St Elizabeth Hospice celebrates 20 years of fundraising lottery

It has seen more than 31,500 winners and raised over £5.5 million pounds for the independent Suffolk charity, and this June St Elizabeth Hospice’s weekly hospice lottery has now reached its 20^th year milestone.

Since the first draw in 2001, St Elizabeth Hospice’s lottery has been an important fundraiser for the charity which every year provides free specialist palliative care to more than 3,000 people living with a progressive or life-limiting illness, and their families, are supported throughout east Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.

These services cost the hospice £12.9 million per annum, of which 70% is raised by the community through support of the hospice’s retail shops and fundraising activities such as the weekly lottery, which currently has 4,350 registered players.

Pauline Donkin, head of individual giving and supporter care at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “This is a brilliant landmark for the hospice to reach and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all our supporters who have participated in the lottery and we look forward to another 20 years of the hospice lottery.

“To raise £5.5million from the lottery over the years is fantastic and it is all down to the community for their continued support of the hospice.

“Year on year the whole hospice is overwhelmed by the funds the local community raises. Without them we really wouldn’t be able to do what we do and their support enables us to continue developing our services to ensure we can support more people who need our vital care throughout east Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.”

Since launching 20 years ago, over 31,500 winners have won a share of more than £1.5 million of prizes as part of the hospice lottery.

Held on a weekly basis, the lottery sees supporters enter hoping to be lucky enough to win some of the 27 guaranteed prizes, including a top prize of £1,500 or a rollover prize of up to £7,000, all while helping the independent Suffolk charity.

To mark the milestone the hospice team joined together over a special celebration cake, kindly made and donated by Glenda Price of Stowmarket Sugarcraft Club and balloons donated by Emma’s Florist, on 1^st June in a socially distanced celebration inside the Atrium at the Hospice.

For more information, please contact the lottery team on 01473 707008 or email [email protected].

To join St Elizabeth Hospice’s weekly lottery and support the hospice visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/support-us/support-us/join-our-lottery/.