IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY!

We turn 2 today (18 December 2023) and we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to look back on the year and see what we have achieved, but more importantly, see what some of our Good Causes have achieved.

Since we started, we have sold 35,358 tickets from 329 supporters! We have raised £17,839.00 for our 40 registered Good Causes.

To date, we have had a total of £2,425.00 cash prizes won by supporters, with 4 individuals winning £250 each!

Citizens Advice joined in October 2022 and have raised just under £900 since then! When we got in touch and asked what being part of the community lottery means to them and how supporters are helping make a difference, here is what they had to say:

“Being part of the Hertsmere Lottery has meant that we have that extra funding to enable us to help people in dire situations. We can offer a food voucher, but what if the foodbank is a bus ride away and there is no money to pay for it? What if our client has a hearing for a disability benefit award and needs to get to the hearing, but is disabled and can’t afford transport? What if someone has a job interview and then can’t afford the suit in the charity shop to be able to look smart? We give advice to people and help give them that first step up to enable them to move forward. It’s heart-warming to get responses from clients like the ones below:

·       Citizens Advice gave me a fresh start

·       I can afford a few treats at Christmas when I thought my children would have nothing

·       I am debt-free for the first time in 5 years - thank you Citizens Advice – you are fabulous.

Thank you to all our donors who help make our work possible.”

Another Good Cause success story is from Potters Bar Cycling Club who has been part of the Hertsmere Community Lottery Family since March 2022 and has raised £1,133.00! They recently managed to raise an additional £1,640, through a sponsored Cycle which they gave to the local foodbank in Potters Bar. This is amazing work carried out by our Good Cause in support of their local community!

Watford Sheltered Workshop Ltd has been part of our lottery family since November 2021 and has raised over £2,000! We asked them about their achievements this year and how supporters like yourself have helped them continue their work!

“Watford Workshop has had a terrific year – and we have our supporters to thank for that! Transition into adulthood can be incredibly challenging if you have a disability. The support network people once had throughout their education is no longer there; and many will struggle to find jobs, develop their skills and fill their days with productive and social activity as a result – and that is where we come in. For almost sixty years we have had the pleasure of providing paid employment, work experience, functional education training and life skills training to adults with disabilities who may otherwise lead a life of isolation, inactivity and total dependence on others. Someone once said to us “You stop people from falling through the cracks” and we seek to achieve this for as many as we can. We have been fortunate enough to welcome several new service users in 2023 who continue to make massive steps towards improved living. People choosing to back our cause through Hertsmere Community Lottery are certainly helping us towards maintaining and growing our unique provision of employment and training opportunities for adults with disabilities and that is truly amazing. We are confident that 2024 will be another great success thanks to them!”

One of the newer members of our Community Lottery family, Up Community, joined back in July of this year and yet, they are on track to raise around £160 this year! They are the “only local charity that hosts monthly stay and play groups for neurodiverse children” and being part of the Hertsmere Community Lottery “has been a huge part in helping make this happen.”

“Our playgroups are there for neurodiverse children to socialise and play in a safe and non-judgement environment and that includes hiring venues, hiring bouncy castles and having sensory toys and equipment that help support sensory integration through play. The funds we receive from Hertsmere Community Lottery allow us to continue to provide these much-needed playgroups in our local community that not only hugely help the children, but also the parents and carers as well.”

These are just a few of the 40 organisations registered on the Hertsmere Community Lottery. Don’t forget to visit us at www.hertsmerecommunitylottery.co.uk to find your favourite Good Cause. If they’re not there, send them this link to get registered: Boost your cause's fundraising with Hertsmere Community Lottery - Hertsmere Community Lottery

Lastly, here at Hertsmere Community Lottery, we would like to thank each and every one of you who have supported us this year, whether that be, through purchasing a ticket, liking our posts on social media or reading our monthly articles. Any way you can support all the hard work that our Good Cause do is always appreciated!

We look forward to seeing what 2024 brings us and we hope you stay along for the journey with us!