Wyre Forest District Council is to launch a new online lottery to help local good causes raise vital funds.
Wyre Forest Community Lottery will help local charities and organisations raise cash to continue their good work in the district. The council will not receive any money from the scheme.
The council has appointed an established operator which works with other councils across the country to manage the new online weekly draw.
The first draw will take place at the end of November and tickets will cost £1 with 60p going towards local good causes, compared with just 28p in the pound for the National Lottery.
The draw will be weekly with a jackpot of £25,000 for a matching sequence of six numbers, other prizes being £2,000, £250, £25 or three free tickets.
Players will be able to choose whether to support a specific local charity – which has been vetted to make sure it meets necessary criteria – or support a general good causes fund, which will then be distributed by the council.
Local good causes who register and meet the necessary criteria will be able to set up their own page within a new Wyre Forest Community Lottery website and will receive 50p in every pound spent by players who select them. Another 10p in every pound will go into a general good causes fund, with the remainder being put towards prizes, operating costs and VAT.
Players who do not wish to support a specific cause can still take part in the lottery with 60p of their ticket price going into a central good causes fund, which will be distributed by the council.
The council will be inviting local organisations to take part in a virtual event in September where they can find out more about the criteria and learn how to apply to become a good cause. More details about that will be released nearer the date.
Cabinet member for Culture, Leisure and Community Protection Councillor Helen Dyke said: “The new Wyre Forest Community Lottery is a win, win situation. It will give local organisations a new way of raising money to continue their great work in the district, while giving local people the chance of winning a meaningful cash prize.
“The council will not receive any money from the lottery and will continue its work to support local organisations through our Localism, Community Grants Fund and Community Leadership Fund.
“We have been impressed with the success of similar schemes in other parts of the country and I’m sure this will be a welcome shot in the arm for local organisations which may have struggled with their usual fund-raising activities due to the impact of Covid-19.”
Other councils running local lotteries include Worcester City, Telford and Wrekin and South Staffs.