The Frome Community Lottery has had another successful year raising money for local groups and organisations.
Lottery chair Sue Worringham reports, “Membership has been slowly rising following three big wins for local members in 2015 and about £5,000 has been raised from the Lottery over the year.
“To raise this money, local people pay a weekly £1 for each set of numbers. If their numbers match the numbers drawn each week, they can win cash prizes ranging from £5 to £25,000.
“Half of all the money they pay comes back to the trustees of the Lottery to pay out to groups and organisations seeking to develop community facilities in Frome and the local area. The rest goes in prizes.
“The trustees consider bids from organisations annually in April and this year several organisations received funds to carry out their projects.
“This year the Lottery was able to support Frome Bowling Club with lighting and a water heater, Frome Festival with signage, the Children’s Festival with a gazebo, The Frome Area Leg Club with a new treatment work station, The Pod with cameras, and Open Storytellers with office equipment, as well as making a sizeable contribution to the new boilers at the Memorial Theatre.
“Over the years the Lottery has supported nearly 30 different groups working to develop facilities in sports, education, the arts and culture, involving projects aimed at everybody from pre-schoolers to the elderly.
“The Lottery trustees are very grateful to all the local people who have joined in order to further develop our wonderful town, and look forward to welcoming new members in 2017.
“It is easy to join, either by picking up a form at Frome Library or by searching for ‘Frome Community Lottery’ and joining online. Members become eligible for weekly prizes of up to £25,000 as soon as they have joined.
“One of our big winners last year had been a player for less than a month whereas another had been a member for 15 years!”
Above: Recipients of Frome Lottery funding at a presentation in May.