Gedling Lotto, a fundraising tool for local charities and non-profit organisations, has continuously given back to the local community and provides support through special draws and local community funds.
Since its launch in 2020, the free online fundraising tool has raised around £20,000 for its local community while giving out winnings worth more than £6,400.
Over 37 non-profit organisations have signed up to the platform since 2020, including sports clubs, community projects and school PTAS. These organisations benefit from the free registration that Gedling Lotto offers, as well as a dedicated webpage and marketing tools that can help them sell tickets to their customers.
Following the success of Gedling Lotto, platforms like realraffle.com have also helped individuals and organisations who are looking for an opportunity to carry out fundraising and raffle draw competitions. With these platforms, players can win several prizes of varying types. These platforms provide a wider reach for fundraisers and also make it easy for the hosts to organise fundraisers for local efforts and for entrants to support by buying tickets.
Gedling Lotto operates on a very simple principle, which is very attractive to many local organisations. For every £1 ticket, the local borough gets 60p. This little amount is more than what other lotteries give. Also, supporters of the platform will see 50% of the £1 ticket given to the community effort of their choice. With this flexibility and given that 10% of the winnings still go to the Gedling Community Fund, supporters can bring change to their doorstep.
Earlier this year, the Gedling Borough Council took to Instagram to announce that a lucky winner had won the £250 prize from the Lotto. Tickets from this particular draw are used to support a local initiative, the Gedling Play Forum.
The Gedling Youth and Community Hub is also a beneficiary of the Lotto. The community hub has been using the Lotto to raise funds since its inception and has generated almost £2,000 from ticket sales.
The Community Hub relies heavily on the funds from the Lotto and from donations to sustain its ongoing restoration project. According to Francis Rodrigues, the chair of the community hub, they sell around 70-75 tickets per week, which helps them generate a good monthly income. This income is used to cover expenses on the restoration project, which aims to be a venue where visitors of different age groups can gather for activities in a bid to improve social engagement. It is currently looking to raise £17,500 to complete the project.
In the same vein, Daybrook Bowls Club has also benefited from the lottery, raising over £2,300 through ticket sales. The club, which celebrated its centenary year in 2024, has been a registered member of the platform since 2020.
With the money gained from selling tickets to supporters and special prize draws, the club has been able to shore up its finances. The money has also helped to introduce new initiatives such as Short Lawns Bowls and youth sessions to confront the myth that says bowling is for old people.
As of August last year, the Lotto was reported to have raised over £60,000 for the Gedling community. This shows how a community-centred initiative can drive change. The results from the Lotto aren’t only about finances, but the clear changes it has caused in the community. With its special draws and financial support, Gedling Lotto continues to help local efforts have a real impact on the lives of residents.
