A Bingo caller has been called a community ‘star’ for her efforts in raising over £30,000 for charity over the last 11 years.
At 78 years, Blanche Gibbs has helped the Air ambulance and schools, charities and voluntary groups by organising a succession of charity nights where people take part in bingo games. She has been calling out the numbers during the charity events in the Ludham Church, near Great Yarmouth over the last the decade and has just broke the £30,000 fundraising landmark.

This week her efforts were praised by the North Norfolk MP, Norman Lamb presented the woman with an MP’s Heroes Award for her work in 2008. "She is a remarkable woman and a real star. She is an absolute example to us all for putting others before herself - while entertaining a lot of people on the way."

It all started after she decided to hold a charity event in August 1999 to raise funds for the Air Ambulance, after a young boy was knocked down by a car in Stalham. At the time there were no big plans for the future. “When I started 11 years ago I never thought I would still be going today” She added.
But since that first event she has gone on to organise more than 100 nights of bingo fun, which often see up to 50 people try to win prizes. She also goes out and buys all the prizes, such as food hampers herself.

Mrs Gibbs has no plans to slow down either and intends to keep going for a while yet: “I hope to keep going until I am 100 at least,” she adds. Her next charity session is scheduled for June 22nd and she sees it as more than just an opportunity for locals to come out and support good causes “The reason I think the bingo nights are popular is because it gives people somewhere to go and socialise and have fun.”