Epping Forest Community Lottery

From local passion to a source of dependable income: This is how the Epping Forest Community Lottery is powering good causes

When budgets tighten and everyday expenses rise, discretionary spending is usually the first thing to go. Yet against this backdrop, a powerful movement has taken root across Essex and the wider district. Operating on a simple yet profound premise – money raised within the community, stays in the community – the Epping Forest Community Lottery (EFCL) has proven that small, collective and consistent actions, can create positive impact.

Since launching in 2024, the EFCL has been growing steadily, doubling its ticket sales with a 111% growth between June 2024 and January 2026. Tickets cost just £1 a week and 60p of every pound goes directly to local causes. In under two years, the lottery has raised over £34,000 for the community. Some see it as a ray of light and a true win-win for the community, as residents get the chance to win cash prizes, national bonus prizes, and the weekly £25K Jackpot, while directly injecting vital funds back into the good causes they support.

Spotlight on impact: The Made With Love Chicken Soup Run

While the lottery currently supports 76 phenomenal local causes, few illustrate the life-changing power of this platform better than The Made With Love Chicken Soup Run in Loughton.

Born during the pandemic when founder Lesley Adams noticed the deep isolation gripping her elderly neighbours, the charity has become the heartbeat of its local community. Every Friday, a dedicated team of 40 volunteers chop, cook, pack, and deliver home-cooked meals to roughly 170 elderly and vulnerable residents. Packages are filled with fresh kosher chicken soup, challah, and extra treats to stretch across two full meals.

For some of our recipients, the volunteer driver who delivers their soup is the only human contact they have all week. Our visits are more than just food – they are an absolute lifesaver.”

Lesley Adams, Chairman of Made With Love Chicken Soup Run

After joining the lottery, The Made With Love Chicken Soup Run quickly became EFCL’s top ticket seller. Currently powering past 130 active weekly tickets, they are on track to raise £4,000 this year to keep their kitchen fires burning. Their story is a shining example of community support: not only did a volunteer win a white-water rafting experience at a recent lottery celebration, but three local £25 lottery winners have already chosen to donate their winnings straight back to the charity.

The blueprint for success: How EFCL built a winning strategy by consistently doing what worked for them

Transforming a local lottery into a £34,000+ engine for good doesn’t happen by accident. Behind EFCL’s sustained growth is a highly engaged project team that treats local causes as true partners. The lottery is run by officers in the Community Development and Wellbeing team at Epping Forest District Council. By maintaining a close relationship with their council portfolio holder, attending Gatherwell support sessions, and working alongside their account manager, the team implemented a proactive growth strategy:

• Hands-on cause coaching: The team holds regular face-to-face coaching sessions with cause organisers to help them maximise their reach.
• High-impact events: In October 2025, EFCL held an in-person 1st Birthday celebration. The event brought together council leaders and causes, featuring guest speakers, a “bingo ball” game for free tickets, and the allocation of seven £200 micro-grants for causes selling 20+ tickets (plus a £300 grant scheme announcement).
• Multi-channel marketing: The team keeps momentum high displaying banners at roundabouts, football pitch signs, leisure centre displays, and even featuring on local radio stations.
• Integrating print and digital media: From a dedicated 6-monthly “What’s on” magazine and regular CVS newsletter features, to consistent press releases celebrating local winners. Exposure is constant.
• Incentives and community buzz: Consistently promoting “Refer a Friend” campaigns, investing in branded merchandise (pens, tote bags, hoodies), and talking about seasonal Super Draws, the EFCL project team are constantly keeping players engaged.

Looking ahead: A thriving future for Epping Forest

To ensure the lottery continues to be a primary focus within the community, the team recently organised and hosted another high-impact, in-person event to celebrate the Epping Forest Community Lottery’s 2nd anniversary, and another successful year. Representatives from local organisations came together on 12th of October to celebrate two years of the lottery. In addition to raising more than £34,000 for the Epping Forest community, players have also shared in more than £32,000 in cash prizes, including:

1 x £25,000 jackpot winner

1 x £2,000 winner

9 x £250 winners

143 x £25 winners

Giving back to the community

Thanks to the continued growth of the lottery, eight organisations that consistently sold more than 20 tickets per week received £200 bonus awards this year. The additional funding is helping organisations purchase equipment, support community activities, improve wellbeing services and expand opportunities for local residents.

Since the first draw in August 2024, the central fund has grown significantly, enabling £8,450 in grants and bonus awards to be distributed to local organisations on top of the regular funding received by participating good causes each month. This year, grants of up to £400 were awarded to eight organisations. The funding is supporting a wide range of projects, from youth activities and community groups tackling isolation, to family support services, digital inclusion programmes, and opportunities for local athletes.

We have made a lot of headway since this time last year and are delighted that so many good causes could attend the anniversary event to celebrate all that has been achieved. A big thank you goes out to the good causes and their supporters for raising the funds they have over the last year for their communities.“

Vanessa Gayton, Team Manager for Community Development and Wellbeing

The success of the Epping Forest Community Lottery highlights what is possible when community spirit meets strategic execution. Small good causes – often born out of urgent grassroots needs – now have a reliable, sustainable income stream that keeps their doors open and their volunteers supported.

As more residents buy tickets to support the lottery, and more causes sign up, the cycle of positive impact only grows. The Epping Forest Community Lottery has shown that even in challenging economic times, a community working together can create its own light, one weekly ticket at a time.

Unsung heroes of our communities

Councillor Kaz Rizvi, Portfolio Holder for Community Health and Wellbeing said:

As we celebrate the second anniversary of the Epping Forest Community Lottery, it is important to recognise the incredible local organisations that are often the unsung heroes of our communities.“

If you’re thinking about a Community Lottery for your own cause, get in touch. We’ll walk you through a simple process, just like we did for Epping Forest Community Lottery.