St Catherine’s Hospice celebrates 25 years of ground-breaking lottery

We’re celebrating our ground-breaking lottery’s 25^th anniversary this month!

St Catherine’s was the first hospice in the UK to introduce a lottery scheme back in February 1993.

It remains one of the most reliable means of fundraising for the charity, with more than 17,000 members helping to raise over £500,000 every year. It makes an important contribution to the £3.5m we have to raise each year to cover our £5.2m running costs.

Sheila Kennard, head of lottery and promotions, said: “I started out as a lottery collector for St Catherine’s in 1994 and came into the promotions department four years later. I’ve witnessed the lottery scheme grow over the years, and we have some members who have been supporters since day one, which is amazing.

“It was an ambitious move for the hospice to be the first in the UK to launch a lottery initiative, and it continues to be a vital means of generating funds for the charity. The lottery has raised a staggering £10.2million for St Catherine’s since its inception, which is something we’re very proud of.”

She added: “Knowing we have thousands of supporters who pay their £1 a week really helps in planning for the future at St Catherine’s; it’s a reliable and steady stream of income which is more important to the charity than ever, as the world of fundraising is increasingly unpredictable.”

To celebrate the milestone anniversary, the lottery team is hoping to recruit an extra 2,500 new members in 2018. It costs just £1 a week to play, with a jackpot prize of £2,000 up for grabs each Friday.

Sheila said: “We’re so grateful to all of our wonderful members, and would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their ongoing support. We’re calling on our communities to help us celebrate this special milestone by telling their friends and family about this worthwhile and very easy way of supporting St Catherine’s Hospice. It would be fantastic if we could welcome 2,500 new members throughout 2018, to mark the lottery’s 25^th anniversary year.”

The weekly draw also includes more than 30 other cash prizes, including a third prize of £150 which rolls over each week it’s not run and can reach up to £5,100. Members can have more than one number, and gift vouchers and wedding favours are also available.

• Click here or call 01772 629171 to sign up.

Share with your friends!