A massive £10,000 lottery windfall is set to supercharge grassroots projects and charities across North Kesteven. Over 20 small, volunteer-led community groups are celebrating a welcome cash boost after securing grants of up to £500 each from the latest round of the North Kesteven Community Lottery Grant Fund.
Every penny raised for the fund comes from residents playing the local lottery, where 60p from every £1 ticket is poured back into good causes. This latest injection of cash targets smaller, lifeline organisations with limited financial resources, helping them deliver vital projects that improve lives locally.
Beneficiaries of the Latest Funding Round
The latest round has awarded funding to 22 groups, including swimming pools, sports clubs, and village halls. One beneficiary, North Scarle Village Hall, said the support from the Council “has made a real and lasting difference to our village hall and the community it serves”.
The full list of benefitting groups includes:
- Metheringham Swimming Pool – Purchase of a wheeled shower chair for accessibility improvements
- Billinghay and District Community Swimming Pool – Contribution towards £1 swim sessions to increase usage and support long-term sustainability
- Friends of Eagle School – Contribution towards their annual summer party
- Girlguiding Sleaford Division – Funding for equipment storage at a new campsite
- The Carres Grammar School PTA – Purchase and installation of a bike rack
- 11th Lincoln (1st Washingborough) Scout Group – Purchase of fridges and cool storage equipment
- Cranwell JFC – Purchase of new goalposts for Under-7s
- Music for the Memory – Funding for room hire supporting people with memory problems
- North Scarle Village Hall – Purchase of a PA audio system
- Sleaford Town Bowls Clubs – Purchase of two disability ramps
- Branston Croquet Club – Contribution towards a container for lawn improvement
- Greylees Engagement Network – Funding for entertainment at a community fun day
- Leadenham Hockey Club – Contribution towards England Hockey fees
- Metheringham Bowls Club – Funding towards a shelter
- NK Radio – 12-month broadcaster subscription
- Finley’s Legacy Community Project – Support for a free family fun day
- Lincoln and District Model Engineering Society – Contribution to public liability insurance
- Sleaford and District Model Railway Club – Purchase of items to complete railway structure
- The Ripon Arms CIC – Enhancements to furnishings for community use
- Cranwell Community Choir – Purchase of items for performances
- Norton Disney History and Archaeology Group – Funding for a summer archaeological excavation
- NK Seniors – Funding towards coach hire and entry costs for a local trip
Impact on Community Life
Cllr Richard Wright, leader of North Kesteven District Council, said: “It is fantastic to see so many local groups benefitting from the North Kesteven Community Lottery Grant Fund. The entire ethos of the NK Community Lottery is to connect communities to the good causes operating locally and to make it easier for them to access small funding opportunities. This funding will help them to survive and flourish, and make a big difference to the vibrancy and variety of community life within North Kesteven.”
When the 1,000 or so tickets for the NK Lottery are bought each week, players are not only doing so in the hope of winning up to £25,000 for themselves, but also in the knowledge that most of their £1 ticket purchase will directly benefit good causes locally. Being able to re-distribute some of that money in grants of up to £500 each is a wonderful way of ensuring maximum benefit across the broad sweep of community organisations, operating in support of community cohesion and the District’s ongoing wellbeing.
