Wealden Community Lottery is a huge success for communities

More than 80 people from a range of local organisations and partners within the Wealden community attended the event.

The celebration party included a presentation by external lottery provider Gatherwell to explain how the lottery would benefit local organisations, Wealden District Council representatives on funding opportunities, as well as talks from Sussex Support Services and Isfield and District Angling Club which shared their top tips on how to be successful raising funds through the lottery.

Wealden Community Lottery is one of the most successful district and borough lotteries launched in the last two years.

There are more than 100 district and borough lotteries across England managed by Gatherwell. The Wealden Community Lottery is in the third highest for weekly tickets sold for a district or borough council, second highest for the amount of players for a district or borough council and was the number one for the number of new causes applying to join an established lottery last month.

Some £52,949.40 has been raised for good causes and the central fund combined. 989 players are currently participating and on average 1,958 tickets are purchased per week and 89 good causes have signed up and are raising funds. The lottery has also had 1,860 winners who've won a total of £9,375 and 4,953 free lottery tickets.

The community lottery has exceeded the targets set for its first year.

Councillor Kelvin Williams, Alliance for Wealden (Liberal Democrat) and lead councillor for Public Health, Wellbeing and Asset Management, said, "We have more than 89 good causes signed up and partners of all shapes and sizes. This is an exciting time, and I am pleased that since the launch of the lottery organisations have raised funds to make changes and improvements.

"The event was about celebrating what's already happened over the last year and to encourage people to join up and get involved in the lottery. There is an issue with funding across voluntary and non-profit organisations in this cost of living pressures and the Wealden Community lottery can help.

"In the past 12 months the money raised has already made a huge difference to several local grassroots' good causes, however we still need help to grow this initiative to a success. Following the event, I hope that organisations continue conversations and networking to make communities prosper and be successful."

To find out more about the Wealden Community Lottery or to sign up as a good cause go to www.wealdencommunitylottery.co.uk

Notes to editors:

From every £1 ticket sale, 50% of the ticket proceeds goes to support a local Wealden good cause with the remainder being put towards a central fund, prizes, and operating costs.