“We wanted to pay back the nurses” Salford residents raising money for the NHS… by playing bingo

Neighbours on a street in Pendleton have been keeping spirits high during lockdown by playing bingo in aid of frontline NHS staff.

Carole Salza, 54, who has lived on St Bernard’s Avenue with her family for almost 20 years, decided three weeks ago to see if her neighbours would be interested in Friday night bingo, with all proceeds going to the Covid-19 ward at Salford Royal Hospital.

Mrs Salza said: “I read on Facebook that they needed a lot of toiletries. We wanted to pay back the nurses for all the hard work they had done during this Covid-19 crisis.

“A few of us from our street have lost family and friends from this.”

And St Bernard’s Avenue have raised £477  so far through bingo and name cards, with the money being spent on essentials that are dropped at Salford Royal by the Salza family.

Mrs Salza said: “The money is used to buy toiletries, snacks and bottles of water for the hospital.

“They appreciate everything we have taken to them and are shocked as they didn’t expect so much.”

Poundland on Salford Precinct also gave 108 Easter Eggs for the Salza family to give to staff at Salford Royal.

Neighbours have also donated prizes for the bingo winners, ranging from chocolate and wine to perfume and gift sets.

Social distancing is prioritised for the safety of the street.

“Its been very easy by staying in our own gardens,” she said.

“We have a mic for bingo so we can stay far apart.”

And for residents who live further down the street who struggle to hear, neighbours can sit more towards Mrs Salza’s garden as long as the two metre rule is still applied.

Money has been safely collected in a bucket, and the coins are then washed.

Mrs Salza, who described her neighbours as ‘very friendly’, has been happy to see the positive effects that weekly bingo has had on the avenue, especially on those who live alone.

“They all enjoy it and it gives them something to look forward to,” she said.

“It gets people out the house and talking to other neighbours and makes them feel like they are not alone.

“We are all in this together.”