University students in Oxford have swapped their study books for bingo balls to help out a North Oxford estate hold a community session for residents aged between 10 and 90.

The undergraduates visited Cutteslowe Community Centre on Thursday to help run a half-term bingo afternoon. The aims of the idea was to bring together families with older people on the estate. This was the first time students have helped in running a bingo session at the centre and organisers are hoping it can become a regular event.

Anna Thornhill, community worker commented: “We’re always looking for more volunteers to help out here, and it’s good for us to get more people who can help run it in the future.

“It works well: it’s good experience for the students, and good for us as well.”

She added: “We wanted to make the community centre as welcoming as possible, and put on some family friendly activities.

“Now everybody is saying they want to have this more often.

“It has drawn people between 10 and 90, with grandchildren coming along with their grandparents.”

The Oxford Hub was the bridge between the students and the event as it brings university students together with good causes. Councillor Jean Fooks, who helped setup the link commented: “The bingo session attracted a real mix of ages, which was slightly surprising. Bringing people together like this is always a good thing. It lets isolated people meet friends and make friends.”

Jake Leeder, from Oxford Hub, said: “When students volunteer with us, it gets them out of the university bubble and gives them experiences they would not otherwise have as part of their university degree.

“They definitely get to see other parts of Oxford that most students would not normally see.”

Every year around 500 students from the university volunteer with 22 community projects across Oxford.