Eyes Down... It's the REACH Across Charity Bingo Night

B. I. N. G. O .G .O. It's time to go to Bingo🎶 We preview the recently announced Charity Bingo Night!

Whether it's at a club night or on the bus home from an activity day, there's few things REACH Across members get stuck into more than a good game of Bingo! The same goes for the REACH Across volunteers, who have decided to organise a REACH Across Charity Bingo Night as a fundraiser for the youth club.

From Idea to "Eyes Down"...

Having come through REACH Across as a member herself, Shannon Doherty returned as a volunteer earlier this year, with an immediate passion to help with

fundraising for REACH Across and a strong determination to put on a bingo fundraiser event.

With the club's summer programme in the rear window, Shannon got the ball rolling on the event, getting Boyle Bingo Strand on board to run the event and the City Hotel picked out as the venue. The momentum continued with other leaders chipping in, helping to arrange entertainment for the evening, as well as donations and sponsorships from friends of REACH Across and local businesses.

We asked Shannon about where this passion for fundraising came from:

What gave you the idea for a charity bingo night?

"Well if you know me, you know I love fundraising and love organising events. There's just something about it that I love doing! I've ran a few in the past for my children’s school and for Ward 6 who looked after my son when he was critically ill. I enjoyed doing them and there's a great buzz about them, I love doing things for people and being able to give something back.

Shannon has been fundraising since she was a member - including the annual Sponsored Sleep Out

I was a past member off reach across and now a leader so I know the opportunities and the life skills they give young people as I was given them when I was a member. But you have to remember it doesn’t come free, nothing does! So I decided that I wanted to give something back to reach as it gave me these life skills and a lot of opportunities and still does. It makes me proud to be involved in it and I want to run this bingo night to be able to lift some weight off the club's shoulders to raise money to help with the costs of running things and to help give young people in the community better opportunities!

What can people expect on the night of the reach across charity bingo fundraiser?

Well lots off craic and a night to enjoy and socialise, with not just your friends, but a chance to meet the people behind REACH Across who give the young people all these opportunities! It will also help to get the word out there about REACH Across and what we do for young people and to continue building on our relationship with local people and businesses, to make more people aware of the club!

Starting the Celebrations Early

Holding the charity bingo night towards the tail end of 2024 will give REACH Across an event to build upon as we head into 2025, where we will celebrate our 30th anniversary as a cross-community youth organisation. Expect more celebratory events and fundraisers as we use next month's fundraiser as a benchmark for the forthcoming year!

Some of those involved in REACH Across over the years gathered for the 20th Anniversary celebration event

On Thursday 28th November, we're expecting 300 people to come together for a fantastic night of bingo, prizes, competitions, music, craic and most importantly to help raise funds so that the club can continue to offer opportunities for cross-community contact for local young people through activities promoting social and personal development and holistic growth of our young people!

If you or your business are a interested in supporting the work of REACH Across through donation or sponsorship, please get in touch.