THE Essex Lottery is celebrating four years of helping local charities access funding from residents who want to support their county community.

The Essex Lottery is an online lottery created by Essex County Council to support local causes across the county.

Since the Essex Lottery launched four years ago in 2017 over £340,000 has been donated to good causes in the county. This is thanks to the thousands of players who buy a weekly £1 ticket – with 60p of every ticket they purchase going to good causes.

Many of the good causes supported by the Essex Lottery have done great work supporting communities during the lockdown, but at the same time are now struggling due to events being closed down by social distancing protocols.

Currently more than 314 charities and good causes are signed up to benefit from The Essex Lottery – supporting a diversity of causes across Essex from animal welfare, education and arts groups to organisations supporting children, disadvantaged groups and the elderly. Local good causes include community groups, sports clubs, brownies or scout’s and school PTAs. Players are able to select the good causes they wish to support.

Now is the time to support these charities and good causes by buying tickets for the Essex Lottery. 

One such charity supported by the Essex Lottery is Lexden Springs Residential Special School in Colchester. This school caters for pupils aged 3-19 years of age who have complex or profound learning difficulties.

A spokeswoman for Lexden Springs said: “We were thrilled to have another £250 winner on the Essex lottery, this is our third since we joined in February 2020.

“One of our winners generously donated the whole amount back to us enabling us to purchase alongside our other fundraising a wheelchair accessible minibus for our special needs school. 

“The lottery helps us in between our main events to top up our fundraising which we use to give our pupils opportunities, experiences and equipment that can not be funded from the schools limited budget. We really appreciate everyone who purchases tickets in support of our cause Lexden springs appeal fund.”

Cllr Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Community, Equality, Partnerships and Performance, said: “For four years the Essex Lottery has grown – more residents than ever are making the choice to buy a weekly ticket and support charities and good causes within Essex. Many thanks to all the players who have supported the lottery from the start. 

“The rising number of people who are playing the Essex Lottery each week proves that Essex people want to help. The lottery is making a difference, please sign up and make every penny of your lottery ticket money count!”

Prize draws take place every Saturday night when a 6-digit winning combination is picked. Prizes will be given to players with tickets that match the first or last 2-6 numbers from the winning combination. Match all 6 and you win the £25,000 JACKPOT.

Every week there are prizes to be won of free tickets and cash prizes of £25, £250, £2,000 and £25,000 – to players whose numbers match the winning number combination.

Currently, national store chain Decathlon are also supporting the Essex Lottery with an offer ‘Tis The Season To Make A Difference Today’. 

One lucky winner will receive £1000 to spend at DECATHLON, a retail store that provides equipment for over 70 outdoor and sporting activities. This offer will run from the 1st of November to the 1st of January 2022.

To play the Essex Lottery, or apply for Essex Lottery funding, visit: www.essexlottery.co.uk or call the Essex Lottery support team on 0300 302 32 32