Charity bingo nights at the Best Western Palace Hotel & Casino raised a fantastic ?45,000 for good causes last year.

Forty-eight charity nights took place during the 12 months, with each raising funds for a different organisation.

Bingo host Vicki Bates explained: ‘Tickets are ?20 per person, which includes a buffet and 10 games of bingo, with cash prizes on offer. Income from Mechanical Coin Bingo (MCB) is also donated to the charity, with raffles and other fundraising activities also held in an effort to raise as much money as possible.

‘Charity nights are great fun for everyone involved, with players able to enjoy a relaxed atmosphere and support a worthy cause. Indeed, the nights are nearly as much fun for the bingo staff as they are for the players!’

Annette Briercliffe, of St Mary’s Lourdes Youth IOM, one of the many charities to benefit from the bingo nights, said: ‘These charity nights at the Palace Bingo are our biggest fundraisers; the last event we held at the beginning of 2012 raised just over ?2,000. The nights are always well-supported and everyone who attends has a great time.

‘St Mary’s Lourdes Youth send at least 25 young people from the Island to the pilgrimage site at Lourdes in France at the end of July each year, where they undertake voluntary work for a week with sick, disabled and elderly people.

Fundraisers such as the bingo nights are much appreciated, and help towards travel and accommodation costs for each young person going on the trip.’

Photo caption - Palace Bingo host Vicki Bates (left), Palace Casino General Manager Paul Castellucci and Annette Briercliffe, of St Mary’s Lourdes Youth IOM, one of the charities which benefitted from the fundraising nights at Palace Bingo. Also pictured, front row, left to right, are St Mary’s Lourdes Youth members Jonathan Aire, Meabh Kneen, and Alex McLoughlin