Exeter Community Lottery strikes a chord with local baseball team
Published: 9 January 2024
Baseball in Exeter has received a boost with local side Exeter Spitfires reaping the rewards of a community lottery scheme.
Exeter Spitfires is just one of around 100 good causes that are currently benefitting from the Exeter Community Lottery.
The Spitfires signed up to the fundraising lottery when it started last summer and now hope ticket sales will help them continue to flourish as one of the South West’s leading baseball clubs.
When people play the weekly lottery they have a chance to choose which good cause to support. Fifty pence in every pound then goes to that cause, with 10p going towards the Exeter Central Fund.
The rest of the money pays for prizes and the administration of the lottery. At the moment good causes are set to benefit from around £48,000 in total over the first 12 months.
Players of the lottery can also choose to nominate the money to a central fund, which then gets distributed among good causes that are signed up.
Exeter Spitfires were formed in 2000 but initially struggled due to a lack of teams in the region. In 2012 they reformed and now play in the Southwest Baseball League against teams from Plymouth, Truro, Newton Abbott, Wellington and Yeovil. The club has around 30 members.
Matthew Cousins, of the Spitfires, said the money from the lottery would go towards marking out a new baseball ‘diamond’ on King George V Playing Fields and providing storage space for their equipment.
He said: “The Community Lottery has provided so many good causes with a regular income without making them feel like they are always begging for funding from the same people.”
Anyone interesting in getting involved with The Spitfires can find out more from the club’s Facebook page.
The club train inside on Wednesday evenings throughout the winter and then out on King George V during the summer.
“We are always looking for new people to come along, even if not to play, we need umpires, scorers, supporters and ball retrievers,” said Matthew. New members can train from the age of 14 and our teams are fully inclusive, but we need members to be 16 years old to play in competitive matches,” he added.
Cllr Martin Pearce, Lead Councillor with responsibility for Communities, said: “Playing Exeter Community Lottery is a fantastic way of supporting charities and community groups like Exeter Spitfires and ensuring that they continue to flourish for the people of the city.”
It’s not too late for other community groups and good causes to sign up for Exeter Community Lottery and start benefitting from ticket sales.
Players have a one in 50 chance of winning a prize. Draws take place every Saturday with ticket holders in with a chance of scooping the top prize of £25,000.
Tickets cost just £1 (via direct debit or debit card) with the following prizes up for grabs:
- Match six balls and win £25,000
- Match five balls and win £2,000
- Match four balls and win £250
- Match three balls and win £25
- Match two balls and win three tickets
- Draws take place every Saturday at 8pm with winners notified by email. Players can choose which cause to support when playing the Exeter Community Lottery.
To buy tickets for the Exeter Community Lottery or to register a good cause, visit exetercommunitylottery.co.uk