Southport Comedy Festival hosts Disco Bingo night to raise funds for Southport Flower Show

DISCO Bingo is returning to Southport this October 2021! This very special 1 off event takes place as part of Southport Comedy Festival, on Saturday, 16 October 2021, to help raise funds for Southport Flower Show. The evening is peppered with music and good natured banter provided by Comedian and Presenter Brendan Riley. Special prizes will be available on the night. The fun takes place in the luxury heated marquee at Victoria Park, with tickets just ₤10 each, available from the Southport Comedy Festival website.

Southport Comedy Festival Director Brendan Riley said:- "Don those flares and we'll see you there! Eyes Down for a fabulous night of fundraising for Southport Flower Show with our truly interactive event. Disco Bingo is exactly what it says on the tin; a full night of traditional style Disco and Bingo but with a modern twist! Disco Bingo is guaranteed to get the whole room up and dancing, classic disco hits are triggered when certain bingo numbers are called. We have already received some fantastic prizes donated by local businesses, with more to be pledged. If anyone else would like to provide any prizes, please contact us via the Southport Comedy Festival website. Southport Flower Show is a fabulous local charity, which does tremendous work by maintain Victoria Park throughout the year, for the public with no funding. We are delighted to be able to support them through our Disco Bingo night."

The show starts at 8pm, doors 6pm, with an age restriction of 18+. Food is available on site through The Rollin Stove, with home cooked burgers, loaded fries and more, with a range of drinks also available.

This year's Southport Comedy Festival at Victoria Park will have a real festival feel to it. The event will see 16 headline shows across 17 days, with a truly stellar line up which also includes:- Russell Kane, Rich Hall, Reginald D Hunter, Jo Caulfield, Tom Stade, Ed Byrne, Mark Thomas, Paul Sinha, Tez Ilyas, Luisa Omielan, Hal Cruttenden, Geoff Norcott, Steve Royle, Helen Bauer, Troy Hawke, Katie Tracey and David Eagle.

Funds through the Disco Bingo night will be raised for Southport Flower Show, a charity that operates the beautiful 34 acre Victoria Park for the benefit of the public. Many do not realise that Sefton Council leases Victoria Park to Southport Flower Show for a 'peppercorn rent' (a bouquet of flowers) and does not assist or provide any public funds to maintain the attraction. The Flower Show Board of Trustees / Directors are volunteers and do not receive any payment.

The organisation organises the biggest independent flower show in the country, held every August and also hosts or stages a number of other events during the year, including:- Southport Comedy Festival, Southport Food and Drink Festival, Southport Classic and Speed, the British Musical Fireworks Championship and others. They attract tens of thousands of visitors into Southport every year, providing a huge boost to local businesses including:- hotels, shops, bars and restaurants.

Southport Flower Show General Manager Alan Adams said:- "We are so grateful to Bren and Val from Southport Comedy Festival for putting this event on for us. All proceeds will go into the pot to maintain our wonderful park. As a lot of you already know; we are a charity which solely relies on profits from the Show and other park bookings to survive. I would urge people locally to please support us and buy a ticket. I may be throwing in some special prizes too."

Tickets for Disco Bingo at Southport Comedy Festival 2021 are available through the Southport Comedy Festival website.
 

1 in 8 spend ˝ a life at hone with parents

1 in 8 adult children who live with their parents could spend ˝ their life living with Mum and Dad. It's well documented that more grown up children are now choosing to live at home with their parents for longer. Now, new research from SpareRoom reveals just how much longer that could be: almost ˝ of their lives; if not more.

13% of those who have always lived with their parents are aged 35 to 55+. Currently the average life expectancy in the UK is 81 years. That means people in their mid to late thirties have lived with their parents for nearly ˝ of their expected lifespans; while those over 55 have spent 68% of their lives under their parents rooves. Furthermore, of all of those surveyed aged 35 to 55+, 40% have never moved out of the family home.

Astonishingly, 50% adult children who currently live at home have never moved out. What's more, 37% don't expect to move out within the next 6 months, with the likelihood of moving out decreasing after the age of 25.

Whilst living at home and spending time with family is seen (by most) as a positive bonding experience, it has an impact on important milestones outside of the family home for children, not to mention the cost implications for parents. The majority (55%) of parents with adult children living at home cover extra expenses because of this, with the average parent being out of pocket by ₤117 per child each month.

The bank of Mum and Dad, now also known as the Hotel of Mum and Dad, helps pay for their adult children's food (64%), clothes (36%), fuel (25%) and even 'pocket money' for them to socialise with their friends (25%) while they're living at home. Many parents also paid for their subscriptions (20%) and holidays (23%). Covering mental health and therapy (12%) costs were also on the list of expenditures for parents.

Miriam Tierney, SpareRoom spokesperson comments:- "We've known for some time that the number of adults living at home, with their parents has been rising. The main factor driving that is how expensive housing is, regardless of whether you're renting or buying. What hasn't been clear, until now, is just how much of their lives people could be spending in the family home. There are, of course, plenty of positives to multi generational living and in many countries and cultures it's the norm. However, in the UK the trend is clearly being driven by the housing crisis rather than choice and it's restricting career and social opportunities for a whole generation."