The Government is recommending an increase in the maximum draw prize from its current limit of £400,000 to £500,000. The consultation also ask for views on increasing the number of tickets society lotteries can sell to a value of £100 million per year and the amount they can raise per draw to £5 million.
Nicole Wastell, Lottery Manager at EHAAT said: “Essex & Herts Air Ambulance will soon reach the £10 million annual sales turnover limit set by the current lottery regulations. Unless the regulations are changed, we will be forced to take out a new licence and restructure our existing lottery, at an estimated total cost of £100,000.
“As a Charity which receives no central Government funding we believe our supporters across Essex & Hertfordshire would prefer us to spend this money delivering our life-saving service.
“Each year our Critical Care Teams are called to over 1,000 life-threatening incidents, at a total cost of £6.5 million. £100,000 could pay for us to attend an extra 40 missions or equip 65 premises, such as our charity shops, with defibrillators”.
On a recent visit to the Charity’s Earl’s Colne airbase Colchester MP Will Quince said: “It is far more important for charities to be spending money on delivering services – particularly those saving lives – rather than having to meet restrictive regulations”.
Civil, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, News, UK
