Friday 15th of January 2010
Free bingo organiser remembered
The people of Nottingham have spoken movingly about their memories of a tireless community activist and free bingo organiser.
Sheila Roper died last month at the age of 80, having spent more than four decades supporting groups in and around Lenton Abbey, reports the Nottingham Evening Post.
Mrs Roper had carried out a number of voluntary roles at the 15th Nottingham (Lenton Abbey) Scout Group and also helped out at the Baslow Drive Community Centre.
Among many other things, she organised regular free bingo games and fitness classes for the elderly.
Dave Oldham, city councillor for the Lenton Abbey area, explained: "She did all the cleaning, all the opening up and ran the bingo and all the dance groups and never claimed a day's wages."
Free bingo aside, Mrs Roper also campaigned on behalf of local people, working hard to ensure that her area was not left behind in the regeneration of the east Midlands.
Mrs Roper was a 'real diamond'
Norman Walker, Lenton Abbey neighbourhood action officer at Nottingham City Council, described her as a "real diamond".
He added: "She was just a genuinely lovely woman who had masses of time for things in the community."
Mrs Roper's only son Peter explained that all she wanted to do was make a difference.
He said: "She felt she should be involved in the community and trying to make it better."
Across the east Midlands, people are tapping into the power of bingo to make a difference to local lives.
Earlier this month, we reported how pensioners Essie Wilmot and Janet Kerr managed to raise £2,500 for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance simply by organising monthly charity bingo games.
