Lucky 7 is record year for Love Blaby Lottery

NEWS RELEASE

Lucky Seven has been a record year

The number seven has a reputation for being lucky and it certainly has been for the Love Blaby Lottery!

As the Council's weekly online lottery celebrates its seventh anniversary this February, we can announce a record £35,226 has been raised over the last 12 months for local good causes.

Thanks to the fantastic prizes on offer each week, the monthly national Super Draws and a commitment to helping local community groups, support for the lottery has been at an all-time high.

If the same levels of play are sustained across this coming year there could be an even bigger record on the cards – potentially £39,000.

All this means bumper pay-outs to local good causes. Over the last seven years the lottery has raised more than £200,000 for groups, clubs and charities across the District. More than 340,000 tickets have been sold and more than £44,000 in cash prizes won by lucky players.

We will be marking our seventh anniversary with a special prize promotion for good causes. Any new good cause joining the lottery or an existing good cause that increases their supporter numbers and ticket sales during the promotion period (20 January until 22 February 2025) will be entered into a random prize draw to win £500. Full details of the promotion can be found at: Love Blaby Lottery – Blaby District Council

Tickets for the Love Blaby Lottery cost £1 per week with 60p going directly to local good causes. Players can choose which cause they would like to support with their tickets.

Jim Oram of Countesthorpe Judo Club, one of our good causes, said: "Our club would have closed without the support of the Love Blaby lottery." The Club has used lottery proceeds to fund essential training such as safeguarding and first aid for its coaches, along with CPR for members, parents and other clubs.

Katrina Dunger of Croft Silver Band, who face increasingly high instrument repair costs, said: "We would like to say a massive thank you to the Love Blaby Lottery as they have enabled us to maintain our many brass instruments and allowed our friends, family and audience members to support our band."

Income from the Love Blaby Lottery has helped cover the running costs for the charity Wombles in Litter Education (WILE), including kit to deliver presentations about the impact of littering on our environment and litter-picking equipment for schools. Geoff Walker of WILE said: "Our supporters from all over the county have played the Love Blaby Lottery and that allows us to continue spreading our important message."

Councillor Cheryl Cashmore, Blaby District Council Portfolio Holder for Leisure, said: "The Love Blaby Lottery helps many different groups with all sorts of costs. It offers a novel way for groups to raise vital funds and the income received can be used flexibly to meet their needs. There is no limit to how many good causes can register so I would encourage any voluntary sector organisation which isn't involved to find out more."

An online information session about the Love Blaby Lottery is running from 12pm to 1pm on Thursday 23 January. There is no need to book, simply join on the day using the following link: Love Blaby Lottery online session

· Love Blaby Lottery players must be aged 18 plus and resident in the UK. Please gamble responsibly and if you need advice or support visit: GambleAware®: Gambling Help & Gambling Addiction