People's Postcode Lottery
People's Postcode Lottery is a postcode-based subscription lottery which operates across Great Britain. It is run by Novamedia BV, an international charity lottery operator based in The Netherlands. The first draws in Great Britain started in 2005.
History
The Postcode Lottery format was introduced by Dutch company Novamedia BV, which launched its first postcode lottery in The Netherlands in 1989. Novamedia now runs five charity lotteries, Nationale Postcode Loterij, Vrienden Loterij and BankGiro Loterij in The Netherlands, Svenska Postkod Lotteriet in Sweden and People's Postcode Lottery in Great Britain. Together, they have contributed over €6.1 Billion to charitable organisations around the world.
People's Postcode Lottery launched in the North of England in 2005 as a pilot-scheme. After a successful launch, it expanded into Scotland in 2007 and launched in Wales in July 2010. The Lottery was established to raise money for charity and increase awareness of the work of the various charities and good causes supported by its players.
Beneficiaries
A minimum of 27.5% goes to various trusts, which in turn provide funding to charities and community projects across Great Britain and internationally. As an External Lottery Manager, People's Postcode Lottery promotes lotteries on behalf of sixteen charitable trusts. Over 2,000 charities and good causes have received support, with examples below.
Whizz-Kidz –Postcode Care Trust
Support to date: £525,000
Whizz-Kidz changes the lives of disabled children and young people in the UK by providing them with the most appropriate mobility equipment, opportunities to meet others and training courses to help them gain new skills. Thanks to support from the players, in 2014 Whizz-Kidz was able to support 1,200 disabled children and young people with appropriate mobility equipment. Our specialist mobility therapists conduct thorough assessments, ensuring that equipment addresses a range of needs and preferences, including individuals' medical needs, home environment, educational setting, hobbies and aspirations.
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home – Postcode Animal Trust
Support to date: £625,000
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home aims to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. At their three centres in London, Old Windsor and Brands Hatch, Battersea reunites lost dogs and cats with their owners. When they can't do that they care for them until new owners can be found. Players support Battersea with funding which allow them to provide a warm bed, food, walks, training, veterinary care and love for 9,000 dogs and cats that need help every year.
British Red Cross – Postcode Global Trust
Support to date: £525,000
British Red Cross is the UK's leading emergency response charity and enables vulnerable people in the UK and abroad to prepare for and withstand emergencies in their own communities. When the crisis is over, they help them to recover and move on with their lives. In 2015, players of People's Postcode Lottery provided valuable support to the Food Security and Livelihood Project in Zimbabwe and have been instrumental in enabling British Red Cross reach 9000 vulnerable households in two provinces with inputs to enhance their food production and nutritional intake. Players also supported the HIV and AIDS programme in KwaZuluNatal in South Africa, supporting more than 15,000 adults to access HIV treatment and reached more than 106,000 young people through peer education.
Dame Kelly Holmes Trust – Postcode Heroes Trust
Support to date: £575,000
Dame Kelly Holmes Trust works with disadvantaged young people to ensure that they receive the support and help needed to enable them to reach their full potential. Funding from players allowed the charity to support 74,484 young people through seven programmes and 311 community projects. Player funding also enabled the DKHT ‘Get on Track' programme to operate in Scotland for the first time, ensuring more 16- to 25-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training receive mentoring and support from a world class athlete. From this programme, 93% have moved into education, employment or training.
Wildlife Trusts – Postcode Green and Postcode Planet Trusts
Support to date: £7,103,286
As one of the longest player-supported charities, players of People's Postcode Lottery have awarded more than £7 million to the various wildlife trusts across Great Britain, including the Northumberland Wildlife Trust, the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Wildlife Trust Wales and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.
The Wildlife Trusts have a passionate belief that wildlife and natural processes need to have space to thrive, beyond designated nature reserves and other protected sites. Funding from players of People's Postcode Lottery enables the Wildlife Trusts to transform the lives of inner-city children by offering them regular access to nature through a range of activities. Part of the funding will pay for the provision of Forest School activities, which provide fun, engaging opportunities to develop child and parent confidence and enjoyment, while spending time outside in nature.
A full list a player-supported charities can be found here:
Ambassadors
People's Postcode Lottery has a number of celebrity ambassadors. Current ambassadors include: Dame Ellen MacArthur, Kaye Adams, Lorraine Kelly, Aggie MacKenzie, Colin McCredie and Mark Beaumont amongst many others.
Street Prize presenters Judie McCourt and Danyl Johnson visit People's Postcode Lottery winners to present them with their cheques, attend Postcode Million events and take part in People's Postcode Lottery advertising campaigns.
Fiona Phillips became an ambassador for People's Postcode Lottery at the end of 2012, leading the organisation's DRTV campaigns.
How it works
People's Postcode Lottery is a subscription lottery. Players sign up to pay monthly in advance by Direct Debit, credit card, debit card or PayPal. There are five draws a month with prizes every day
Prizes:
- All tickets are entered into five £25,000 Street Prizes every month, where each ticket in the full winning postcode (e.g. AB1 2DC) wins £25,000
- Every month, one ticket wins the keys to a BMW 1 Series
- Every month, every ticket in one winning postcode receives a £5000 Dream Holiday
- Every day, Monday - Friday, five postcodes win £1,000 per ticket
- Every month, players in one postcode area share at least £3 million in a Postcode Millions draw
- Prizes are awarded per ticket, so the more tickets a player has, the more they could win.
In accordance with Gambling Act 2005 restrictions, the maximum amount which can be won by a single People's Postcode Lottery ticket is £400,000, or 10% of the total draw proceeds.
Postcode Challenge
From 2008-2010, People's Postcode Lottery sponsored the Postcode Challenge, a quiz show hosted by Angus Purden on STV. The programme ceased in 2010.
TV Sponsorship
Over the years, parent company Novamedia has worked with a number of leading TV production companies and public and commercial broadcasters to support the promotion of their Lotteries. Novamedia inspired and paid Endemol to produce TV game shows such as ‘Deal or No Deal' and ‘1 vs 100'.