Published on Friday 10 January 2020
Local good causes in Bournemouth have benefitted from more than £76,000 in funding since the launch of BH Coastal Lottery in January 2019, having become one of the biggest and most successful community lotteries in England.
Following a successful first year, councillors will be considering expanding the community lottery across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole at the next Cabinet meeting on 15 January 2020.
BH Coastal Lottery was initially established by the former Bournemouth Borough Council as a way to boost funds for good causes in Bournemouth. To date 99 good causes have signed up to the scheme, including, Samaritans, Bournemouth Heart Club and Round Table Children’s Wish.
Councillor Lewis Allison, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Tourism and Communities, said: "The BH Coastal Lottery has exceeded expectations having raised almost double the amount for local good causes than it was estimated in its first year. It’s fantastic that so many local people are supporting good causes in this way and that we have almost 100 local good causes signed up and able to benefit directly from the lottery. It makes sense that good causes from across the whole of the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole areas should benefit from this scheme."
The community lottery operates online with tickets costing £1 each and players can decide which of the local ‘good causes’ they want to support. Currently 60% of ticket sales go directly to ‘good causes’ in Bournemouth, with 20% contributing to prizes and 20% covering administration. Players have the chance to win prizes ranging from three free tickets to smaller cash prizes as well as the chance to win the jackpot £25,000.
Players may also choose to support ‘general good causes’ in Bournemouth and this money goes to a central Community Fund. To date, £32,000 has been raised for the Community Fund and Cabinet are asked to approve a Small Grant Scheme so that smaller community good causes can bid for grants.
If the expansion of the lottery is recommended then the criteria for the Small Grant Scheme would be applied across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole awarding small grants from £50 to £500 to smaller community good causes. If approved, the lottery would be extended across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with effect from 1 April 2020. It is estimated that the lottery would raise in the region of £132,000 for good causes across the whole area in 2020/21
The report will be considered at Overview and Scrutiny on 13 January.
For more information and to play BH Coastal Lottery: www.bhcoastalottery.co.uk.