Applications for lottery good causes now open
News release issued:
Local organisations and charities in Wyre Forest can now apply to become an official community lottery good cause and earn vital income from weekly cash draws.
The first prize draw of the new Wyre Forest Community Lottery will take place in November and from today local charities and organisations can apply to become an official good cause and take a proportion of ticket sales.
Wyre Forest District Council has appointed an established operator which works with other councils across the country to manage the lottery and will not receive any money from the scheme.
An online presentation giving organisations information about the lottery and how they can apply to become an official good cause is now available on the Wyre Forest Community Lottery page.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public from Tuesday 20 October and the first draw will take place on Saturday 28 November and tickets will cost £1 with 60p going towards local good causes, compared with just 28p in the pound for the National Lottery.
The draw will be weekly with a jackpot of £25,000 for a matching sequence of six numbers, other prizes being £2,000, £250, £25 or three free tickets.
Players will be able to choose whether to support a specific local charity – which has been vetted to make sure it meets necessary criteria - or support a general good causes fund, which will then be distributed by the council.
Local good causes which register and meet the necessary criteria will be able to set up their own page within a new Wyre Forest Community Lottery website and will receive 50p in every pound spent by players who select them. Another 10p in every pound will go into a general good causes fund, with the remainder being put towards prizes, operating costs and VAT.
Players who do not wish to support a specific cause can still take part in the lottery with 60p of their ticket price going into a central good causes fund, which will be distributed by the council.
Cabinet member for Culture, Leisure and Community Protection Councillor Helen Dyke said: “This exciting project started gathering speed last November as a way for us as a local authority to raise money with the local community and for the local community.
“Since then the world has changed and the pandemic has made it even harder for charitable organisations to raise vital funds. I would urge anyone involved in local community groups to watch the presentation and get their application in.
“I’m particularly excited that this initiative will help the smaller as well as larger organisations tap into funding and I would everyone to help us spread the word and encourage as many community groups as possible to get involved.”
Other councils running local lotteries include Worcester City, Telford and Wrekin and South Staffs.