This year St Margaret’s Hospice Care is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its Weekly Prize Draw and is aiming to welcome at least 25 new players a week to take part to celebrate.
The weekly draw, which started in April 1997, has raised millions of pounds to pay for hospice care for patients across Somerset facing a life-limiting illness.
On Friday, 8 April St Margaret’s will be holding its 1,300th draw which means 1,300 players will have won the weekly top prize of £1,000, 1,300 players will have won the 2nd prize of £500 and 32,500 players will have won £10 as the hospice has 25 winners every week.
The draw costs just £1 to play and 70p in every £1 goes directly towards funding hospice care. Every ticket purchased has 1 in 445 chance of winning one of our prizes and the winner is selected through a random number generator. Just 10 tickets could pay for transporting a patient to and from the hospice’s Sunflower Day Care Centre where staff help them with symptom control and advice.
Rachel Libby, Weekly Prize Draw Manager, said: “We are thrilled to be celebrating the 25th anniversary. We are so grateful to our amazing players who have continued to support us for the last 25 years. In the last four years, the draw has generated profits of £1,690,174 and the money you give helps support patients across Somerset.
“By signing up to become a St Margaret’s Weekly Prize Draw player you will be in with the chance to win £1,000 while raising vital funds for ongoing hospice care in our community. At a time when our services are in demand, now is the time to play!”
One of St Margaret’s lucky winners is Sue from Langport who won £500 in the hospice’s first Weekly Prize Draw in April.
Sue said: “I only started playing when a canvasser knocked on my door and I thought why not, it’s a great cause, so I just thought why not give it a go? I’ve had a few friends who were cared for at the hospice after they were diagnosed with cancer, so I know about the great work St Margaret’s does to support patients and their families. I’ve also had cancer myself but being one of the lucky ones and living to tell the tale, only brings home how important the hospice is when needed.
“It felt absolutely amazing to receive the call to tell me that I’d won second prize. I don’t normally win anything, and I thought, no, they must have the wrong person, it’s not me! It was really wonderful, and my first thought was I how can I use this to help others?
“I’m planning to treat my six grandchildren, three children, two foster children and my husband so it’s certainly going to bring a lot of joy to us all. I may even give some back to the hospice as a donation.
“I’m definitely going to continue playing, you never know maybe next time I’ll win the top prize, you’ve got to be in it to win it. I’ll continue to support the hospice because it’s such an important service. They are a fantastic Somerset charity and I’d encourage others to get involved in the lottery and do the same.”
More information: here