Hartlepool's Mecca Bingo providing around 70 meals a day for vulnerable residents

Hartlepool Mecca Bingo, at the Lanyard Warrior Retail Park, will be providing around 70 meals a day to people who usually access Hartlepool Borough Council’s Day Services.

Although the bingo club is currently closed as part of the national Covid-19 lockdown, staff decided they wanted to do their bit to support the local community.

The meals will be collected each day by drivers from the council’s Hartlepool Support Hub and delivered to the individual’s home address.

They will also be providing meals to the University Hospital of Hartlepool.

Lynne Butterworth, from Mecca Bingo Hartlepool, said: “In line with Government guidelines, all Mecca Bingo Clubs are closed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“But this doesn’t mean we can’t support our local community and we are delighted to be teaming up with Hartlepool Borough Council to help out by providing hot meals.

“We’re also providing meals to the University Hospital of Hartlepool and we’re pleased to be playing our own small part in the town’s response to Covid-19.

“This has been a real team effort and I would like to place on record my thanks to Michelle Doherty and Mark Dadson for their huge contribution and support to this work.”

Jill Harrison, director of adult and community based services at Hartlepool Borough Council, praised the efforts made by staff at the bingo club.

She said: “We’re very grateful to the team at Mecca Bingo for supporting us in this way.

“This is another example of people in Hartlepool coming together to support each other in times of need – something that has been particularly evident to us throughout the coronavirus outbreak.”

The hot food is not the first thing the Hartlepool bingo hall has done to provide support to people since the Covid-19 outbreak.

Last month, before lockdown, Mecca Bingo Hartlepool hosted a Facebook fitness class giving customers the chance to keep fit whilst social distancing.

Six staff members were filmed live from the bingo hall sharing a dance routine, with a safe distance between them all.

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