Deck the Halls with Bingo Balls!

The heart of Keswick was aglow with Christmas spirit on Monday 4^th December, as the Skiddaw Hotel, part of the esteemed Lake District Hotels group, hosted a magical festive bingo night to benefit Jigsaw, Cumbria's Children's Hospice. The event, which was held at the centrally located Skiddaw Hotel, successfully raised an impressive £441 for this vital cause.

Jigsaw, Cumbria's Children's Hospice, provides invaluable end-of-life care to terminally ill children and crucial support to their families. The family-owned Lake District Hotels group has proudly championed this cause since late 2022 when it was selected as the group’s charity of the year - and the festive bingo night was yet another remarkable milestone in their ongoing commitment.

The evening was filled with excitement as 67 guests gathered to partake in three rounds of bingo and the opportunity to enjoy a sumptuous festive meal of pie, mash, and gravy. Several attendees used the occasion to host their corporate Christmas gatherings.

"Christmas is a time for giving and spreading joy, which is why we hosted this event—not only to support our fantastic charity of the year, Jigsaw, but also to provide our guests with the opportunity to have some fun and embrace the festive spirit!" Dani Hope, Director of Lake District Hotels told us.

Attendees were given the chance to win an array of festive goodies including gin crackers from the Lakes Distillery, bottles of fine wine courtesy of Grapevine, and the grand prize which every guest had their eyes set on - a delectable whole turkey which was generously donated by Caterite and weighed over 6kg. Brian Watterson, a resident of Keswick, struck gold as the fortunate recipient of the jackpot prize.

The merriment didn't stop there however—Father Christmas himself took on the role of bingo caller for the night, which added an extra touch of festive magic to the proceedings. Guests were delighted to capture moments with the festive icon as he made his way around the beautifully decorated Greta Suite.

The night continued with other engaging fundraising games, including an enticing raffle offering prizes like a giant cuddly giant teddy bear and bottles of sparkling fizz; plus a game of ‘Heads or Tails’ where each guest could donate £2 into a pot, with half the money going to Jigsaw and the other half directly to the winner of the game.

“The Skiddaw Hotel extends heartfelt gratitude to all participants, donors and supporters who made this event an outstanding success” said Neels Ferreira, General Manager of the Skiddaw Hotel.

As part of their ongoing commitment to Jigsaw, Lake District Hotels will continue their support with an upcoming Christmas Dog Walk on Friday 15th December, hosted by the Kings Arms Hotel in Keswick. This free-to-attend event is another fantastic opportunity to contribute to this worthy cause through on-the-day donations.

Commencing in 2024, the Skiddaw Hotel will include an increased frequency of these bingo nights and also present guests with an exclusive opportunity to reserve the venue for private bingo functions.