Jay looks forward to visiting charities his Virtual Pub Quiz has supported

Virtual pub quiz host Jay Flynn MBE is looking forward to visiting the charities his online quizzes have raised almost £1million for during the pandemic.

The former pub landlord from Darwen is lending his support to our Picture This campaign by taking part in a video – which will be premiered during Jay’s Virtual Pub Quiz on Thursday 1 April.

In his video, Jay talks about how proud he is to have been able to give various charities a platform. While the quiz is free to take part in online, many of his regular quizzers have donated to the charities that feature in ad breaks between quiz rounds.

38 year old Jay, who was awarded an MBE last October for services to charity throughout the pandemic, said:

The incredible amount that the whole Virtual Pub Quiz community has raised for charities means more to me than the MBE. After such a tough year for charities, the fundraising is the most important thing.

I’m looking forward to meeting some of the charities to see where the money has gone and the incredible work that they’re doing.

Jay’s Virtual Pub Quiz recently celebrated its first anniversary. The quiz, set up as a public event due to a Facebook blunder, attracted audiences of 180,000 at its peak during the first lockdown, and has regulars who compete from all over the world.

Through his online quiz nights Jay Flynn, originally from Wimbledon in south-west London, has become a pandemic hero, giving people a positive focus and an escape from the tribulations of life in lockdown.

Compiling the twice-weekly quizzes has kept Jay going too, after he was furloughed from his job in the motor trade.

Jay said:

The quiz has kept me going. As I wasn’t entitled to furlough, I had nothing to do, so I threw my heart and soul into the quiz. I’ve got friends who were on furlough who were watching box sets and learning to cook, whereas I was sat writing quiz questions for 180 to 190,000 people every week!

That’s kept me going, as well as the incredible online community we’ve built.

WATCH Jay Flynn MBE’s Picture This video:

 

Denise Park, Chief Executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, added:

We’re very proud to have Jay as an adopted Darrener. What he has achieved in a very unusual year is nothing short of amazing. He’s very humble about his achievements, but he should feel very proud of himself and his Virtual Pub Quiz team for the difference they have made to people trying to get through the lockdowns, and the charities that have benefited.

The Picture This campaign reminds us all of the simple things we can do to keep virus rates down in Blackburn with Darwen, so that we can get back to doing the things we love sooner.

Find out more at www.shuttle.org.uk/picture-this.