Hartlepool bingo caller named a top charity champ

Mecca Bingo employee, Joe McMurdo, has been named the company’s charity champion for North East and North Yorkshire, thanks to his contributions.

The Hartlepool Mecca team helped raise an incredible £1.8million for the Carers Trust.

The partnership between Carers Trust and the Rank Group, which owns Mecca and Grosvenor Casinos, first began in February 2014.

Since then, its employees from Mecca Bingo in Hartlepool have taken part various charity initiatives and fundraising activities in the area.

Thanks to the relentless dedication of the teams and fantastic support from their customers in Hartlepool, Rank Group has achieved this remarkable milestone and hopes to pass the £2million mark in 2018.

Throughout the year, Joe, who is senior showhost at Mecca Hartlepool, has organised a range of fundraising events from in-club promotions to a tour of Mecca clubs on static bikes and overall has helped the club raise £2,000.

He said: “It’s a great privilege and honour to be recognised and rewarded for my fundraising efforts.

“It was a complete surprise when they announced that I had won. I am completely over the moon and cannot thank my colleagues at Mecca Hartlepool enough for helping raise a fantastic amount of money for such a deserving cause.

“Our customers are truly one-of-a-kind and without their support and generosity, we wouldn’t be celebrating this award.”

Steve Jones, general manager at Mecca Hartlepool: “We’re incredibly proud of the efforts of all or our team members and most importantly, our customers and everyone in Hartlepool who has dug deep into their pockets to help us to support such a worthwhile charity.

“The sad reality is that three in five people will become carers in the UK at some point in their lives and with seven million carers in the UK already, it’s crucial that there is funding available to provide the important support they need.

“We’re delighted to know that we have contributed in some way to the invaluable help the charity offers, and will continue our fundraising endeavours to ensure Carers Trust can carry on assisting the amazing people who desperately need their support.”

Giles Meyer, chief executive of Carers Trust, said: “We are overwhelmed by the fundraising efforts of Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca Bingo in Hartlepool. They have gone above and beyond once again and we’re delighted to continue our partnership into 2018.”