Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Well I suppose we all know about the £603million that went on the Millenium Dome but how about these:

£4million on tai chi lessons, massages and courses in interior design for Scottish drug addicts

£420,000 to Peruvian farmers to help them breed fatter guinea pigs to eat.

£360,000 to campaigners for the legalisation of brothels.

£340,000 to campaigners who are trying to prevent the deportation of failed asylum seekers (yes you did read that correctly)

and yet a further £235,000 to help asylum seekers who have been denied benefits. (you mean there are some?)

£170,000 to people distributing supplies to would be asylum seekers who have only got as far as Calais (excuse me but when I last saw Calais it was in France so why are our lottery funds going over there?)

This one is priceless
£220,000 to a Sheffield farm which is building luxury accomodation for pigs with underfloor heating, snout operated showers, curtains and toys.

And of course we must not forget the £50,000 for a Jamaican-born poet to return to her homeland for a year in search of inspiration; and the £40,000 for a clown to travel the world in search of the answer to that most serious of life's questions "What do clowns offer society?"


Are you laughing or crying?

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

richard branson prommised a stop to all that rubbish if he got the lottery and also said the lottery would be non proffitable

twice now he has lost the bid to run the lottery it just stinks of govenment corruption

ps:

our lottery is run by an american company for those who didnt know

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

I wonder if the Sheffield council houses are as well equipped?

This list is disgusting, The comittee that makes these decisions should be held accountable and all charitable donations from the National Lottery should be publicised on a monthly or bi-monthly basis!:mad:

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

there is many things the public should have a say in!that list is disgraceful.the public only get a say in voting these clowns in,what run such things,its a catch22-if peole don't vote its apathy- when we vote look what were voting for!

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Willow were did you find this info. from? It beggars belief :mad: I thought the money was supposed to go to sports and arts?

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

i think the odds on gettng 3 numbers is 50 -1 yet we pnly get £10

personaly i think they should raise the prize money instesa dof giving money to these pathetic causes

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

When the lottery was set up it was supposed to be for good causes, but why should Hospice's, Special care baby unit, air Ambulance etc have to go cap in hand around pubs rattling tins when the lottery should in my view give these very worthy causes priority with this money.It's just wasted on rubbish!:(

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

my sentiments entirely.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

The proceeds form the Florida Lottery go to education in the state http://www.flalottery.com/lottery/edu/edufund.html
I think its run by the same company that runs the UK one.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

C'mon folks - they could've given the money to our hospitals, hospices, schools, sports (it would be nice to win for a change!) but why should the pigs suffer on our behalf? (apparently they were living in accomodation as bad as pig sty's before). And let's face it Clowns are now an endangered species!

And why shouldn't all the drug addicts have free massages and tai chi - it's very stressful worrying where your next hit is coming from!

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

I'm sorry Willow but we the general public are not clever enough to decide where this money should go after all we would not have the scope or vision to realise that we (the contributers to the lottery) need to pay Sir Winston Churchills relatives 17 million pounds to ensure that they keep his diaries in the family, (yes, working from memory that is the amazing sum that was paid by the lottery for some-one to keep what they already owned)!

We were stupid enough to think that when the lottery was first started up it would stop the need for such good causes as scanners & other medical equipment having to go cap in hand to get what should have been supplied by whatever government was in power.

Fortunatly there are people that can be put in control to show that far more important than relieving or curing suffering the money aught to go to the 'ARTS'.
for example the opera or ballet.

If football needed the amount of subsidey they get because it is 'low brow' then it would be left to rot.

Well I say let the arts float on their own profits, & let's get the funds from the lottery go to what the majority of people that contribute to it want which is the relief of peoples agonies.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

All i can say is, i'm glad i don't buy lottery tickets.
What's one more farce, when this country has so many.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Just done a quick google & found that I had overestimated it was only 12.5 million, phew isn't that a relief!

April 1995
£12.5m of lottery money is given to the Churchill family in exchange for Sir Winston Churchill's personal papers, causing huge controversy and much resentment that a former Prime Minister's papers weren't donated to the country for free.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

If I remember rightly, when the lottery was set up it was specifically stated that it would not be used as a substitute for government funding.

If the NHS or education system is lacking in funds then we have a duty to make sure that the government makes up any shortfall without having to rely on funds from the lottery. If the government is using lottery funds to make up funding shortfalls, or is reducing funding thus forcing the lottery to pick up the bill, then it is acting unethically and possibly illegally.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

The successful bids and the unsuccessful bids were published in the Daily Mail today.

I have never done the lottery in this country because I do not agree with the way the money is distributed.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

I am not prone to "cut and paste" on most occasions but simply don't have the necessary speed to type this report from the Daily Mail without being up all night:D It is dated 03/07/03.......and it would be very interesting if it were possible to get a statement from Tessa Howell in the year '05 as to the success of her venture:(



http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/std/mHead2.gif
03/07/03 - News section

Public get lottery spending say
by JO BUTLER, Daily Mail

A new system allowing the public to vote on how £1.5 billion of lottery money is handed out will be unveiled today.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell will announce sweeping changes in a bid to end the scandal over controversial grants to obscure projects.

Her National Lottery White Paper will reveal plans for citizens' panels to be set up to help decide how money is spent.

Miss Jowell says in a newspaper article today: "Why shouldn't the inhabitants of a town decide which they would rather have: a new facade for the town hall, tennis courts in the park or a new chemistry lab for the local school?"

The Government relaunch will also put an end to Camelot's monopoly, with the lottery licence being split into different games allowing other firms to sell tickets.

The Community Fund, the distributing body at the centre of the obscure payouts row, will be axed. (Our illustrious leader P. Britcliffe mentioned the Community fund only last week to pay for Dial-A-Bus)

Miss Jowell hopes the changes will "democratise" the lottery and put an end to charges that the public has felt "disconnected" from the game.

Writing in today's Daily Telegraph, Miss Jowell makes it clear that she wants people to know where the money is being spent, with grant-funded attractions bodies to hold free open days. (We will tell them on the Accyweb:D )

And she is keen for more people to get involved in deciding where the money should go.

She writes: "I want (distributors) to work with their local television, radio and newspapers to put real choices to the public and ask them to decide."

The White Paper will also contain plans for "micro grants" of only £500 for smaller charities and a system for speeding up awards.

Lottery 'back to the people'



Miss Jowell will pledge that the plans will give "the lottery back to the people".

The Community Fund is to be merged with the New Opportunities Fund, as the Mail revealed earlier this year, and its work taken over by a new body. (Another quango...or two?)

This will be responsible for distributing more than half the £1.5 billion a year raised by the lottery, which the Government is to pledge will be spent on the people who buy most tickets.

Camelot's monopoly will come to an end with the new licences, expected to be handed out in 2009, covering the main draw and scratchcards as well as games played on the Internet or mobile phones.

Drop in sales



Camelot has suffered a drop in ticket sales, which have dipped over the past five years from £100 million a month to £80 million.

Other operators will hope to show that they can do better.

The relaunch will also see millions of pounds of lottery cash being poured into a new project to stop young people turning into hooligans.

An initial £200 million will be set aside for the Young Persons Fund, which is being set up in the wake of a number of scandals in which lottery funding has been given to asylum seekers and other contentious projects. (...and it still goes on....)

However, the plans are likely to provoke more rows about whether lottery cash is being used to fund work which should be paid for by central Government.

Miss Jowell will also outline new powers for the Government to seize control of any money stockpiled by the distributors.

More than £3.2 billion is waiting to be spent by the bodies, including the Sports Council, Arts Council, Heritage Lottery Fund and Community Fund.

nnnnnnnnnnnnnn- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

This was yet another half baked promise by a politician that "can talk a good game" but can't play as they have forgotten to bring their plimsolls!

Slightly off topic (but maybe a thread for the future) Why is it that National papers make these reports....and don't follow them up by viewing the results (or non results)

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

POST 1......when i read things like this i swear i wont buy another ticket ,but then i do,,,richard branson was going to put all the money back into good causes not just a percentage,,,,it was ridiculas that camalot got the francise again ,i dont think anybody wanted it but someone in their wisdom decided branson wasent good enough ...................MAYBE THERES A BIT OF SHANANIGINS GOING ON

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Just a little anecdote......

A few years back while working for a coach firm in Beds, I had regular tours of 5 days or more taking local outdoors bowls teams to visit various areas on the east and south coast where they visited a different "bowls green" every day. In all, I would estimate that I have visited well over 40 different venues AND IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM is a plaque praising the lottery fund for its help in building a new club house/greens etc!

You do not have to be wealthy to be a member of a bowls club...but it certainly helps. The majority of people I met were certainly middle class (Ooh, can I say that now:confused: ) most were retired and generally, there was a sense of being snobbish amonst them!

It struck me then that these people all managed to get huge grants for their clubs but in the main, they could afford to support their club themselves without the help of the Lottery.

I have visited other sport venues such as Football/Rugby clubs that survive in decrepid buildings that manage without finance from the lottery despite their members not being wealthy retired bank managers or solicitors...

Something is wrong somewhere........

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

mr wonderful branson certainly isn't,but for me he's a damn sight better than whats running it at the moment,and as for tessa jowell- well ( an i'm a socialist.)

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

l for one have never bought a lottery ticket and have no intention of doing so.
The good causes clause was just written in to Camelots bid to run the lottery to ensure success in winning the contract.
We have a choice, if we don't like the daft things they give the money to don't buy a ticket.

We read of convicted rapists, drug dealers and young kids winning and we all want a share. To me the lottery is just a tax on the dissatisfied. How many of us have won a significant amount?

It's a game not a tax, we can choose not to fund any more stupid 'good causes.'

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

i play the irish lottery

over 400 quid for 3 numbers

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Anybody remember the Irish Hospitals Sweepstake? At least you knew what cause that money went to.

Am I right in thinking that The New Era on Paradise Street got a lottery grant?


I don't buy lottery tickets either and never will.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

yes the new era did get a lottery grant

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

I must protest about you mentioning this one Willow. I thought I spent that money wisely.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

The problem with getting funding (and I've tried) is that it's all geared up for rejection. If you want a sum of money for something simple like new goalposts for a football club for example, you have to fill in so many forms to get them that you might as well just build them yourself. But if you want something huge, like £100,000 for something bizarre, they will help you fill your forms in so that you're more likely to meet their criteria. So a lot of actual good causes don't bother applying because it's too much trouble or too confusing or they don't think they'll be eligible when they would. This leaves even more money available for the weird ones.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

The New Era did get a sizeable grant and I think it was worth it. What was once a run down dump now is a real community centre used by young and old alike.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

I think you probably hit the nail on the head with that statement my friend. I think he would run the lottery much better, lets face it he could not do worse.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

i think the public should get to vote who runs it

after all it is our money

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Here's a good 'un:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...452315,00.html


Just remember....it's all a question of priorities.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

another reason why branson wont get the lottery is because if i am correct because it would be non proffit with all money made going to charity the government wouldntget as much tax if any

btw

the money to hel gay vicars come out is disgusting plenty of gays come out in much harder situations liek to their parents for example without lottery funding

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Don't concern yourself to much with that crook Branson, Chav. He only bid to replace Camelot as the National Lottery organiser; the allocation of funds raised is done by an entirely seperate Quango organisation, the National Lottery Good Causes Fund, and it is this outfit which gives out the dosh to swinging vicars & Albanian lesbian asylum seekers.

As for Branson, few people in government trust him (and that's saying something); you try and find accounts for any of his companies and you will find you can't - they are all registered offshore. He's just as much a tax dodger now as he was in the early 1970's when he was importing records from Europe without paying duty or VAT. The one thing he is good at is marketing spin as a "nice guy" and the unfortunate fact is that too many people like you fall for it.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Lol, as a Thatcherite l'd have thought you'd have applauded his free market entrepreneurial savvy? :)

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Garinda, in order to have a "free market" you need a pre-condition known as transparency...in other words you can see what it is you're getting. If you go and get a gallon of petrol you know what it is you're getting and how much you're paying; you also know that in 6 months or a years time exactly how much the petrol company has made in profits.

The problem with Branson's companies is that there is no transparency. We do not know whether each individual company makes a profit or a loss, or to what extent one company subsidises another or makes charges on another. His companies are all offshore and we simply cannot see what is going on. That is why the government don't trust him and why the market people in the City do not trust him and that is why he has not and will not get awarded anything as important as the lottery.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Lol, l always like your posts they're funny.

Just like that other famous Margaret Thatcher supporter Kenny Everret.

You're not from Liverpool as well?

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

I know I'm funny. What is not funny, though, is to travel - or attempt to travel - on one of Branson's trains. The West Coast mainline and Virgin Cross country are the two worse-performing train operating companies on the rail network.
Whoever awarded him the franchise for these services must have taken lots of "readies" in brown paper envelopes, for I know of no other logical, financial or social reason as to why he should have this concession. I am a regular traveller between london & Accy and last year I gave up in despair on using Branson's cattle trucks and now use the East Coast mainline. This may seem an odd way to get to Accy, but nevertheless it is prompt, reliable and actually makes a contribution to the Exchequer. Branson's fifth-rate operations rely on massive public subsidies.

No, you can stuff Branson up the back end of one of his tilting Pendolinos.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Yes that one at least was a sensible and worthwhile project but meanwhile look at some of the things that got rejected such as the mountain rescue team because it didn't rescue enough disabled people!

:rolleyes:

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

It is the usual lack of common sense and desire to be PC that has been drilled into public bodies over the last god knows how many years.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

must admit tea im inclined to agree with you bout virgin trains im going to try the ones you use next time

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

Call me stupid (and I have been called MUCH worse!) but how often do disabled people go trotting up mountains anyway?

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

slowly :D


and before any disabled persons activists start jumping on my back i am an owner of a disabled badge :)



edit:

oops i thought she said how do disabled people climb up mountains lol

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

I was of the opinion that, according to one spokesmanwhen the lottery was set up and runniing we would have thr finest health service in the world, and we would be the envy of the world. Don't remember who it was said it but I do remember it was said. Lets face it we were all conned, as usual.

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

I'd only jump on your back in your dreams, but could l please have my badge back? :)

Re: Have you ever wondered where the lottery money goes? Good causes, right?
 

I suppose "disabled" covers a lot of things but I can't imagine many blind people going up mountains to enjoy the view either.

Slight wander again for a minute because I just remembered a funny thing that happened to a friend of mine who is blind and has what must be the most useless guide dog on earth. Once when they were on holiday the dog walked between the poles of one of those signposts with all the touristy info on it. Of course they are at eye level where sighted people can read them but the daft dog just walked underneath and "guided" his owner slap bang into the thing! Why does he still keep that dog you may wonder, but he loves it. As a guide dog however it is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

Virgin trains? Would they be the ones that never seem to be there when I want one?