MORE than £21,000 a year for community projects and a chance to win over £18,000 in prize money — that is what will happen if just 1,000 people sign up to Okehampton's town lottery for a year!
Mayor of Okehampton Christine Marsh is launching Lottery EX20 at Okehampton Show on August 10 and is hoping as many people as possible will take this chance to help the community and win something back.
It was during her first year as mayor that Cllr Marsh recognised the need for funds to be raised for various clubs — instead of always asking for donations she thought a lottery might be a solution.
Fellow councillors and townspeople greeted the idea with enthusiasm and now it's ready to roll.
For £5 a month you will be entered into a weekly draw including a bonus of eight special draws a year. The prize money will be 20 per cent for first, 10 per cent for second, and two and a half per cent for third and fourth.
If 1,000 people sign up, the weekly £1 draw will give a top prize of £200.
A total of 42 and a half per cent will go into the community fund, 10 per cent to Devon Air Ambulance and 12 and a half per cent administration.
The mayor is hoping at least 1,000 people subscribe to the lottery — if so, at the end of the first year there will be more than £21,000 for the community and over £18,000 given out in prize money.
The main areas to benefit will be recreation (sports, leisure and arts) and the new hospital for Okehampton.
Cllr Marsh said a lot of projects needed a helping hand to get off the ground and that was where the local lottery could come in
'For example, if someone is going for a national lottery grant of say £5,000 and they need ten or 20 per cent of their own funding to be successful then our funds could be used for that,' she said.
'The main focus is on providing a healthy lifestyle for the young to the old. We want the children to be joining local clubs and using the sports facilities in Okehampton not sitting at home in front of their computers.'
People from the outlying villages who will benefit from the new hospital and better sports and leisure facilities in Okehampton are also being sought to sign up to Lottery EX20.
It is believed that Okehampton is the first town to have its own lottery and Cllr Marsh said it was an exciting opportunity.
'We are showing what we can do here in Okehampton — it is a great opportunity for this area and all it takes is £5 a month.'