Beacon Bingo staff in Northampton take title in charity football tournament

Faye Baggaley, the 100th recipient to receive a customised powered wheelchair presnts Northamptons mens team with their medals

The tournament was supporting CHIPS, a charity founded by the casino and gaming industry, which provides specialised powered wheelchairs. Beacon Bingo’s team won the ladies competition and came second in the men’s in the event organised by parent Company Praesepe.

Seeing off strong competition from five teams, the ladies team representing Northampton Beacon Bingo was able to lift the cup and take home the glory. Meanwhile the men’s Northampton Beacon Bingo team finished in second place, after beating 17 teams in their competition.

Phil Gibbs, marketing manager for Praesepe, said: “This annual fundraiser was another huge success and the £18,000 raised was a combination of generous sponsorship from various suppliers, customers, employees, their family and friends. We are very grateful as the money is going to such a good cause, which does so much for disadvantaged children.”

Faye Baggaley, the 100th recipient to receive a customised powered wheelchair presents Northamptons ladies team with their medals

Thanks to the joint fundraising of staff and customers Praesepe, which operates Cashino and sister company Beacon Bingo, has so far raised more than £500,000 and presented over 100 custom built wheelchairs to children up and down the country since it began working with the CHIPS charity in 2005.

The football event was attended by eight-year-old Faye Baggaley, who recently became the company’s 100th recipient to receive a customised powered wheelchair.

Faye suffers from a severe form of cerebral palsy and is unable to walk unaided or use a manual wheelchair. Having outgrown her previous powered chair, also provided by Cashino, Faye needed a new one, but chairs available on the NHS were not adequate for her needs.

Faye presented the prizes at the event with Praesepe CEO Nick Harding.

Nick Harding said: “It was great to see Faye again and we’re delighted she is so happy with her new chair.”

Co-founder of CHIPS charity, Linda Lindsay, added: “It’s thanks to these fundraising events that we are able to help so many young people, like Faye, change their lives. It is such a fantastic total which is truly appreciated by all of us here at CHIPS and the wheelchair recipients themselves.”