On Wednesday we attended a Lotteries Council reception at the House of Commons to highlight the critical role charity lotteries play in raising the vital funding needed to support frontline services, such as KSS, as well as a wide variety of other charities, and community projects.
Society Lotteries, also known as Charity Lotteries, play a critical role in raising vital funds for charities such as KSS. They can only be run for good causes and are regulated by the Gambling Commission. For many charities, such as KSS, charity/society lotteries are a fun and accessible way to engage supporters and raise the essential income needed to support frontline services.
Hosted by Wendy Morton MP, Vice President of the Lotteries Council, the event brought together MPs, charity lottery operators and beneficiaries to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing society lotteries, such as regulatory constraints and recognition of the low-risk of gambling harm posed by society lotteries compared to high-risk commercial gambling.
The reception highlighted how charity lotteries provide stable, predictable income that directly support the case. For KSS that means supporting our ability to reach patients in urgent need, whether following major trauma or sudden critical illness. We set out the-levels of demand for our service, how our lottery income enables us to bring hospital-level care straight to the scene when every second counts for survival, and shared the impact this has for our former patients and their families.
As an independent charity providing world leading prehospital emergency treatment and care 24/7, we rely almost entirely on the generosity of our communities to be able to respond to more than 3,100 lifesaving missions every year. It costs £20.8m a year to deliver our service with 91% of our income generated through donations and public support for fundraising activities such as our KSS Lottery.
Symon Russell, our Executive Director of Individual Giving and Lotteries, said: “Charity lottery fundraising is one of the most important income streams keeping our helicopters in the air and our teams at the frontline of pre-hospital emergency treatment and care.
“We rely on our KSS Lottery and the generosity of everyone who chooses to support us in this way to help raise the vital funds needed to ensure we can continue to be here for the most seriously ill and injured patients across Kent, Surrey and Sussex.”
“That’s why it’s essential that the impact on charity lotteries is considered when discussing changes to gambling regulations. Supporting this vital form of fundraising helps protect our service and ultimately helps save lives.”
