Successful Pie & Bingo night raises vital funds for Christ Church

A community fundraising evening held at The Snipe Pub in Audenshaw has raised £435 for Christ Church, Ashton-under-Lyne.

The popular Pie & Bingo event brought together parishioners and supporters for an evening of entertainment, food and fundraising. Organisers Karen and David Eato were praised for their hard work in preparing bingo tickets and sourcing prizes, with chocolate awarded for a line and a bottle for a full house adding to the fun.

Sue and Colin Brooks, Deputy Church Wardens, played a key role in the evening’s success, raising £113 through the raffle alone. Sue also ensured everyone was well-fed, distributing pies which proved to be a big hit with attendees. The pies, sourced from Williams in Ashton Market, were described as “going down a storm.”

Church Wardens Barbara Gaskin and Stenton Withnall were also in attendance and said they had a “lovely evening,” echoing the positive atmosphere felt throughout the night.

David Eato thanked everyone who attended, while Karen Eato described the event as “fantastic.” Sue Brooks highlighted the importance of continued fundraising efforts to keep the church open, adding: “Everyone had a good time, and we were so pleased by the turnout considering the truly awful weather.”

She also encouraged the community to support upcoming events, including an Easter Raffle to be drawn on 5 April and a Summer Fair scheduled for 19 July from 11.30am to 3.30pm.

The evening also featured a special moment as attendees sang Happy Birthday to Sunday School Superintendent and PCC member Elizabeth Travis. Known for her long-standing tradition of giving Sunday school children two tubes of Smarties on their birthdays, she has handed out hundreds over the years.

The venue for the event was generously provided by parishioner Paul Carpenter, with thanks extended to his daughter Kate Carpenter, landlady of The Snipe Inn, for hosting the evening.

Organisers say they are delighted with the success of the evening and look forward to building on this momentum with future fundraising events.

The fund-raising team with Bishop Mark Davies at Christ Church on Mothers’ Day.