31 LOTTERY WINNERS gathered at Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice in Abbey Wood on Friday (16 October) to mark the first 12 weeks of the Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice Lottery. The first draw was held on 31 July.
The winners, who ranged from £5 to £1000 jackpot winners, represented people from all walks of life.
Chief Executive Jim Bennett thanked everyone for their support and talked about how the lottery was set up to provide a fun way to donate to the Hospice. By paying just £2 a week members can raise £104 a year, and be in with a chance of winning some great cash prizes.
The Hospice Lottery gives local people, currently 820, the chance of winning its weekly jackpot of £1000 as well as 40 other cash prizes. Anyone over the age of 16 can sign up to the weekly draw at just £2 per week and each week £1500 in prizes are awarded.
Sheila Foden from New Eltham said: "I was pleased to hear all about the new lottery; it supports such a good cause. A close friend's partner was diagnosed with cancer in 1994. I came to visit him at the Hospice and was overwhelmed by the care and attention the staff gave to him. I'm delighted to be a part of it."
Fiona Castle, who attended the Lottery Launch event in May, said: "It is vital that we continue to support our local Hospices. I am sure most of us know someone who has benefitted from such unique care and support."
Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice provides specialist palliative care to local people suffering with life-threatening illnesses.
All of their services to patients and their families are provided free of charge, but this care doesn't go without cost as it takes approximately £6million to run the Hospice each year.
The Hospice offers a wide range of services including a 19 bedded in-patient facility, day care centre, carer support, outreach work, a lymphoedema service, breathlessness service, complementary therapy and creative arts helping people to enjoy a better quality of life and enabling them to do things they thought they would never do again.
For more information or to sign up to the Lottery, visit cottagehospicelottery.org.uk, email lottery@gbch.org.uk or call the Lottery hotline on 0870 085 3779.