Thirteen groups and charities have already signed up to Torbay Council’s new lottery and further applications are currently being prepared. But there’s still room for more - other organisations in Torbay are being encouraged to sign up for free and to raise vital funds for their good causes.

On 25 April 2017, Torbay Council will become one the first ten local authorities in the country to launch its own online community lottery to benefit good causes, Torbay Lottery Opens in a new window.

The Torbay Lottery will raise money in the community, for the community – empowering local groups to generate vital funds in a fun and effective way, while enabling players to support the causes they care about the most.

It is free for good causes to join and is intended to support a wide range of charities and groups that deliver projects which have a beneficial impact on the local community and support the targeted actions of the Corporate Plan, namely:

• protecting all children and giving them the best start in life
• working towards a more prosperous Torbay
• promoting healthy lifestyles across Torbay
• ensuring Torbay remains an attractive and safe place to live and visit
• protecting and supporting vulnerable adults

There will also be a central Torbay Lottery Small Grants Fund for those people who do not want to support a specific group where charity, voluntary and community sector organisations can bid towards the costs of a specific activity or for the purchase of small items of equipment up to £5,000.

Tickets cost just £1 each, which is half the price of the National Lottery, and deliver an exceptional 60% back to local good causes, in comparison to just 28% contributed by the National Lottery. The remaining 40% goes back into the prize fund and pays for the running costs. Torbay Council does not take a penny from ticket sales.

Each ticket has a 1 in 50 chance of winning a prize every week. This includes an incredible £25,000 jackpot prize if you match all six numbers, as well as various other cash prizes.

Councillor Derek Mills, Deputy Mayor and Executive Lead for Health and Wellbeing and Corporate Services said: “We held a launch event with community and voluntary groups on 30 March 2017 and I’m really pleased with the response. We’ve already had 13 groups and organisations sign up to become beneficiaries of the lottery and another 14 groups are in the process of applying. I’m sure there are other good causes out there that that would benefit from the council’s new lottery and I don’t want them to miss out.

“It’s easy to join, you just need to go to www.torbaylottery.co.uk, select ‘Are you a good cause’, click ‘Apply Now’ and follow the on screen instructions. Your web page will be created free of charge and all you then need to do is spread the word, sit back and start receiving funding.”

The groups that have signed up so far are:

• Acorn Youth Community & Sports Centre
• CentrePeace
• Hele’s Angels
• Paignton Amateur Rowing Club
• Paignton Darts Academy
• Sense Abilities
• Social Justice and Homelessness
• Swim Torquay Ltd
• Torbay Befriending Service CIC
• Torbay Citizens Advice
• Torbay Hospital League of Friends
• Torbay Street Pastors
• Totally Teenagers”

The online lottery will be delivered in partnership with an external provider and the first draw will take place 27 May.

Torbay Council has been licenced by the Gambling Commission to become one of ten local authorities to be a licensed operator.

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