded in 1846 – was appealing for public support amid fears it could close by the end of the decade.
With strong community backing, the congregation will hope this will be just one of many successful events to help secure the building’s future.