Lottery celebrates first birthday

Local good causes came together on 6 October to celebrate the first year of the Epping Forest Community Lottery.

The lottery was launched on 3 August 2024 and has raised over £15,000 for local good causes with 66 community groups signed up. In addition, £3,650 has been allocated back to good causes from the Epping Forest Central Fund. This has been either through a bonus reward or the Epping Forest Community Lottery Grant Fund.

The Chairman of Epping Forest District Council, Councillor Louise Mead announced the winners of the awards and Vice-chairman Councillor Alan Lion hosted a fun filled raffle to guests.

Bonus award
A bonus award of £200 went to the top 7 organisations that sold the most tickets over the past year, consistently selling over 20 tickets per week:

Senior Wellbeing Hub
Coopersale & Theydon Garnon C.E Primary School
Chigwell Riding Trust for Special Needs
Epping Forest District Swimming Club
Bedford House Community Association
The League of Friends of St Margaret’s Hospital
Epping Forest Heritage Trust

Grant fund
The Epping Forest Community Lottery Grant Fund was set up so that groups could apply for £300 to help fund a specific project or initiative. Grants were awarded to:

Accuro (Care Services)
Aching Arms – the pregnancy baby loss charity
Action for Family Carers
Bedford House Community Association
Epping Forest District Museum Trust
Epping Forest Sunflower Group
Talk2Nish Peer Mentors
Voluntary Action Epping Forest

What the grant fund will pay for
Organisations have stated that the grant fund will pay for a diverse range of help that includes:

Comfort bears for bereaved parents who have sadly lost a baby during pregnancy, at birth, or shortly after
A daytrip for young people with a disability
Daytrips for young carers to help with their emotional wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem
A crafting group for older local residents to help combat loneliness and isolation
Raising vital funds for local charities and initiatives

"I was both thrilled and honoured to present these awards to such deserving causes that enrich the lives of people throughout the Epping Forest district.

The Epping Forest Community Lottery has helped to raise vital funds for local charities and initiatives that make a real difference in our community.

With 60p from every £1 lottery ticket purchased going to local good causes, I would encourage everyone to buy a ticket and support these local organisations that give so much, and you may even win a prize for yourself!

Thank you to everyone that has supported the Epping Forest Community Lottery in its first year, I hope that the second year makes as fantastic an impact as the first year has done."

Councillor Louise Mead, Chairman of Epping Forest District Council

Join up and play
Tickets cost just £1 per week and there’s a 1 in 50 chance of winning a prize. The top prize is £25,000, and additional prizes include £250, £25, and free entries. Players simply select their numbers and choose a local good cause to support.

Visit the Epping Forest Community Lottery website to play and find out more

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