Strange Lottery for charity

Jake'sGran

At the club I attend (for old folks) someone came one day and asked if people would like to buy lottery tickets £1 each. This lottery is said to benefit one particular good cause i.e. the local hospice. Some of the ladies agreed as they are a kind lot but I was a little put out as I was not sure if they had permission to just come in and start drumming up business. If you join this lottery you have a unique number. The possible prize is £1000, paid once each week. I intend to ask the Chairman if they did ask permission to do this at our club but have not seen him for a while. If a member misses a week the ticket must still be paid for. One of my pals was in hospital and missed four weeks. She then received a letter inviting her to set up a standing order. I decided to check out this company which is separate to the hospice. On the hospice site it says that every penny paid for the tickets benefits them. What is in it for the company who organises it? One of the people who collects the money drives a top of the range Lexus

I find it all very strange but maybe I just have a suspicious mind. I give to Cancer Research each month through my bank.

Has anyone got any comments?

GiveItBack

it does seem a bit strange, however, it could be a company that organises a lottery but does something else most of the time.

I think I might have found the one you mean online, but would you like to pm me the details so I can have a look for you? (if you don't want to post them here)

Jake'sGran

Thank you for your response. I did check and I too found that a company with the same name seems to be into property letting and all sorts of things. I just couldn't understand why they do this charity when there is nothing in it for them. They are registered with the Charities Commission.

ahai1

It could be CSR.

GiveItBack

It's also possible that the lottery is run by the hospice, and organised by the hospice, but the other company spend a lot of time promoting it. Perhaps the company director has a relative who died in the hospice and this is an easy and effective way for them to give back

Without more details, the possibilities really are endless...

ahai1

You could always contact them.

Jake'sGran

GiveItBack wrote: »

It's also possible that the lottery is run by the hospice, and organised by the hospice, but the other company spend a lot of time promoting it. Perhaps the company director has a relative who died in the hospice and this is an easy and effective way for them to give back

Without more details, the possibilities really are endless...

No, it is not run by the hospice. They have their own very nice web site and under "fundraising" /lottery it clearly states that it is run by an outside agency. It also says that every penny raised goes to the hospice. Probably they would have been sussed out by now if they were not legit. I tend to be nosy and was just surprised that they suddenly appeared in our club one day and some of the ladies had trouble saying no. I have remebered, the name I did find was Sterling something.... I'll have another look.

ahai1

It's good to check things like that out just in case.

GiveItBack

nothing wrong with being nosy.

I suspect it should say that all proceeds go to the charity. There is a fairly long established company called Sterling that manages lotteries for charities, so it looks like them. They do take a cut (about 10% it seems). However, if sterling are using over strong methods etc to sign people up then they should be reported

ahai1

Who should they be reported to? The Gambling or Charity Commission?

GiveItBack

I would go for the fundraising standards board first. http://www.frsb.org.uk/ but then either of the other two. Of course, the really best place to start would be with the hospice fundraising team.