Meet the South Tyneside mum bringing a smile to her street with weekly bingo from the garden

Friday evenings have become the highlight of the week for residents on Hexham Avenue, Hebburn.

Every week since lockdown measures were introduced, Claire Dodds has been entertaining her neighbours from a makeshift bingo hall in her front garden.

Residents bring their chairs out onto the street, whilst observing social distancing guidelines, and play for a full house.

The prizes - which are all donated by the residents themselves - have graduated from tins of soup in the early days to chocolate, wine and Easter eggs as the weeks have gone on.

More than 30 players took part on Friday, May 1, with Claire calling out the numbers down the street on her microphone.

The 37-year-old said: “I’m quite a happy-go-lucky person, I’ve always had big parties and am quite close with my neighbours. I just said one day we should play bingo and now I’ve really started something off.

“It’s getting bigger and better every week.”

She continued: “People from up the street come and bring their chairs, some of the older neighbours from the bungalows behind join in and all the kids get involved.

“It’s just nice to see everybody smiling and laughing and getting out of their own four walls for a bit.

“If it makes them smile for two hours a week then it’s worth it.”

The mum-of-two says the weekly event is giving everyone something to look forward to during these challenging times.

“It’s keeping everyone’s spirits up, we even have a group chat with all the neighbours in where we plan the next one – it’s the highlight of the week.”

Claire has banners and balloons planned for a special VE Day themed celebration on Friday, May 8.

And she’s hoping that the weekly tradition might even continue once the lockdown restrictions are lifted.

“I would love to think we would carry on doing it,” she added.

“I go to bed happy knowing I have made everyone smile.”

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