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A weekly daytime Bingo game run by Pāpāmoa Lions Club at a local sports bar is making an impact in the local community by supporting residents from young to old in different ways.

Since launching three months ago, Pāpāmoa Lion Steven Jensen said the Bingo days at The Flying Mullet Sports Bar had not only given seniors a chance to socialise regularly but was raising money to support local community groups.

Bingo is played at The Flying Mullet Sports Bar on Wednesdays from 2pm-3.30pm

“How it works is we sell tickets to Bingo for $5 each and take 20% from every ticket sale thanks to the generosity of The Flying Mullet Sports Bar. We also sell meat raffle tickets while we’re there – and the funds accumulate.”

Jensen said the event was targeted at Pāpāmoa’s retired community – and it was working, with numbers continually increasing.

“The majority of attendees are over 60 and it’s a fun, affordable social outing for them and they enjoy it.”

The club’s first donation from its Bingo proceeds went to training a guide dog for Blind Low Vision NZ.

Now the club has handed over $1500 to the Pāpāmoa Bulldogs Rugby League & Sports Club for its under-10 players to attend the Global Games in Queenstown in October.

Pāpāmoa Lion Steven Jensen with Pāpāmoa Bulldogs under-10 head coach Jerome Fitisemanu and The Flying Mullet’s Nic Layne at the funds presentation at Bingo. Photo / Supplied

Jensen said when the Bulldogs first contacted the Lions asking for support, they couldn’t help.

“Since then we’ve started running the weekly Bingo and raising money, which we can spend in the community. The Bingo is enabling us to help other community groups.

“People [who attend] think it’s great that they can enjoy an event that gives money directly back to the community. They’re always asking what’s the next project we intend to support.”

Pāpāmoa Bulldogs Rugby League’s under-10s head coaches Shannon Tutty and Jerome Fitisemanu took two teams through the Coastlines competition earlier this year.

Since then they’ve been trying to keep youngsters involved in the code and stretch their skills – both on and off the field.

“We’ve got two club teams at this age-group and we’ve come together as one for the Global Games.

“Basically we’re trying to give under-10s in our club the opportunity to play some different league that’s not the same as around here.

“We went to Auckland to play teams in the first school holidays. We recently went to Hamilton to play a newly-formed iwi team. We’re also playing a couple of games locally before we head to Queenstown.”

The Pāpāmoa Bulldogs Rugby League team heading to Global Games in October, with head coaches Shannon Tutty and Jerome Fitisemanu. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Tutty said his and Fitisemanu’s vision is to give kids more opportunities in league.

“Our district’s Coastline competition is awesome, but it’s just giving a little taste of league outside of the district as well.”

Tutty said they also want to keep kids in league “and give them opportunities of growing in the game”.

The New Zealand Warriors’ success in the NRL competition in recent seasons is creating buy-in for league among youngsters, he said.

“League is pretty popular. You see kids wearing the league shirts around. Ours do a Warriors chant sometimes if they win. They’re just loving the game and that’s the most important thing.

“It’s really about them enjoying the game and thriving in the game. That’s the biggest goal for us.”

Tutty said by playing league he and Fitisemanu hoped the players were also learning life skills they can take with them as they grow into adults.

“They can carry these into all walks of life. Maybe one day they might be a professional athlete, but they might be a builder swinging a hammer.

“We’re trying to up skill them for league and for life. Jerome and I are both quite passionate about it.”

Young Pāpāmoa Bulldogs back from left, Silas Sadler, 10, Levi Havili, 10, and vice-captain Rekohu Puha, 10, and front from left, vice-captain Van Pepper, 10, captain Mason Fitisemanu, 10, and Amorangi Tutty, 10. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

The head coaches will take 21 kids to the 2026 Queenstown Kiwi Junior League Festival at the Global Games from October 16-18 in Queenstown.

“Fundraising for the Global Games has been a big campaign, and we’re hugely thankful to the Lions club for their support and everyone else that helped us along the way,” Tutty said.

“Their support allows us to give our tamariki [children] an opportunity that they will remember for life.”