WYRE Forest District Council is set to launch a new online lottery to help raise money for local good causes.

The Wyre Forest Community Lottery will help local charities and organisations raise cash to continue their good work in the district.

Cabinet member for culture, leisure and community protection, Councillor Helen Dyke, said: “The new Wyre Forest Community Lottery is a win, win situation. It will give local organisations a new way of raising money to continue their great work in the district, while giving local people the chance of winning a meaningful cash prize.

“The council will not receive any money from the lottery and will continue its work to support local organisations through our Localism, Community Grants Fund and Community Leadership Fund.

“We have been impressed with the success of similar schemes in other parts of the country and I’m sure this will be a welcome shot in the arm for local organisations which may have struggled with their usual fund-raising activities due to the impact of Covid-19.”

The first weekly draw will take place at the end of November and tickets will cost £1, with 60p going towards local good causes, compared with 28p in the pound for the National Lottery.

There will be a jackpot of £25,000 for a matching sequence of six numbers, with other prizes up for grabs including £2,000, £250, £25 or three free tickets.

Players will be able to choose whether to support a specific local charity – which has been vetted to make sure it meets the necessary criteria - or support a general good causes fund, which will then be distributed by the council. The council said it will not receive any money from the scheme.

Local good causes who register and meet the necessary criteria will be able to set up their own page within a new Wyre Forest Community Lottery website and will receive 50p in every pound spent by players who select them.

Another 10p in every pound will go into a general good causes fund, with the remainder being put towards prizes, operating costs and VAT.

Players who do not wish to support a specific cause can still take part in the lottery with 60p of their ticket price going into a central good causes fund, which will be distributed by the council.

The council will be inviting local organisations to take part in a virtual event in September to find out more about the criteria and learn how to apply.

Other councils running local lotteries include Worcester City, Telford and Wrekin and South Staffs.