Lateef Lovejoy, actor, comedian and the face of uSwitch and ITV Hub launched tickets sales for the Brent Community Lottery at the Brent Civic Centre this week.
Local residents, staff and councillors gathered at the Brent Civic Centre while Lateef Lovejoy and Cllr Tom Miller, Brent’s Cabinet Lead for Community Safety and Engagement officially launched the ticket sales for the lottery.
The Brent Community Lottery, which was given the go ahead by Brent Council’s Cabinet in June, will provide a new income stream to the local Voluntary and Community Sector in the borough.
The borough’s Voluntary and Community Sector is in need of a cash boost after it has faced funding cuts, alongside Brent Council, following years of austerity.
Anyone who buys a ticket for the lottery will be in with the chance to win up to £25,000 while raising money for a local good cause or charity of their choosing.
60% of cash raised will go straight to local good causes with the other 40% providing the prize fund for winners, covering VAT and the running of the scheme.
Some of the good causes already signed up to benefit from lottery ticket sales include community gardening projects, schemes for young people, drug and alcohol support, housing advice and community cohesion initiatives.
Cllr Tom Miller, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Engagement said: “The Community Lottery model is already being used very successfully by over 50 other councils across the country.
We aim to follow this positive trend to help support the Voluntary and Community Sector and provide them with access to alternative sources of funding. We hope people will buy tickets knowing that they are supporting their local charity or good cause as well as having the added incentive of winning some cash.”
On launching the lottery, Lateef Lovejoy who grew up in Brent said: “The Brent Community Lottery is a brilliant idea that will help to raise money for good causes that do amazing work in the borough to help local people. Don’t delay, buy your ticket today!”
To buy tickets and to sign up as a good cause, please go to: www.brentcommunitylottery.co.uk where you’ll find further information.
