Health:The Health Lottery:
Charities say ‘thank you Britain’ as Health Lottery raises £8m for good causes in just 3 months

Charities from across Great Britain are today sending out a big thank you for £8 million of new funding raised for them through the Health Lottery.

Three months after its launch, over half of the local society lotteries that come together under the Health Lottery brand have taken part in the weekly draw, raising £8 million for health related good causes.

This injection of new money is particularly welcome at a time when services are at threat of closure and charities look for alternative means of support.

People’s Health Trust, the charity that manages the good causes money raised by the local society lotteries has already funded a range of activity through the Healthy Places Healthy People grants programme, all designed to tackle health inequalities in the local society lottery areas.

The first round of grants has funded activities to reduce isolation amongst older people and those with dementia, provide support for informal carers, particularly young carers, and projects aimed at creating healthier environments.

Charities operating in local areas, like Crossroads Care, Dementia UK and WRVS have been amongst 96 projects to have benefited from this new pot of funding. Other charities working locally to deliver services in each of the society lottery areas include School Food Trust, Youth Sport Trust, BTCV, Sustrans, Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Alzheimer’s Society.

And through People’s Health Trust’s new Healthy Communities grants programme, small grassroots projects are also being funded for activity that will help local residents live longer healthier lives. The first of these small grants, awarded to ADAPT Prembabies in Leicester, will provide emotional support to families with premature and poorly babies.

Jeremy Muller, Director of the Local Society Lotteries, said: “We’re delighted to have made such an excellent start – raising £8 million for good causes across Britain. Local communities are best placed to decide what their health needs are, and it is their priorities – along with the expertise of People’s Health Trust – that means the money raised by us through The Health Lottery can make a real and lasting difference.”

John Hume, Chief Executive of People’s Health Trust, said: “This fantastic amount of new money comes from local society lotteries and it’s really important for us to show people in the communities these lotteries represent just how their money is being spent. The money we’ve received so far has helped us fund local activity at a time when it is really needed.  And by working with well-established partners and local groups we know that the society lottery money is being invested in the people and neighbourhoods that can benefit the most from this funding.”

Martin Hall, Chief Executive of The Health Lottery, said: “The Health Lottery Group is delighted to play our part in raising £8m so far with the Local Society Lotteries. Our unique brand approach, focusing on one single good cause – health – is allowing us to make a very real and enduring difference to communities across Great Britain.”

Anne Roberts, Chief Executive of Crossroads Care said: “From working with carers and those they care for, we know the amazing difference that individual support can make to their lives. The Health Lottery’s funding has truly helped Crossroads Care’s work in supporting older and young adult carers, allowing us to work with more families in a range of new ways.

“As well as supporting our work, The Health Lottery is able to help a range of health related charities, each doing great work in communities across the UK. This has been a valuable boost to the sector in what can only be described as difficult financial times.”

Lesley Meachem, Support Worker for ADAPT Prembabies in Leicester said:  “When we got the call to say we had been awarded a Health Lottery grant we were all so excited.  We feel very fortunate get this funding which will help us provide more support to the parents and families of premature and poorly babies needing specialist neonatal care in Leicester.

“There is no disputing the fact that the babies get the best possible clinical care, but for the parents it can be one of the most fearful, traumatic, distressing and emotional times of their lives, often not knowing from day to day, hour to hour whether their baby will survive.  This grant will enable ADAPT to increase our level of support to these parents whether it be just a friendly face to talk to,  a shoulder to cry on, or general help and advice on what is happening and what to expect.  This grant will make a huge difference to ADAPT and we really are very grateful for the support of The Health Lottery.”

Linda Jennings, Head of Quality and Service Development at WRVS, said: “WRVS services and volunteers across the country play a vital role in helping older people lead happy, healthy, independent lives.  We would like to say a big thank you to the Health Lottery for this funding, which is a big boost to us in these tough economic times and will help us reach more older people in the community.”

Ian Weatherhead, Lead Nurse for Admiral Nursing DIRECT, said: “We’re delighted to receive Health Lottery funding as these vital grants have helped us establish new Admiral Nurse posts to support more people affected by dementia. Admiral Nurses are specialist dementia nurses who provide essential support and advice to help guide family carers through the challenges that a diagnosis of dementia can cause.

“These new Admiral Nurse posts will be established in partnership with organisations such as Friends of the Elderly and Avante Partnership and we are very excited to start work on setting up these much-needed new Admiral Nurse services.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

Details of the Healthy Places Healthy People grants allocated across the 27 local society lottery areas to date are attached.

About the Local Society Lotteries

There are 51 Society Lotteries, each run by a Community Interest Company (CICs) covering England, Scotland and Wales. The objective of each CIC is to benefit the community it exists to serve, by tackling health inequalities in that community. It does this primarily through funds raised by the lotteries it runs across the year, working alongside all the other CICS under the common brand of The Health Lottery.

About the People’s Health Trust

People’s Health Trust is a registered charity which funds projects addressing health inequalities across England, Scotland and Wales. The Trust is funded by 51 local society lotteries and the good causes money they raise through The Health Lottery. The Trust awards grants at a local level to develop programmes aimed at helping people live longer healthier lives.

People’s Health Trust engages with local communities, stakeholders, charities and experts to decide where health inequalities exist and how best to tackle them through grant funding. The aim is to invest in projects which will make a real long-term difference to communities and can contribute to people living longer healthier lives. The grant strategy is guided by trustees and the experienced team running People’s Health Trust. To find out more visit www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk

About The Health Lottery

The Health Lottery is a brand new draw-based game where money raised goes to support a singular and popular cause: Health.

The Health Lottery’s game structure is straightforward, easy to play, and prizes are never shared. Players can win from £50 for three balls, £500 for four, through to a top prize of up to £100,000 for matching all five balls from 50.

Tickets cost just £1 and can be purchased online and through e-payment terminals at 40,000 retailers across Great Britain including all leading multiple grocers along with 1,000’s of independent retailers across Britain.

Money raised will be spent helping support community health related good causes across Great Britain, helping everyone live longer healthier lives.

The Health Lottery is operated by 51 Local lottery areas across England, Wales and Scotland, each holding society lottery licenses granted by the Gambling Commission.

For more information, please visit www.healthlottery.co.uk