BBC News, Liverpool
A 97-year-old Bongo’s Bingo fan who took to the stage at the club night’s anniversary show has said she felt “a bit like a celebrity”.
Anne Gandy from Walton, Liverpool, said she had always loved to “boogie” and the events, which are famous for dance-offs and rave intervals during the bingo, gave her an opportunity to revisit her inner dancing queen.
Her family shared a video of her dancing on stage at the club night’s 10th anniversary show on Saturday.
The great-grandmother said she had “had a ball” at the special Bongo’s event.
Mrs Gandy said: “I’ve always loved to have a boogie from going to dance halls when I was younger to being the first and last off the dance floor at parties.
“It always has a lovely atmosphere. I do usually get up and have a boogie with the lads.
“I even got on stage with Boyzlife when they performed at Bongo’s.”
She said she had felt “a bit like a celebrity” after people recognised her from previous shows.
“I had a few people come up to me on Saturday saying they were at the show I went to for my 90th birthday,” she said.
Mrs Gandy, who only retired from her job at a nursery last year, was awarded an MBE in 2007 for her work in the community.
“Some mums from the playschool I used to run also came and had a dance with me at the show,” she said.
Mrs Gandy attended on Saturday with four generations of her family, including her 20-year-old great-grandson.
She was first introduced to the not-so-quiet bingo hall by her granddaughter Sarah.
“Everyone I tell thinks she’s a legend,” Sarah said.
“It was a really good night, loved seeing the Cheeky Girls, N-trance and Blue – but gutted we didn’t win anything.”
She said her grandmother had “always loved bingo and getting up and having a dance so there was no surprise that she loved an event that combined the both”.
Mrs Gandy’s daughter Donna said she was still “getting out and having fun at 97”.
“It was fab as usual, makes me forget I’m getting old,” she said.
Bongo’s Bingo describes itself as an “immersive, inclusive and incredible” place where “everyone parties together” with “no barriers and no limits”.
The clubnight was started by Jonny Lacey and Joshua Burke in Liverpool in 2015 and has since held events across the world including in France, Holland, Ibiza, Dubai and Australia.
Mr Lacey said seeing Mrs Gandy “always brings a smile” to his face.
“What an inspiration at 97 years young. She always gives it her all in the rave round too and puts some of the younger players to shame,” he said.
“I’d love to see more players like Anne joining us in the future.”
