Millionaire Street Support For Good Causes: October 2023

It's not just our Millionaire Street winners who have something to celebrate. Every month, local charities in each of the Millionaire Street winning areas share a combined total of £1 Million too.

Let's take a look at some of the great things players of People's Postcode Lottery are making possible across Britain.

Llandeloy Millionaire Street

In October, our first Millionaire Street prize landed in Llandeloy.

Greenacres Rescue, the only all-animal rescue in the county of Pembrokeshire, was one local charity in the winning area that benefited, receiving £30,000 in funding from Postcode Community Trust (opens in a new tab), thanks to players of People's Postcode Lottery.

The funds will enable the charity to cover the extensive vet bills it faces - upwards of £20,000 a month - while looking after more than 250 animals at any one time.

Georgina Pearson, manager of Greenacres Rescue, said the money would help with one of the most unique rescues they've encountered to date.

Georgina said, "We have a three-month-old spaniel puppy called Ariel who was abandoned by her owners due to some abnormalities - she has six legs.

"She's currently with one of our foster homes while we work with our local vets to schedule surgery to remove the extra legs which are fused to her spine. She also needs some corrective work to her pelvis as well.

"We're looking at a minimum of £5,000 for the surgery so this money means we'll be able to give her the chance in life she truly deserves.

"We pull together what we can from our charity shops and other local donations but this support from the players of People's Postcode Lottery will be instrumental in Ariel receiving the care she needs."

Other local charities to receive funding as a result of Saturday's win include:

• Pembrokeshire Care Society - £40,000 Homelessness support charity providing practical support for those affected by poverty and/or homelessness.

• SNAP Pembrokeshire - £30,000 SNAP is a charity for pre-school children (and families), with additional and complex needs, providing practical and creative support through the power of play.

• Pembrokeshire Voluntary Transport - £30,000 The support charity helps people who have difficulties with transport due to age, disability, personal situation, or because they live in an isolated rural area with limited public transport.

• Tir Dewi - £45,000 A support charity focussed on those in the farming sector. Providing mental health support, poverty advice and advocacy.

• Sea Trust Wales - £30,000 Marine conservation charity, supporting monitoring and habitat restoration for marine life.

• Belle's Story - £5,000 A local charity supporting young children with life limiting illness and raising awareness of organ donation.

• Porthmawr Surf Lifesaving Club - £5,000 The club support safe recreational use of the sea, promote first aid and encourage the provision of facilities for young people to participate in beach activities.

All funding as a result of the Llandeloy win was awarded by Postcode Community Trust.

Dearham Millionaire Street

Our second Millionaire Street prize landed in Dearham.

Maryport Rescue, an independent lifeboat, flood, swift water and search and rescue service located in Cumbria, was awarded £60,000 by Postcode Neighbourhood Trust (opens in a new tab).

Made up of more than 30 volunteers and in operation for over 150 years, the charity provides the area with vital 24/7 land and sea rescue services.

George Farish, Chairman at Maryport Rescue, said the money will help kickstart building expansion plans for the base, which has already received 28 emergency callouts this year.

George said, "This couldn't have come at a better time as we've simply run out of space as we've expanded our support services and acquired more equipment and crew. We are thrilled to be able to start the ball rolling for our building expansion and this money will contribute to the next chapter of Maryport Rescue."

Other local charities receiving funding thanks to Saturday's Millionaire Street prize win include:

• Cumbria Youth Alliance - £50,000 A leading charity supporting young people in Cumbria in their physical, mental health and emotional development to help them reach their full potential.

• North Lakes Foodbank - £25,000 Part of the Trussell Trust Foodbank network and operating from six foodbank centres across the North Lakes area. They provide nutritionally balanced food and support to those going through financial or emotional crisis.

• Maryport Boys and Girls Club - £5,000 Provides a place for young people to meet, congregate and play. The club also provides opportunities for any young person to go away on residential trips and to participate in many outdoor activities.

• Maryport Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society - £5,000 Produces and stages amateur productions in Maryport for the local community to enjoy.

• The Centre West Cumbria - £5,000 Provides creative and social opportunities for everyone to connect, learn, and grow.

• Castle Hill Trust - £10,000 Provides courses and activities for all members of the community, without exception, and particularly those who are socially, mentally, or otherwise disadvantaged.

• Owl Blue - £10,000 Aims to improve understanding of hidden disabilities in the wider community and to help create a more inclusive society for people with hidden disabilities.

• Every Life Matters - £30,000 Addresses Cumbria's stubbornly high suicide rates, shifting public attitudes about suicide and skilling-up communities to recognise and support those at risk of suicide.

All funding as a result of the Dearham win was awarded by Postcode Neighbourhood Trust.

Birmingham Millionaire Street

Our third Millionaire Street prize landed in Birmingham.

EcoBirmingham, a charity that helps create greener, fairer, and healthier communities in Birmingham, was awarded £45,000 by Postcode Local Trust (opens in a new tab).

The Northfield based charity strives to make sustainable living accessible for all residents of Birmingham. They do this by giving them the tools they need to take positive environmental action and help others do the same - regardless of their age, ability, or financial situation.

The charity runs community-based activities such as cycling groups, children's holiday clubs, energy audits and cooking workshops that give residents the skills and knowledge needed to make small sustainable changes in their day to day lives.

Simon Slater, Chief Executive of EcoBirmingham, said, "This money is gold dust for us. It will provide certainty for the charity, helping us continue and enhance the work we do. For us, our work is all about enabling people to make small adjustments to their lives - these all add up to create a continuous change."

Other local charities receiving funding thanks to this Millionaire Street prize win include:

• Home-Start Birmingham Central and South-West - £60,000 Home-Start is one of the UK's leading family support charities. It helps parents to build better lives and better futures for their children. The charity has been supporting families for over 40 years right across the UK.

• PDSA Birmingham - £50,000 PDSA is an animal charity which takes care of pets in need. The charity has two Pet Hospitals in Birmingham which care for pets whose owners can't afford the full cost of their veterinary treatment. It's also the leading authority on pet health.

• The Stonehouse Gang - £40,000 A youth and community charity based in Selly Oak, Birmingham. It provides local young people with opportunities enabling them to grow and gain confidence, whilst having fun and building life-long friendships.

• Feather Tail Parrot Rescue - £5,000 A non-profit, registered charity whose mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome parrots in England, Scotland and Wales.

• St Gabriel's Centre Weoley Castle - £15,000 Provides a centre for the benefit of the community by associating together with the inhabitants and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and relieve poverty.

• Positive Birthing and Beyond CIO - £5,000 A charity that aims to promote and protect the good health and well-being of childbearing women and their families by offering support, information and guidance.

• Shenley Lane Community Association and Sports Centre - £15,000 A local charity whose objectives are to improve the social welfare and living conditions of the most deprived and vulnerable members of the community.

• Northfield Community Partnership - £50,000 A charity helping people and community groups in South Birmingham. For 14 years, they have delivered a vital range of services from their Hub in the heart of Northfield, working with over 10,000 people a year.

• Excite Active CIC - £10,000 A non-profit social enterprise that enables people to be more active and develop key life skills. By supporting the training of life skills such as leadership, communication and teamwork, they help build the resilience of their beneficiaries, regardless of their backgrounds or economic disadvantage.

• Shencare Community Transport - £45,000 Shencare supports many other voluntary organisations within the South-West Birmingham area and plays an integral role within the local community. Their commitment to community transport in Birmingham provides a lifeline for its users and without it some people would be unable to get out.

All funding was awarded by Postcode Local Trust.

Hempstead Millionaire Street

Our fourth Millionaire Street prize landed in Hempstead.

AMAT UK, based in nearby Medway, enables homeless adults to have access to safe accommodation and the necessary support to rebuild their lives.

Now they are set to employ two full-time support workers for a year after being awarded £50,000 by Postcode Society Trust (opens in a new tab).

Founded in 1997, AMAT UK is located within one of the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. It currently accommodates 300 homeless people across 100 fully supported properties and supports up to 3,000 vulnerable adults every year through its community hub, The HIVE.

Jodie Geddes, CEO of AMAT UK, said, "Every single person we work with has experienced an emotional or physical trauma on top of homelessness and our support workers are fundamental in helping them get back on their feet.

"This money will enable us to employ two full time support workers for the next 12 months and the players of People's Postcode Lottery have made this all possible."

Other local charities receiving funding from the Postcode Society Trust thanks to Saturday's Millionaire Street prize win include:

• Help In The Community (Medway Foodbank) - £40,000 Medway Foodbank is a project founded by local churches and community groups, working towards stopping hunger in the local area. They provide three days' worth of nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people referred to them in crisis.

• The All Saints Community Project Trust - £25,000 The All Saints Community Project Trust, based in Chatham, was founded in 2001 and is also known as the Magpie Centre. The Trust provides a range of services for the local community to help support them through times of crisis, offer a warm space and friendly faces - and some hope that the future will be brighter.

• FASD Awareness - £15,000 FASD Awareness was set up in 2018 to raise awareness of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and support that community. Those main aims are met by providing support and friendship groups, activity days, education training and information to the FASD community and the wider population.

• Learn & Thrive - £25,000 A charity that help learners with Down's syndrome to access specialist support to help them learn and thrive. They use digital tools to give access to vital learning to a whole generation of people who are currently unable to access support.

• My Shining Star Children's Cancer Charity - £10,000 A children's cancer charity that supports the financial need of families going through the trauma of childhood cancer in the UK.

• Medway and District Citizens Advice Bureau - £40,000 Citizens Advice Medway is committed to servicing the Medway area by helping members of their community and standing by them as they overcome each life obstacle.

• Gillingham Street Angels - £30,000 A charity whose mission is helping homeless, needy, and vulnerable people of all ages in the Medway area. They supply food parcels, clothes, bedding, and general household items, and provide facilities to wash and dry clothes, including bedding, to the street homeless.

• 20th Gillingham (Hempstead) Air Scouts - £5,000 Open to all young people of every faith and background, the group aims to promote the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potential, as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities.

• Hempstead Village Hall Management Committee - £5,000 A charity responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the Village Hall and its surroundings, and the green open space to the rear, known as The Glebe.

All funding was awarded by Postcode Society Trust.