Having raised more than £130,000 for various charities over the last 4 decades the couple hosting the highly successful campaigns called it a night on the last session last Wednesday.  Phyllis and Jim Martin hosted their last fund-raising event at Baddeley Green Working Men's Club after spending 45 years generating cash for good causes.

On average the duo have held 3 charity bingo nights every year since 1964.  A variety of wards at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire have benefited as a result, as well as charities, doctors' practices and special schools.  While they have lost count of exactly how much has been raised it is estimated that the figure is well above £130,000.  The final session saw a 130 customers taking part.  Jim (70) and Phyllis (67), of Wallis Way, Baddeley Green, first came up with the idea of running bingo nights while working at Betty Plant's sweet factory in Hanley after seeing her Jim's family were carrying out similar events.  Phyllis said: "We've helped the deaf, the blind, most wards of the hospital, the intensive care unit three times, the Douglas Macmillan Hospice and Bucknall Hospital three times."

She said: "I went down to Cambridge to visit Jim's family and my brother and sister-in-laws were all doing it down there, so I said to John 'Do you think we can do that?'

"We hired Milton Church for the first one and had to turn people away as we were only allowed 70 people due to the fire regulations." After moving the event to the larger Baddeley Green Working Men's Club, the couple's regular bingo nights have grown into something of an institution.

Phyllis said: "Everyone who comes loves it. I told them this was the last one, but they're hoping I'll keep going.

"Every year I say it's my last one, but this time I mean it, I just felt it was time to pack it in."

With Phyllis suffering a heart attack last year the couple have decided this really will be the last session

Players at the final session had the chance of winning prizes including a 50-piece Gordon Ramsay dinner set, and ready-filled coffee, tea and sugar canisters.

"There's a lot of hard work in it – getting all the tickets sorted and then folding and packing everything."

Neighbour Julie Hancock, aged 37,is a veteran of many sessions and was there for the final night. The driving instructor said: "They would do anything for anyone, they're like Mr and Mrs Santa Claus."

We often report sad stories of bingo clubs closing and we have recently seen online sites shutting as well but as I am sure our readers will agree it is not just sad for the players but also those that benefit from the good work the couple have done over this extensive period of time.  If anyone in the area would like to continue the good work Bingosupermarket will be happy to supply free of charge the tickets and a random number generator for the evening.  Enquiries can be made to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it