We had a good turnout for our Easter Bingo, where members bring chocolates or other treats suitable as prizes for those who can not eat chocolate. We have our own Bingo machine, and Tom, our chair, demonstrated his versatility by moving strait from running the preceding committee meeting to being our Bingo caller.
With plenty of prizes, from hot cross buns to bags, through savoury snacks to the traditional chocolate eggs there was plenty to play for.
We play so that the first to get a horizontal line picks a prize, then the first to get two lines, and then we go on to a full house. Once players have had a big prize they have a mini egg or similar small prize. We play several rounds and then for the last round we keep playing until everyone has won.
By the end of the evening all the prizes had been distributed – and some eaten! All prizes but one – we had a very generous donation of a beautifully wrapped basket filled with Easter goodies – and we put everyone’s names in a draw to pick the lucky winner.
What better way to start a New Year than with a game of Bingo? As we usually do members brought a selection of edible and other small treats for prizes, and we played Bingo. We start the session playing for a horizontal line, then two lines, and then a full house. The first to achieve each of these picks a prize, and if they win again later they pick a small prize, such as a small chocolate. We exchange playing boards after each Full House until the last game of the evening, which continues until everyone has won something.
Committee members had started a little earlier with a hybrid committee meeting, which enabled us to start the planning for the next sessions.
National Phab organised a weekend in Bournemouth, a great opportunity to get together with other Phab clubs to socialise and do some fun activities together.
A group of 21 of our members signed up for the event, had been looking forward to it for months, and now it was finally time!
Friday 29th November – Getting there, and Dinner
With so many members going, and different needs, not only in terms of accessibility and support, but starting points and work commitments, transport is complex. Our minibus started it’s journey in Kidlington, one car started from Botley, with a pick up in Abingdon, another car from Marston, another from the Oxford Eye Hospital after it’s passenger (not the driver!) had an appointment there and then picked up luggage in Abingdon. The fourth car started after work from Banbury – collecting a passenger in Kidlington.
We did all arrive at the Marsham Court Hotel in Bournemouth, and checked in. There was an additional check in step for people with additional needs, to prepare evacuation plans for anyone who might require extra assistance, and the hotel were able to lend Strobe Light Alarms to deaf visitors.
Marsham Court HotelSome rooms have amazing sea views
At 7pm we had an evening meal, with options of fish pie, chicken curry, a vegetarian option, with a selection of vegetables.
This was followed by singing by the accomplished Lee Austin – who had entertained us for several years at Chichester, and a Karaoke, Games and a Disco. Some of us retired to the quiet of the bar for a chat before making our way to our rooms
Saturday 30th November – activities
A wide choice was available for breakfast between 8 and 9, though this was too early for some, who preferred a lie-in. There were cereals, and fruit salad (a little crunchy, but real, not tinned), toast and croissants , with jam made on the premises. The hot buffet had a similarly wide selection with fried and scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, hash browns, tomatoes (real ones, grilled, not tinned), and so on. It did tend to run out of some items from time to time, but was being replenished all the way through till 9.
After breakfast, or just getting up for the sleepy heads, we had a selection of morning activities.
Indoor Archery and Nerf guns
We could indulge our inner Robin Hood or Shane in safety with rubber tipped arrows and Nerf gun darts.
A nerf dart is lodged between the yellow ball and the frame – Good shooting!The bottom left target has been hit.
Yoga
For those who wanted to find their inner peace there was a Yoga session
Lunch
We sat down for some sandwiches for lunch.
Lunch was followed by even more activities!
Boccia
George is pleased with his throw!
Boccia is always popular, and it was good to be able to join together with people from other clubs for a game.
Arts and Crafts
Zumba
George Martini and a group of Zumba enthusiasts were staying at the Hotel at the same time, so he kindly had a break from his Zumba to lead a session for us.
Creature Teacher
Some of our members chose to make friends with the animals
Wine Tasting
The hotel laid on a lesson in wine appreciation, with an experienced member of staff to take us though the wines on offer.
Bingo
Bingo is another popular activity.
Gala Dinner
Have split up for all the activities everyone gathered for the Gala dinner, with a pre-dinner drink in the bar beforehand.
After we had eaten there was dancing, and a professional photographer, so some left with a memento of their weekend.
Sunday 1st December – Worship, quiz, Sunday lunch and home
We had brought the Oxford Phab projector, but it’s bulb blew before the service, and the hotel were able to lend us one so everything was set up just in time. As on previous weekends Mary had put a lot of thought and preparation into the service, and the attendees included several who had been to the services in Chichester in previous years.
We also fitted in breakfast and packing, leaving our rooms clear for cleaning, and many enjoyed Lee’s entertaining quiz.
Sunday lunch and raffle draw
After a Sunday Lunch with lemon chicken, roast potatoes etc, the raffle was drawn, with some of our members winning prizes (and, as is the way with raffles, some not)
Homeward bound
With a slight re-arrangement of passengers to accommodate different destinations, our four cars and minibus set off on the return trip. There was someone who could act as a navigator as well as the driver in each vehicle, in case of major incidents en-route, but our return was uneventful. Although we had enjoyed the weekend it was good to be home!
Once again members were very generous in the prizes they brought to our Easter Bingo – the beautifully wrapped mugs with cute teddies and bunnies made by Tom’s mum were particularly admired and eagerly sought as prizes.
As we usually do, we play a rule that people who have already won a big prize pick a small prize if/when they win again and we play until all the prizes have been won, so nobody goes home empty handed (unless they ate their prizes on the night!)
Tom did out bingo calling, with assistance from Libby, who informed us of notable events from the twentieth century which the number which had been called, such as 14 – 1914 – Start of the First World War.
One of our traditions at Christmas and Easter is that we bring small prizes to Phab and play Bingo to redistribute them.
As well as festive chocolate bars etc we have chocolate brussels sprouts and other small prizes for people who win a second time. We also try to make sure we have prizes for those of us who can’t eat chocolate.
We sometimes vary from the traditional bingo calls, this time, since we meet in church hall, we uses the names of Hymns from Hymns and Psalms, for example “25 – He’s got the whole world in his hand”, rather and “25 – Duck and Dive”.
One of our Christmas traditions is that we play Bingo for chocolates and other small prizes, brought in by members, and enjoyed by other members. We have our own bingo machine, and re-usable bingo cards, which we mark off with old plastic bottle tops as counters. With a jolly caller, enthusiastic players and plenty of prizes we are all set for an evening of entertainment.
We have a tradition of playing Bingo in the run up to Easter, where our members bring Easter Eggs and other goodies, and then we play Bingo – the prizes being the treats that we have brought.
Easter Bingo Prizes
Once again Tom kindly volunteered to be our caller, his good humour and patience when we lose our place making the evening enjoyable for everyone.
Tom, at the controls of our Bingo machine
As if Bingo was not enough for one evening, we had a craft session too !
We were making butterflies to be used as decoration for the Purple Extravaganza – a Fun and Fundraising Ball being hosted by Harlow Phab, to raise money for the Kelly Jackson Memorial Fund. Kelly was an active member of Oxford Phab for many years, who liked purple and butterflies, and her presence is missed.
Despite having been up all the previous night, watching the Election results and raising over £100 pounds for Oxford Phab, Tom was still awake to act as our Bingo caller for our usual selection of prizes brought in by members.
We all had a good time, and everybody wins prizes.
Kelly and Tricia getting into the Christmas spirit with seasonal jumpers !
Who would not want to win some Easter Chocolate ? (Non chocolate prizes were also brought by thoughtful members for those who can not have chocolate.) Members bring prizes and then play Bingo to win them.
Our caller
Above you can see us enjoying the game.
It’s not the taking part
It’s the winning
and the prizes!
Our activities could not happen if our members can not get to events, and we are very fortunate to have our own Minibus and the kind volunteer drivers who make this possible. We were especially lucky today as the minibus had been showing a fault with the ABS, and we could not take passengers until this was fixed. We left the minibus with Rygor on Thursday evening, and they looked at it on Friday morning, ordered the required part and fixed it in time for us to collect it and do the Friday evening transport run. Many thanks to the Rygor staff for fixing it, and Chris for driving.
