Second jackpot winner adds to LotterySK anniversary celebrations

LotterySK is celebrating its second anniversary with a £25,000 jackpot win for one lucky player.

It’s the second time that a Grantham ticket holder has scooped the big prize following a jackpot win in South Kesteven District Council’s first ever LotterySK draw in October 2018.

The latest winner, who wished to remain anonymous, supports SKDC’s Community Fund, where lottery ticket income has so far amounted to £37,000 for distribution to good causes.

He said: “I had a run of back luck with work last year that put a strain on me financially, so the win is very welcome. LotterySK also directly benefits the community we live in and I chose to support SKDC’s fund as it seemed the best and fairest option.”

 The total won by ticket holders now stands at more than £94,000 since the launch, while LotterySK has also proved a lifeline for good causes as the Coronavirus halted other fundraising opportunities.

Ticket sales that were holding steady have increased slightly in recent weeks, promising to deliver in excess of £70,000 to 110 charities and good causes across the district this year – and taking the amount raised to more than £133,000 since the launch.

SKDC Leader Cllr Kelham Cooke said: “It’s brilliant news that we have another jackpot winner. Our thanks go to every person who is buying tickets. You are helping to raise thousands of pounds for local good causes, which is so important as they struggle for funds during the pandemic.

“I am extremely proud that LotterySK has raised such a huge amount and would urge other charities and organisations to register with us. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain.”

Cllr Annie Mason, SKDC Cabinet member for Communities, said: “Regular income is vital for charities and organisations at the moment. Please sign up if you have not yet done so, and please keep buying tickets to support local good causes.”

The lottery has also recently produced another £2,000 winner – Stamford resident Claire Candish, who buys weekly tickets in support of MindSpace Stamford.

Claire, a support worker with MENCAP and volunteer for other community charities, said: “I wanted to give something back, especially now, and the lottery is a great way to do that. The big win was lovely and, as they say, you’ve got to be in it to win it!”

Dan Petrie, who founded MindSpace Stamford with a vision to unite the community and improve the mental wellbeing of the whole town, said the £3,200 so far raised from LotterySK ticket sales had been invaluable.

Grantham’s Friends of Sandon and Ambergate (FOSA) support group for additional needs pupils is the top LotterySK beneficiary.

Chair Katie Bennington, who has helped raise more than £7,000 from supporter ticket sales since the launch, said: “Since March we have been solely reliant on income from LotterySK. It’s the only fundraising that has kept going during lockdown as all our normal events have not been possible.

“We are receiving between £400 and £500 every month from ticket income and, in the current circumstances, that’s just phenomenal. We use social media a lot and we’re very transparent, setting targets and identifying exactly what we are fundraising for.”

Keeping it in the family, Katie’s sister Lucy Moore recently registered Dancepointe with LotterySK and the Grantham dance studio, owned by Rosie Johnson, has already enjoyed valuable extra income.

LotterySK enjoyed an incredible start with collective prizes of £25,367 being shared in the first week.

It has since gone from strength to strength and is in the top ten performers of the 80 live lotteries managed by specialist Gatherwell.

Company Managing Director, Ben Speare. said: “As an external lottery operator we have never seen such a fantastic start to a community lottery. The response to LotterySK has been amazing and it’s wonderful to see the number and range of good causes that are benefiting from ticket sales every single week.”

Nominated good causes receive 50p for every £1 ticket sold – more than twice the amount raised by the National Lottery – with the chance of a £25,000 top prize in every weekly draw.