North West Leicestershire Community Lottery

The NWL Community Lottery was successfully launched in the summer of 2024, thanks to the vision and determination of Cllr Michael Wyatt, Deputy Leader of North West Leicestershire District Council.

Cllr Wyatt initially proposed the idea and played a key role in championing the project through to its launch. Set up to support community projects in the local area, NWL Community Lottery operates on the principle of raising money within the community for the community. Their aim is to empower local good causes to raise money in a fun and effective way.

North West Leicestershire District Council announced the launch of the North West Leicestershire (NWL) Community Lottery in August 2024. Establishing this lottery involved significant effort and dedication from our team, and we are delighted with the progress made so far.” 

Cllr Michael Wyatt
North West Leicestershire District Council

A simple but impactful model

The lottery operates on a simple but impactful model. For every £1 ticket sold, 40p goes directly to the good cause that promoted the ticket, and 20p goes into a central NWL community fund. The central will be used to support local organisations through small grant applications later in the year.

The success of the lottery would not have been possible without the efforts of Emma Trahearn, the Council Officer and her team, who led the project in partnership with Gatherwell. Emma worked tirelessly to bring the initiative to life, securing buy-in from the voluntary and community sector and onboarding over 50 good causes for the first draw, a number that has since grown to over 60 registered organisations. 

When asked: “Why do causes join the Lottery?”, the responses are consistent, that as a club serving the community, help is needed from the community, as perhaps a different way of supporting community clubs, projects and events. 

Since its launch, the NWL Community Lottery has attracted 60 Good Causes and approximately 700 weekly players. Our dedicated officer, supported by the Communications team, monitors the lottery weekly to ensure its smooth operation. The role of the Communications team has been instrumental in driving the success of the lottery.”

Cllr Michael Wyatt
North West Leicestershire District Council

Helping local groups North Leicestershire to thrive 

To date, the NWL Community Lottery has raised over £35,000 for local charities and community groups, providing a vital source of unrestricted funding.

Cllr Wyatt goes on to say: “The good causes participating in the NWL Community Lottery have been exceptional in encouraging their players to support them. The funds raised are being used for various purposes, such as supporting staff and volunteers and delivering new or existing projects. This is particularly beneficial in an environment where funding can be limited or restricted in its use. As we approach the first anniversary of the NWL Community Lottery, we reflect on the hard work and dedication that has gone into making it a success. We are excited about the future and look forward to promoting our grant initiatives with the funds raised by August 2025.”

If you wish to find out how Local Authority lotteries are helping community groups raise vital and unrestricted funds, come and speak with us.