Tag: Peoples Postcode Lottery

Edinburgh neighbours scoop £30,000 each in Lottery win

Three Edinburgh neighbours are celebrating today after learning they have won a £30,000 cash prize each with People’s Postcode Lottery.

The win comes after their postcode, EH17 7QZ,was announced as a winner with the lottery on Thursday 27th May.

Cindy Simpson (63) was among the winners and on seeing her prize cheque for £30,000 she said: “Oh wow, oh my God! I was only thinking it would be £1,000. I’m shaking. That’s amazing. My heart’s going bom-bom-bom!”

When asked how she might spend her winnings, Cindy added: “I don’t know honestly! I want to give my kids some money.

“If there’s anything left over for me, I’ll get a car and I’ll get a new suite for my living room.”

A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have helped raise over £700 million to date for thousands of good causes across Britain and internationally.

Cindy was thrilled to hear about the good work being supported and had a special fondness for one of the causes that has received funding from the players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

She said: “I want to give something to PDSA. They helped my dog when she was needing it. They were so good, I’m always handing stuff into them. Every time I win anything, no matter how big it is I always try to give them something.”

PDSA has received over £11.6 million in funding from players of the lottery to date.

The other winners chose to remain anonymous but their winnings will be transferred into their bank accounts.

The lottery’s visit to the Edinburgh street followed social distancing guidelines and People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Matt Johnson didn’t attend in person but sent his congratulations to the winners.

He said: “I am so happy for Cindy and our other Edinburgh winners today, what an amazing surprise for them. I hope they enjoy their winnings and go and treat themselves to a special something to celebrate.”

Everyday throughout the May draws one postcode will be announced as a £30,000 prize winner. All the players in the postcode will win £30,000 for every ticket they hold.

People’s Postcode Lottery costs £10 a month to play and there are guaranteed winners every day. People play with their chosen postcode and are automatically entered into all draws.

This draw was promoted on behalf of Postcode Justice Trust which supports organisations including Helen Bamber Foundation, Women for Women International and Peace Direct with regular grant funding.

New funding will help Safe Spaces reach over 200,000 people experiencing domestic abuse

Domestic abuse charity, Hestia, receives £655,000 of support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery

More than 200,000 victims of domestic abuse will now be helped as pandemic causes soaring demand for services

Charity Hestia’s UK SAYS NO MORE campaign is to dramatically expand its Safe Spaces scheme for victims of domestic abuse across the UK, in response to rising levels of abuse during the pandemic.

The Safe Spaces scheme offers access points, through high street partners, where victims can discreetly use consultation rooms to access specialist domestic abuse services.

Thanks to an award of £655,000 raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, more than 200,000 victims of domestic abuse will be helped. The funding has been awarded as part of the Postcode Recovery Fund, designed to help communities recover from problems exacerbated by the pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on victims of domestic abuse, with the number of cases escalating and support networks cut off overnight. Since lockdown on November 5, 2020, Hestia has seen a 30 per cent increase in demand for support.

Currently, people living with domestic abuse can access over 5,300 Safe Spaces in pharmacies nationwide as well as accessing Online Safe Spaces on many websites. The new funding will allow Safe Spaces to extend to other high street businesses and online, to build a long-lasting infrastructure of support for victims of domestic abuse.

To support the expansion of the Safe Spaces project, 32,000 staff in participating organisations will be trained in domestic abuse responses so victims can access the help they need.

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery said: “Hestia’s Safe Spaces initiative is a great example of a charity that is addressing the demand which has escalated during the pandemic.

“Thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the charity received the funds to create additional safe spaces for those needing help. Thanks to this funding, more support will be available in our communities and on our high streets, bringing benefits well beyond the pandemic, to those who need a safe space.”

Sue Harper, Head of Domestic Abuse Prevention at Hestia, said: “Right now there are victims of domestic abuse that don’t know where to go or are trapped at home with their abuser.

“Safe Spaces was born in the midst of lockdown as a bridge for victims to specialist support, but it has the potential to support thousands more victims to safety in the future. With the generous support of the players of People’s Postcode Lottery we can now expand this vital initiative, enabling communities to be play a critical role in tackling domestic abuse.”

A survivor of domestic abuse who used a Safe Space told Hestia: “Safe Spaces has saved my life. I had been experiencing coercive control for 5 years of a 10 year relationship. During lockdown, I was shielding and the abuse escalated to aggression and violence, making me fear for my life.

“When I saw that independent pharmacies were offering Safe Spaces, I scrolled through the list with my heart in my mouth and found that my local village pharmacy was listed. Over the weeks I used the Safe Space, I developed a plan to get the abuser out of my home. I am now beginning to feel safe in my home again, but without this support, things could have been very different and far, far worse.”

Lucky Leithers!

Two neighbours in Leith are celebrating today after learning they have scooped £30,000 each thanks to their postcode.

The windfall comes after EH6 8SF was announced as a winner with People’s Postcode Lottery on Saturday 20th March.

The winners chose to remain anonymous but their prizes will be paid into their bank accounts.

People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Matt Johnson sent his well-wishes to the winners. He said: “Congratulations to our winners in Edinburgh today, what a fantastic surprise to start your weekend! I hope they go and enjoy their winnings and treat themselves to something special.”

People’s Postcode Lottery costs £10 a month to play and there are guaranteed winners every day. People play with their chosen postcode and are automatically entered into all draws.

A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have helped raise over £700 million to date for thousands of good causes across Britain and internationally.

This draw was promoted on behalf of Postcode Justice Trust which supports organisations including Amnesty International, Helen Bamber Foundation and Thomson Reuters Foundation with regular grant funding.

Lottery success for McDonald Road neighbours

Two people in Edinburgh are celebrating today after winning £1,000 each thanks to their lucky postcode. The McDonald Road neighbours netted the windfall when EH7 4NQ was announced as a Daily Prize winner with People’s Postcode Lottery on Friday.

People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Judie McCourt sent her well-wishes to the winners. She said: “What a fantastic Friday for these lucky neighbours! Congratulations to our winners, I hope they have fun spending their winnings.”

A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £600 million to date for thousands of good causes in Britain and beyond.

This draw was promoted on behalf of Canal and River Trust which has received more than £10 million in funding thanks to players. It cares for over 2,000 miles of canals and rivers across England & Wales and believes waterways have the power to make a difference to people’s lives.

Many good causes close to the winners have also benefitted from players’ support, and local charities can apply for funding next year.

For more information onPeople’s Postcode Lottery, please visit www.postcodelottery.co.uk or Facebook and Twitter.

Lottery win for Gyle neighbours

Three people in North West Edinburgh are celebrating after winning £1,000 each thanks to their lucky postcode.

The North Bughtlinfield neighbours netted the windfall when EH12 8XZ was announced as a Daily Prize winner with People’s Postcode Lottery on Thursday (1st October).

People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Judie McCourt sent her well-wishes to the winners. She said: “Congratulations to our winners. What a great surprise to hear on a Thursday morning!”

A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £600 million to date for thousands of good causes in Britain and beyond.

This draw was promoted on behalf of Canal & River Trust which has received more than £10 million in funding thanks to players. It cares and brings life to over 2,000 miles of canals and rivers across England and Wales.  It believes waterways have the power to make a difference to people’s lives and that spending time by water can make us all healthier and happier.

Many good causes close to the winners have also benefitted from players’ support, and local charities can apply for funding next year.

For more information onPeople’s Postcode Lottery, please visit www.postcodelottery.co.uk or Facebook and Twitter.

Dogs Trust Dog School ‘suppawting’ owners of lockdown puppies

With the demand for puppies soaring during the coronavirus pandemic and many people bringing a new four-legged friend into their homes during or just before lockdown, Dogs Trust Dog School is offering some top tips for new puppy owners to help their young dogs adjust to new experiences.

Despite Dogs Trust Dog School face-to-face training classes pausing for five months during the pandemic, the demand for classes from new puppy owners was unprecedented – with over 5,000 enquiries about training classes during lockdown (15th March-15th August 2020).

Since 17th August, classes have started to re-open, where safe to do so, and the team already have over 1,400 new dogs booked onto classes and had over 450 enquiries per week.

Whilst many people have enjoyed the quality time with their four-legged friends, a return to ‘normal’ life may be a difficult transition for new puppies as their owners return to work and school. Which is why Dogs Trust Dog School has released some quick and handy tips to help puppies cope with life after lockdown – from being left alone, to meeting people in facemasks and settling when their owner is working from home.

Top tips include:

Being left alone

  • Young puppies may not be used to spending time on their own after so much company during lockdown.
  • Start now to teach them that being on their own is a normal and positive part of life. To do this:
    • Make sure your puppy has a comfy bed or den, where they can relax, and give them something fun to keep busy, like a long-lasting treat or puzzle toy.
    • Start to move away from them whilst they are settled: only move as far as you can without them becoming worried and trying to follow you. Go back and reward them for staying calm. If they have got worried or tried to follow, then start again but move less far away. Once the puppy is relaxed with this you can start to build up to taking more steps away, being in a different room and then leaving the house.
    • The key to success is progressing slowly – always only increase the distance and time away for which your puppy stays relaxed. Any signs of distress, and you’ve progressed too fast and need to go back a stage.
  • Teaching a puppy to be left alone positively from the start is much easier than treating established anxiety problems. So putting some time in now to get your puppy relaxed when left will save you both a lot of work and worry later in life.

Meeting and greeting other people

  • It’s really useful to train your puppy to stay calm when visitors come to the door or into your house, as well as meeting people on walks. In both cases, it is important to build up new experiences slowly, so your pup learns to be calm and relaxed. Reward them when they are quiet and relaxed.
  • Teaching your pup to go to their bed in a different part of the house when they hear the doorbell can make greeting visitors easier.
  • Ensure your puppy has their own safe space to retreat to when you have visitors, remembering that they can find excitable human noises worrying (as, no doubt, you’ll be excited to see your friends and family after a long time!).
  • Always remember to wash your hands regularly before and after interacting with your dog and ask your guests to do the same. A dog’s coat, lead, toys etc, could carry coronavirus just like any other surface.
  • Do not be afraid to ask people not to pet your puppy if he or she is worried, don’t feel comfortable or if your dog needs more space.

 Out and about with your dog

  • If your puppy hasn’t been out in the car much, if at all, in the past few months, get them used to travelling by carefully introducing them to the car and their travel harness or crate. Use lots of tasty treats to reward them.
  • Use our handy guide to teach your puppy to feel comfortable with seeing people in facemasks, particularly if you are using public transport.

Homeworking

  • If you’re working from home on a longer term basis, it’s especially important for an excitable puppy to learn to relax, lie down, and have time on their own when you’re busy on phone calls or video meetings.
  • Start training at times when your puppy is more likely to be already relaxing. You’ll know your dog is truly settled when they lie down, not asking for attention, and not easily distracted by what’s going on around them.
  • To begin with, sit quietly on a chair with your dog lay on a blanket on the floor. Drop tiny bite size treats to your dog as a reward for settling down on the blanket. Don’t say anything to your dog whilst doing this. Gradually only reward more relaxed behaviours.
  • You can then start to increase the amount of time they must be settled before you reward them.

Dog owners can access training videos, owner handbooks and more by visiting the dedicated page on the Dogs Trust website.

Dogs Trust Dog School has recently resumed classes for some of its Dog Schools, with smaller classes and other safety measures in place. To see if your local Dog School has reopened visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-school.

For schools that can’t reopen just yet, online one-to-one sessions or full online training courses are available. Please note, we’re experiencing a high volume of enquires to our Dog Schools that have re-opened so there may be a delay in booking onto a class.

With Dogs Trust predicting more dogs at risk of abandonment due to behavioural issues that have developed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Dogs Trust’s Dog School has never been so vital in helping to support owners with their dogs’ training. This year, Dog School is being supported by funding raised by generous players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Julie Morrison, Head Coach at Dog School Edinburgh, says: “Dogs will have got used to having their favourite humans by their side day in day out during lockdown. Whilst many puppies will have been happy to have their human family at home during the past few months, they may need help adjusting to life when their families go back to work and school.

“They may also need help getting used to car travel and support with feeling comfortable seeing people in facemasks. 

“Keep in mind that whilst we’re easily able to slot back in to old routines, young puppies may find this a confusing time and a more difficult transition, which is why we have lots of top tips to help them find their paws in the ‘new normal’.

“The most common reason dogs are handed into Dogs Trust is due to behaviour-related issues, so we would urge owners of puppies bought during lockdown to act now to prevent these developing.

“We would like to thank the players of People’s Postcode Lottery for their continued support, which allows us to give dog owners the information they need to understand their pooch and prevent common behavioural issues from arising.”

For more information and to see if your local Dog School has reopened visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-school.

Lottery win for Parkgrove neighbours

Five people in Edinburgh received some good news this weekend – they’ve each scooped a cash prize of £1,000 thanks to their postcode.

The Parkgrove Crescent neighbours landed the cash when EH4 7RW was announced as a People’s Postcode Lottery winner on Sunday (13th September).

People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Judie McCourt sent her well wishes and said: “A big congratulations to all those who have picked up a prize in Edinburgh. I hope they are able to treat themselves to something special with the money.”

A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £600 million to date for thousands of good causes in Britain and beyond.

This draw was promoted by WWF-UK, which has received more than £15.2 million in funding to build a future in which people and nature thrive.

For more information on People’s Postcode Lottery, please visit www.postcodelottery.co.uk or Facebook  and Twitter.

Stories and Scran!

Join us for an evening of food and entertainment, hosted by our Citizen Writers in Residence Eleanor Thom and Leyla Josephine. With live readings, audio recordings and a film created by Citizen participants, our community meal will showcase the insightful and thoughtful work of local people from North Edinburgh and Musselburgh.

Our Community partners Scran Academy will cook and deliver a free meal to those joining the event within an Edinburgh or Musselburgh postcode. If you’re watching from further afield, we can provide you with an ingredients list and recipe card, so that you can recreate the meal at home to eat with us during the event.

To book a free meal (numbers limited, so don’t miss out!) or receive an ingredients list and recipe card contact us on citizen@edbookfest.co.uk.

This live event is part of Citizen, our long-term creative programme working in partnership with organisations across Edinburgh, offering local people a platform to explore identity, connection, place and everything it means to live in our world right now. Find out more at ontheroad.edbookfest.co.uk.

Part of our Made in Scotland series of events.

Also supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery

Good causes impacted by COVID urged to apply for share of £4 million funding pot

Organisations have one week left to apply

Local charities and good causes impacted by COVID-19 are being urged to apply for up to £20,000 in funding.

Organisations can apply to Postcode Neighbourhood Trust for grants between £500 and £20,000 from now until Wednesday 19th August, when applications will close.

The funding boost is available thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Groups looking to increase their resilience, adapt or expand their services as a result of the pandemic should apply. Funding will support a variety of activities, including covering core costs.

Interested applicants should make use of the short funding guide and eligibility quiz to ensure they are eligible to be considered.

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “Over the past few months we’ve seen the important role grassroots good causes play in communities across Britain.

“There will be challenging times ahead so I’m delighted that players of People’s Postcode Lottery can support these organisations with this funding opportunity. Up to £4 million will be awarded in grants through Postcode Neighbourhood Trust, so I encourage small, local charities to make sure they get an application in by the 19th August.”

A minimum of 32% of each ticket goes directly to charities. Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised more than £600 million for over 8,500 good causes across Britain and internationally since 2005.

Groups that may not be suitable for funding through Postcode Neighbourhood Trust can apply to one of three other trusts, also supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. People’s Postcode Trust, Postcode Local Trust and Postcode Community Trust all support different themes and more information can be found at the website for each:

www.postcodetrust.org.uk

www.postcodelocaltrust.org.uk

www.postcodecommunitytrust.org.uk

MP to lead free online funding workshop for local charities

Edinburgh North and Leith MP Deirdre Brock will take part in a virtual funding workshop, with People’s Postcode Lottery, for local charities, volunteer organisations, and community groups throughout the local area.

The session will give good causes in Ms Brock’s constituency advice on how they can apply for funds to make a difference in their community.

The live Zoom event takes place on Tuesday 11 August at 10am.

Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised £398,687 for smaller good causes and community projects in Edinburgh North and Leith. Wellspring Scotland received £13,950 to deliver mental health and well-being support work to adults, children and young people in Leith.

£17,500 went to Leith Theatre Trust’s LTYardheads project, helping people within the surrounding community access theatre through drama, acting and creativity groups.

MP Deidre Brock said: “Hundreds of thousands of pounds, raised thanks to People’s Postcode Lottery players, has already had a hugely positive impact on the places and people of Edinburgh North and Leith.

“This free virtual funding session will give good causes throughout the area the guidance they need on how to apply for funding. Funding that many good causes need now more than ever before.

“I’d strongly encourage local good causes within the community to sign up and find out more about the funding opportunities available to them.”

Community programmes advisor at People’s Postcode Lottery, Katherine Sellar, added: “The money raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery is making a huge difference in communities across the country.

“We want to do all we can to help local charities and good causes successfully apply – particularly at a time when many are losing out on essential funds. Our free virtual workshop is a useful opportunity for smaller, local charities and groups to find out about the funding available, get pointers on applying and ask us any questions.”

More than £500 million has been raised for thousands of charities and good causes, thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

To attend contact funding@postcodelottery.co.uk.