National Lottery winners from across the region visited Camberley Judo Club today (Friday 31 October) to say a big thank you to National Lottery players and mark 20 years since the launch of The National Lottery.
The winners, including Terry and Annette Rooke who won £2.4 million in 2006 and a syndicate of four friends who shared a £3.5 million jackpot earlier this year, were delighted to visit Camberley Judo Club which received £34,980 National Lottery funding in 2013.
Visiting the National Lottery funded project the winners joined head coach Luke Preston, athletes and supporters to mark 20 years of The National Lottery and raise a glass in thanks to the players who made it possible.
Camberley Judo Club has been successful in providing a quality development pathway for judo players in a relatively deprived area for more than 30 years’. Home to London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist, Karine Bryant, the Club encourages amateurs into the sport and can also lay claim to Olympic, Commonwealth and World Champion elite athletes.
Since the first draw on 19 November 1994, The National Lottery has supported thousands of projects just like Camberley Judo Club and created millions of winners, changing the lives of individuals and communities across the UK.
In the Camberley’s GU postcode district alone 40 millionaires have been created and 389 prizes of £50,000 or more have been paid out to Surrey winners. Communities across the county have also been winners – 3,393 grants have been awarded to individuals and organisations across the arts, sports, heritage, health, education, environment, charity and voluntary sectors, amounting to £164 million in the last two decades. Surrey Heath, one of the region’s more deprived areas and home to the Club, has itself received £7 million in funding for 187 projects.
Projects supported include the large, such as £2.7million to the Surrey History Centre, and the small with 70% of grants across the UK being less than £10,000:
- The largest ever National Lottery grant in Surrey was £6 million from Sport England for upgrading of facilities at The National Shooting Centre in Guildford in 2000.
- The smallest of £488 was awarded by the Community Fund in 2000 to Compton and Shakleford Community Car Scheme so that this provider of voluntary transport for local elderly people could purchase office equipment including software, printer and laminator.
- Guildford Cricket Club was the recipient of Surrey’s very first National Lottery grant. Sport England awarded £4,423 for a new outdoor practice area.
Reflecting on The National Lottery’s many success stories, National Lottery winner Terry Rooke said, “This is a momentous occasion. While we still count our blessings every day for the win I’m also mindful of how much our region has benefitted from National Lottery funding. Being able to thank National Lottery players for their contribution to the many life changing projects that have been made possible across the length and breadth of the country over the last 20 years is wonderful.
“It never fails to amaze me that almost any museum, art gallery, theatre or sports centre we visit has had National Lottery money. It doesn’t just transform the lives of lucky winners like our family, it also supports local communities and thousands of charities. National Lottery players should be really proud of the positive changes they have helped bring about since the first draw in 1994.”
At 20, The National Lottery is still transforming lives – every week around £33 million is raised for projects and six million winners are created.
On a national scale, a massive £32 billion has been raised and 430,000 projects have received funding across the arts, sports, heritage, health, education, environment, charity and voluntary sectors. Over £53 billion has been paid out in prizes and more than 3,600 millionaires have been created so far.
For further information, please contact Bonce PR, Camelot’s Regional Press Office, on: 07786102983
Email: clare@boncepr.com
Camelot Press Office: 0207 632 5711
