The benefits to retailers from selling The National Lottery and operator Allwyn’s plans to help Scotland’s high streets were set out by renowned retailer and Allwyn chair, Justin King CBE (above left).
He was joined by CEO of the Scottish Grocers’ Federation, Dr Pete Cheema OBE (above centre), Allwyn’s director of commercial partnerships and retail sales, Alison Acquaye-Acford (above right) and retailers at a breakfast last week at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, part of National Museums Scotland which have benefited from £38m of funding.
King thanked retailers for playing their part in raising huge sums by selling National Lottery tickets over the past 30 years. The National Lottery has distributed over £4.1bn to more than 81,000 projects in Scotland since 1994. This includes £43m to the Kelpies and Helix in Falkirk, £15m to the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and £19.1m in funding to the V&A Dundee Scotland, as well as funding to vital grassroots projects in every postcode district.
He added that The National Lottery was found to be a proven driver of increased footfall in stores – increasing further during special jackpot draws – and most players claim their winnings in the same store they buy their tickets from and are likely to reinvest some of the winnings in stores.
King also said: “Retail is at the heart of our plans to transform The National Lottery over the next 10 years and, with over 4,800 retailers selling in Scotland, we’re grateful for their ongoing support. Among all the other positive things they do for our local areas, I’d also like to thank them for the role they play in raising money for National Lottery Good Causes by selling tickets. They help make projects like the Kelpies and the V&A Scotland possible, as well as countless grassroots projects that make local communities in Scotland better.”
Cheema said: “It’s remarkable to reflect on the past three decades and all our fantastic achievements, working hand in hand to deliver for our communities. Together, The National Lottery and convenience retailers across Scotland help provide a ‘full basket’ for their customers and offer the opportunity for shoppers to give a little back to Good Causes, support their local store, and potentially win big. I’m very proud of the role the Scottish convenience sector has played in supporting that, and it’s exciting to see what the future holds next.”
Also attending the breakfast event were National Lottery retailers, Natalie and Martin Lightfoot, who run Londis Solo Convenience in Glasgow. They were crowned national winners at Allwyn’s first ever Local Retail Champions awards in December, an initiative that recognised retailers who go above and beyond in their local communities. The Lightfoots were nominated for the award by their customers for a host of community-focused work, such as organising charity fundraising events and local litter-picking activities, as well as providing a home delivery service for those in need.
Allwyn awarded Natalie and Martin with a £5,000 cash prize and a £20,000 Social Value store makeover, which has begun with the installation of six new colleague headsets to improve security at the store, as well as new CCTV equipment. The headsets enhance communication between store staff, increasing safety for both customers and staff and enabling colleagues to respond quickly to assistance requests.
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