Cambridgeshire Community Lottery marks first anniversary with over £20,000 raised for local good causes

One year in and the Cambridgeshire Community Lottery has raised over £20,000 for 89 charities, community groups and voluntary organisations across the county – and the momentum is growing!

From sports clubs to charities, PTAs to CICs, causes across the county are benefitting from adding the lottery to their fundraising mix, offering a reliable, steady flow of income that’s increasingly welcome in a tough climate. Recent research from the Charities Aid Foundation1 indicates that the number of people donating, and the amounts given, have fallen over the last few years, making it more important than ever for charities to diversify how they raise funds.

Picture of different people each holding one digit of £20,000

The lottery in numbers:

Launched in May 2025 by Cambridgeshire Community Foundation
89 causes signed up
Over £20,000 raised already
Over 34,000 tickets bought by over 600 supporters across the county
For every £1 ticket, 50p goes directly to the player’s chosen cause and 10p supports the wider work of Cambridgeshire Community Foundation
Players have a 1 in 50 chance of winning every week, with prizes ranging from £25 to a £25,000 jackpot

Michael O’Toole, CEO of Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, said:

“When we launched the lottery twelve months ago, we wanted to give causes across the county a practical, low-barrier way to bring in additional income – no setup fees, no minimum sales targets and minimal admin.

We were particularly keen to open up lottery fundraising to smaller organisations who may not have had the capacity to set one up on their own; the regulatory requirements and operational burden can be significant barriers. By taking that on, we could give local causes, however small, access to a fundraising tool that genuinely works.

Seeing that in action – and knowing we’ve helped causes across the county raise over £20,000 in year one – makes us incredibly excited about what year two holds.”

3 examples of local good causes which have benefitted from the lottery

Something To Look Forward To

Since joining the lottery as one of the first causes in May 2025, Something To Look Forward To has raised £2,900, supported by 69 loyal players purchasing 159 tickets every week.

Francesca Abery tell us: “At a time when many people are having to tighten their belts, growing regular giving has been a real challenge. Cambridgeshire Community Lottery has made a meaningful difference to us, providing vital monthly income that helps us support families facing cancer-related financial hardship.“

“
It’s a wonderful way to engage supporters, who love having the chance to win something while supporting a cause close to their hearts.
”
Francesca Abery
Managing Director of Something To Look Forward To

Friends of St John, Parson Drove

For small charities, every penny counts. In less than a year since Friends of St John, Parson Drove joined the lottery, 26 supporters buying 65 tickets a week have helped the group raise vital funds.

As Paul Unwin, Chair of Friends of St John, Parson Drove tells us: “Since signing up to Cambridgeshire Community Lottery we have received over £800 in funding, and we’re looking at raising over £1,200 a year! An incredible amount!”

He goes on to say that “Not only does the lottery raise lots of money but it does so much more to publicise so many worthwhile causes in Cambridgeshire“.

3 Pillars Feeding the Homeless and Supporting the Community

Since joining the Cambridgeshire Community Lottery in July 2025, 3 Pillars Feeding the Homeless and Supporting the Community now has 41 supporters buying 114 tickets a week. Thanks to their generosity, the charity has raised over £1,677 to date. One lucky player has already scooped a £250 win, proving the benefit runs both ways.

“
We have already raised over £1,600. This helps us to deliver almost 200 fresh food and grocery bags to the homeless, elderly, vulnerable and young struggling families in the St Neots area.
”
Mick Pescod
3 Pillars Feeding the Homeless and Supporting the Community

Pooling player support through the Fund for Cambridgeshire

If a player is undecided on which cause to support through the lottery, they can select the Fund for Cambridgeshire. Managed by Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, the fund pools player support to distribute grants to a variety of community projects tackling some of the county’s most pressing issues.

Over the last year, the Fund for Cambridgeshire has invested in two amazing projects:

Helping Cambridge Cyrenians to fund a Horticultural Therapist to lead an Allotment Community Project that uses therapeutic horticulture to support people experiencing homelessness.
Helping Cogwheel Counselling to expand access to their Counselling Support Fund, enabling people on low incomes to access vital mental health support.

£20,000 raised. 89 causes supported. A growing community of local people choosing, week after week, to back the causes that make Cambridgeshire a better place to call home. For the charities, grassroots clubs, CICs and volunteer-led groups behind these stories, that steady, reliable income is making a real difference, and with momentum like this, year two promises to be even bigger.

To buy a ticket, sign up as a cause, or find out more, visit: www.cambridgeshirecommunitylottery.co.uk