PEOPLE in Oxfordshire can take part in a newly launched community lottery with five-figure jackpots.

The very first tickets for the White Horse Community lottery went on sale on Thursday last week and the first draw will take place on Saturday, September 18.

The Vale of White Horse District council committed to launching its own lottery as a fun and creative way for voluntary and community groups to raise much needed funds, especially after huge financial losses during the pandemic.

The lottery allows people to support the causes they care most about in the district, and also helps good causes to connect with their supporters.

Players of the lottery can choose which local good cause they want to support when they purchase tickets and prizes range from free prize draw entries to a weekly £25,000 jackpot.

Tickets cost just £1 with 60p from every ticket sold going to support charities and community groups across the Vale of White Horse.

Councillor Margaret Crick, chair of the council, said: "The lottery is a such a good way for people to get involved in supporting local organisations.

"Residents can choose where they want their money to go, and they too can be winners.

"It is so simple to be a part of, both for the player and the good cause or causes they choose to support."

The White Horse Community Lottery is free for organisations to join and the district council urged as many as possible to join.

Once organisations have registered, their details will go onto the official website and players of the lottery can choose to support them when they buy their tickets.

Ray Collins, founder of the Wantage-based charity, which is set t benefit from the lottery, commented: "As you know we have been supporting our community for the last five years as a registered charity, the last 18 months have stretched us physically, mentally and financially with the colossal demand for help.

"We had to suspend all our fundraising events through 2020 and now 2021, even though things appear to be returning to normal it still doesn't feel safe to hold large gatherings.

"Because it will be well into next before we can start fundraising again so we have joined the White Horse Community Lottery to help us continue our highly valued and varied work in our community which has been recognised by Her Majesty The Queen who on June 2 granted us a Queen's Award for Voluntary Service known as an MBE for the charity sector."

To find out more about buying tickets, or if you are a good cause based in the Vale of White Horse that would like to benefit from the lottery, visit whitehorselottery.co.uk