Newark and Sherwood Community Lottery raises nearly £40,000 for good causes

A community lottery raised nearly £40,000 for good causes in the district last year.

Newark and Sherwood Community Lottery generated £39,405.60 in 2024-25, its fourth year.

This money is distributed between 96 good causes registered with the lottery — including charities, sports clubs, and community and youth groups.

A report on the performance of the lottery was presented to Newark and Sherwood District Council’s Policy and Performance Improvement Committee on June 30.

The funds raised in 2024-25 marked an increase on the lottery’s £34,569.60 total the previous year, despite the number of supporters decreasing.

The remaining 530 players have bought more of the £1 tickets, averaging 1,263 tickets per week.

50p of each ticket goes towards a good cause of the buyer’s choosing, or into a central fund for distribution to good causes by the council. In 2024-25 the central fund amounted to £4,989.50.

10p goes towards the running costs of the lottery, and the remaining 40p is added to a ‘lottery within a lottery’ where a draw is held every six months and randomly selected good causes are awarded £500 from the pot.

Two draws were held in 2024-25, resulting in payments to 18 good causes — including Newark R&M Cricket Club, Sir Donald Wolfit Charitable Trust, 6th Newark Sea Scout Group, Newark Book Festival, and Newark Mencap, among many others.

The lottery has been running since May 2021.