Only a month to go until tickets on sale for SKDC lottery

There’s only one month to go until the first tickets go on sale for LotterySK – the district’s new weekly online local lottery.

So far 27 local charities and good causes have been approved as beneficiaries of LotterySK, which is raising money for registered charities, good causes and voluntary organisations from Bourne, the Deepings, Grantham, Stamford and villages across South Kesteven.

The first draw will be on Saturday, October 27. Players can win prizes of up to £25,000. Tickets go on sale from Tuesday, September 18.

Among the next charities to have been approved are: Citizens Advice South Lincolnshire, Colsterworth Church Isaac Newton Project, Headway Lincolnshire, Langtoft United Football Club, and Trust House Lincolnshire.

South Kesteven District Council deputy leader Kelham Cooke (Con) said: “There is a real variety of good causes that have signed up to LotterySK so far, from scout and guide groups to those helping older people, sports clubs, animal and children’s charities.

“I’m delighted with the response so far. These organisations are the heart and soul of our community, bringing people together, supporting our residents and making our district a nicer, kinder place, and a more compassionate place to live.

“I also know that there are hundreds more organisations out there which would be eligible to benefit from LotterySK and we very much want to hear from them.

“LotterySK is for our local community and we really need our registered charities and community groups to get involved in what could be a simple and easy way for them to raise money. It’s free to join up and all they need to do is sell tickets – the more they sell the more money they’ll raise.”

From each £1 ticket, 60p will go to local good causes that work in South Kesteven – more than twice the proportion delivered by the National Lottery.

When a participant chooses one of the registered charities or good causes, the organisation will receive a 50p donation, with 10p going towards a central ‘Community Fund’. If no charity is chosen, all 60p goes to the fund.

Among the latest charities to sign up to benefit from LotterySK is the Colsterworth Church Isaac Newton Project.

Project leader Peter de Voil said: “Colsterworth Church played a special role in our local history because it was the church where the young Isaac Newton was baptised in 1642. We want to restore the Newton Family Chapel, establish a heritage learning centre focused on faith and science in Newton's life and work and at the same time improve the facilities of the church for use by the local community.

“We already have the support of the National Lottery Fund and the Diocese of Lincoln but we also need to raise our own funds to make our project aims a reality. So when we heard about LotterySK we thought it would be another way for us to raise much-needed funds.

“It was free and really easy to sign up and now all we need to do is promote our lottery page and sell at least 20 tickets. We think LotterySK is a great initiative for South Kesteven and would urge other charities and community groups in the district to get involved.”

Lottery management company, Gatherwell, has been appointed to run the scheme, having already launched similar lotteries in places such as Melton Mowbray, Corby, Mansfield and Portsmouth.

Good causes wishing to find out more information or sign up should go to www.lotterysk.co.uk or e-mail rachael.thornton@southkesteven.gov.uk