Telford and Wrekin Community Lottery celebrates its first anniversary

Nearly £35,000 has been raised for local good causes in the past year through Twincl, Telford & Wrekin Council’s community lottery.

Players of the lottery have won £11,450, with one lucky individual from Telford winning £2,000 in the most recent draw, the third person to do so in a year.

Twincl currently supports over 50 local good causes including local disability groups, restoration projects, sports clubs, theatre groups and local nurseries.

You can choose to support a local good cause or alternatively support the general good cause fund, which is administered by Telford & Wrekin Council.

Councillor Lee Carter, Cabinet Member for Finance, Commercial Services and the Borough Economy, said: “For one year now, Twincl has helped to fund a number of important good causes in Telford and Wrekin. I would like to thank anyone who has chosen to support a good cause in the past year. You are making a real difference and helping to create a better borough.”

“Under the scheme, 60p in every pound goes directly to a good cause and the remaining costs go towards the running costs and prize pots. This represents more than double the amount the National Lottery gives to good causes.

“We hope that even more of the community will get involved with the scheme, to help support the many worthwhile good causes across the borough.”

Through Twincl, over £3,200 has been raised for Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust.

The trust has been able to use their funding to progress the Wappenshall Wharf restoration project in Telford and Wrekin, which aims to transform the historic buildings into a heritage site and tourist attraction.

Alan Boney, Trustee and Fundraiser for the Shrewsbury and Newport Canals Trust, said: “We receive funding from a number of sources but the money we raise from Twincl is regular. Every month we get a steady funding stream that we know we can rely on.

“By the end of this year, we hope to open our café at Wappenshall, which is our first step to turning these buildings into a vibrant hub of activity where people can meet and work.

“Eventually we plan to open a Thomas Telford Museum, which will be the first of its kind in the country and we think will be a national attraction.

“We would like to say a big thank you to all of our Twincl supporters over the past year, and those that will join in the future. You are supporting a group that is run entirely by volunteers who want to help improve where we live and preserve our history.”

“We are always looking for more support. I’d like to invite everyone to come and see the conservation work we do every Saturday. The people that do often end up volunteering with us or buying Twincl tickets to support us in our endeavours.”