Cherwell District Council launches £25,000 lottery

Cherwell District Council has launched the lottery as a new funding stream for the local community.

Today a host of different charities have ‘gone live’ online and residents can now buy lottery tickets and pick their chosen charity to benefit.

Another option is for residents not to specify which charity will benefit and instead the money will go into a central fund award as one-off special grants to not-for-profit community groups.

Charities involved so far include Bicester Green, The Sunshine Centre, Second Time Around and Radio Horton.

Cherwell District Council lead member for health and wellbeing Andrew McHugh said: “We’ve had a fantastic take-up from local good causes since we first presented the lottery to them last month.

“The goal behind setting up a lottery is to create a new funding stream for the organisations that give so much back to our communities.

“We’re processing more applications all the time, but I can already say that people will be able to choose to support charities supporting people with disabilities, survivors of domestic abuse and promoting skills and sustainability.”

Each charity involved will have a profile on the Cherwell Lottery website and a guaranteed 50 per cent of each £1 ticket sale goes to the local good cause partner - a further ten per cent goes into a centrally held good cause fund.

For lottery ticket buyers, every week they will have a one in 50 chance of winning a prize, and the top prize is £25,000.

Bodicote Scout group leader Phil Grant said: “We’ve become a good cause partner to raise the funds we need to keep providing fun, adventures and skills for our beavers, cubs and scouts.”

The first lottery draw will take place on July 6.

Details at