Gala Bingo Buffs Take To Everest For Worlds Highest Ever Game

A group of die hard bingo lovers are currently in training to prepare for the world’s toughest game of bingo – at 17,500 ft.

Next month, 24 dedicated bingo enthusiasts will tackle Everest, dabber in hand, in an attempt to smash the record for the World’s Highest Game of Bingo. The intrepid trekkers will face dehydration, altitude sickness and deep vein thrombosis as they take part in a bingo pilgrimage to Everest’s Base Camp – not to mention frostbitten fingers and toes.

The plucky trekkers - made up of Gala Coral employees from all over the country - have been preparing for the toughest bingo game of their life by engaging in gruelling training sessions closer to home to ensure they are well prepared for the rigours of playing bingo at 17,500 ft.

The extraordinary challenge is part of a fundraising effort for Gala Coral’s nominated charity, Sue Ryder Care. The team hope by scaling the world’s toughest mountain and setting a new world record for playing bingo at altitude they can smash their goal of raising £100,000 for the charity. Staff from across Gala Coral have so far raised an incredible £750,000 for Sue Ryder Care and are well on their way to reaching their target of £1million by the end of 2009.

As well as long distance running and hill walking, Gala Coral team members have been familiarising themselves with high attitude bingo games by practising atop landmarks in their home towns – from the Blackpool Tower (540 ft) to the Gherkin in London (590 ft) and the Beetham Tower in Birmingham (520 ft).

And to guard against the approximate 30% drop in mental agility caused by being at high altitudes, the team have also been sharpening their number dabbing skills by playing double-quick games at their local Gala Bingo clubs.

The brave explorers won’t just be playing any old bingo game however – the operator will be trialling a new improved version of Gala Bingo wildly popular High 5 game, which promises customers a fast and furious bingo experience like no other.

Dominic Harrison, CEO of Gala Coral Group said: “It seemed appropriate to break a world record by playing Gala Bingo’s High 5 game, the UK’s highest daily bingo jackpot, at the highest point ever recorded in history. If 24 half frozen bingo professionals can have a great time playing it at 17,500 ft, I’m confident it will be a rip roaring success here in the UK! I am incredibly proud of every single person who has volunteered to undertake this challenge of a lifetime, and even prouder that we’ll be raising money for the excellent work of our nominated charity, Sue Ryder Care, whilst we’re at it. Good luck to you all!”

The Everest trek is just one of a number of ongoing initiatives by the Gala Coral Group in a bid to raise GBP1million by 2010 for Sue Ryder Care, which provides expert and compassionate care to people living with conditions including cancer, multiple sclerosis, stroke and Huntington's Disease.

- Gala Bingo will be hosting twenty dedicated games per day for Sue Ryder Care between 16-23 October. The games will be played in the ‘Country Club’ on galabingo.com, and tickets cost 15p with 5p going to the charity

- Gala TV is also dedicating its Sunday evening shows throughout October to Sue Ryder Care, featuring a brand new game where 10p from every £1 spent will go to the charity and broadcasting a series of mini movies that highlight the difference the charity makes to people’s lives

- Gala Coral betting shops, casinos and bingo clubs around the country are encouraging customers to conquer their own ‘Personal Everest’ for charity. Customers can sign up to be sponsored for taking on a personal challenge (be it quitting smoking, learning a new language or losing a few pounds) and donate the money they raise to the Sue Ryder Care cause

The trek to play the World’s Highest Game of Bingo will commence at Lukla on October 19 and finish at Everest Base Camp on October 24.

Love Sharon Stock x