SO Charitable Lottery raises an additional £15,000 for good causes
The SO Charitable Lottery will be giving an additional £15,000 to good causes in South Oxfordshire this year through money raised in its community fund.
There are currently 75 organisations and charities across the district that have joined the lottery, which provides them with vital income to support our communities, this has proved especially important for them during the pandemic.
Since its launch in 2018 over £63,000 has been distributed to good causes in the district that have signed up to the South Oxfordshire District Council scheme.
This month the £15,000 will be shared between all organisations selling 20 tickets or more a week. These organisations will receive funding based on the number of tickets they have sold.
Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary is one of the causes benefitting from the lottery with a donation of £2,689 from the community fund. Iain Atkin, the sanctuary’s manager said: “One of our volunteers and supporters recommended that we sign-up to SO Charitable Lottery a while ago and it has raised important funds for us during that time.
“At any one time, we have up to 30 dogs, 60 cats and kittens and 15 to 20 rabbits. We also care for our permanent guests; five goats and a horse called Ben. We often look after 70 to100 animals a day.
“Many of our animals come to us from difficult backgrounds. Some arrive with acute behavioural needs, and some have immediate medical needs. We deal with each case individually and start by earning their trust and understanding their needs.
The money raised from the additional award will help us continue this work.”
Stewart Village Hall in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, joined the lottery when it launched and is another organisation which will receive extra funding this year, they will get £1,557.
The hall is in need of renovation and this funding and future funding received from the lottery will help them with that work. Annette Kilworth, Chair of the Trustees of Stewart Village Hall said: “Our hall has served us well over the years. Improvements to our facilities will support village activities and events and ensure it remains at the heart of the community.”
Cllr Maggie Filipova-Rivers, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing at South Oxfordshire District Council said: “Covid-19 has highlighted an immediate need within the voluntary and community sector for financial support to enable them to continue the valuable work they do in our communities and with our most vulnerable residents. We can help meet this need through a proportionate and fair distribution of the central fund amongst some of the good causes who are signed up to the lottery.
“I’d like to encourage more organisations to join and benefit from the funding that’s raised. If we can spread the word about the difference this lottery can make and encourage more residents to take part and support good causes close to their hearts, then the more we can do as a council to help those in need.”
When participants take part in the lottery, they can either support a charity or group of their choice or donate to the central community fund which is administered by South Oxfordshire District Council and distributed annually to multiple good causes.
The lottery is free to join, and organisations are invited to get in touch with the Community Enablement team at the council to find out how they can also benefit. Tickets can be bought online for just £1, with a chance to win a top prize of £25,000.
