Securing adequate medical care when ill, and especially when elderly, is often a difficult task, but after the challenge of this necessity, many people may fall short of acquiring the emotional and social support they need to remain engaged with the community and avoid potentially harmful isolation. UK National Lottery players can feel especially positive about their ticket purchases this week with the announcement that the Big Lottery Fund will be handing out £1 million in lottery charity funds to a set of five programs throughout Scotland that help to train and provide resources for carers.

Caregivers are an often-overlooked yet essential component of health care for those who might not otherwise be able to get out on their own or participate in certain activities. Providing support and assistance to these carers can greatly aid in the quality of care that is in turn administered to the UK’s sick and elderly, resulting in happier and more prosperous lives even in the most dire of situations. The charitable giving is just one of many initiatives undertaken by the Big Lottery Fund to improve the lives of UK citizens and help meaningful projects take flight. With significant sums of money distributed throughout the year to causes in a wide variety of sectors, the UK National Lottery helps its players have great fun within a context that feels great no matter who wins the jackpot.

Popularity: 12% [?]

The vast sums of money allotted to charities and philanthropic causes across the United Kingdom each year from the UK National Lottery goes a long way towards infusing national well-being and quality of life. But the directors and hard-working staff behind such initiatives are not always given the recognition they deserve. Enter the UK National Lottery Awards, an annual event that honors the UK’s top-rated funding recipients. The Lottery is currently accepting nominations in the heritage category, hoping to acknowledge the director or team with the most significant impact over the past year.

Winners of the annual awards appear on a high-profile ceremony aired on BBC1, which is often a great boost to reputation and visibility, and are also eligible to win a two thousand pound prize. All beneficiaries of National Lottery funding over the past fifteen years are approved for nomination. Of course, more substantial funds are doled out each week to charity organizations –about twenty five million pounds–, but it’s precisely how these funds are used by program leaders that often makes a world of difference in the creation of effective community outreach, restoration, humanitarian, and other projects.


When you pick up your tickets this week or settle in with your favorite scratch cards, consider making a nomination for UK heritage charity projects –it’s a way for players to become even more involved with an institution that delivers both fun and essential funding.

Popularity: 7% [?]

The thrill of playing the UK National Lottery is sufficient fun for scores of players, but there are other benefits to be realized from participating in a single draw or in regular games. Significant sums of money are diverted from the lottery each year and distributed among worthwhile charity organizations and initiatives, helping to improve the lives of those in need and create meaningful advances throughout UK society. Through playing the UK National Lottery, participants can expect to have a hand in positive and influential charitable work. Recently the Big Lottery Fund announced a partnership with several agencies in working towards the end of discrimination against adults living with autism.

Those with learning disabilities are often treated poorly by others, though concerns have been rising throughout the UK over the problem of hate crimes being committed against people specifically targeted for their disabilities. As a result, the lottery group has allotted nearly £350,000 to a project based at the University of Kent. The project aims to determine the scope of hate crimes perpetuated against people living with autism, and is bound to go a long way towards informing support and legal services in connection with keeping at-risk citizens safe. Just one of several important lottery fund allotments this year, the grant is a positive example of the meaningful work possible thanks to the national interest in the thrill of playing the lottery.

Popularity: 6% [?]

A great deal of the money spent on lottery tickets for the UK National Lottery and games worldwide eventually finds its way to charity and important social initiatives, and many players find comfort in the idea that their funds aren’t made meaningless when they don’t win. Furthering efforts in devoting lottery money to needy causes, the Illinois Lottery in the United States has recently developed a scratch-off game devoted to raising AIDS awareness and collecting funding for state public health programs.

The scratch-off card, entitled “Red Ribbon Bonus Bucks,” will divert proceeds to the “Quality of Life Fund,” which will in turn help improve the lives of those living with HIV and AIDS in Illinois. The release of the game has coincided with World AIDS Day, and is hoped to bring greater attention to the issues concerning both the potential for the spread of the disease, and the treatment of those who contract it through any number of methods. The launch of the scratch-off tickets has been supported by state programs to provide educational and social outreach to concerned community members and at-risk citizens. In addition to attracting lottery players with a good cause, the Illinois Lottery is also offering limited-edition scarves to players who submit a certain amount of non-winning tickets. With such initiatives in frequent development, it’s clear that playing the lottery can sometimes mean much more than taking a chance with personal finance.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Throughout the UK, there are servicemen and women who fought valiantly during World War II, but who have been unable to return to historic battle sites or places of personal importance due to the associated expenses. But funds from the UK National Lottery are being put towards helping these people make their desired journeys, and recently the Fund’s organizers have put out a call to veterans to take advantage of their opportunity by applying for a grant.

Veterans can receive funds of up to £5,500 for their travels, and the application process is fairly straightforward. Either alone or with their families in tow, those who risked their lives or who lost friends and colleagues during the war can re-visit important places and take part in memorial ceremonies and special events, regardless of their personal budgets.

The program is slated to continue through 2011 and has so far distributed upwards of £5 million to qualified veterans. One widower who accessed the fund took a trip to the Netherlands where the Battle of Arnhem was fought, citing that the experience was rewarding, and that he’d encourage other veterans to take part in the opportunity. Next time you purchase a lottery ticket, you can feel a little better about your buying decision with the knowledge that you’ve helped someone who served to see and experience once more the lands they helped to save.

Popularity: 6% [?]