A social hub in Glasgow is boosting its community’s mental health and so much more after benefiting from funding raised through The Health Lottery.

Easthall Residents Association, which was founded nearly 50 years ago, encourages volunteers – from teenagers to people in their 70s – to offer support to others in need. Project co-ordinator Andy Gilbert says: “We wanted to create a social hub where we can improve skills, increase people’s social networks and invite them to participate in activities that otherwise they’d never have tried.

“Over the last seven years we’ve provided support to adults with mental and physical health conditions. We also run various youth clubs and a homework club four days a week, where we support children with their learning and play fun games.”

Easthall’s work is backed by funding raised through The Health Lottery, which supports 3,180 grassroots projects throughout Great Britain. Whenever you buy a ticket, you’re helping to raise much-needed funds for good causes such as Easthall – and, of course, you’re in with a chance of winning a cash prize. A whopping £157million has been won so far, with £120million going to good causes.

How you could win big – and help others!

Want to raise money to help your local community and be in with a chance to win a big jackpot? Why not play The Health Lottery? There are five chances to win £25,000 in the Tuesday to Saturday draws, with an additional free £100,000 jackpot every Wednesday and Saturday.

Every week there are 30,000 winners, with over £1.3 million in jackpots to be won each month. And each time you play, you’re helping to raise money to support projects at the heart of communities.

T&Cs apply. 18+. BeGambleAware. Excludes NI. THL manages 12 regional lotteries in rotation across GB.

Money raised through The Health Lottery is vital to help make life better for those who need it most at the heart of the community. “Our homework club is open to kids from one of the most deprived communities in Scotland,” says Andy.

“Poverty shouldn’t be a part of anybody. We try to offer every activity for free – with things like football coaching – and recently we started doing a lot of cycling to increase people’s mental health and wellbeing, which has been a really positive thing during the pandemic.”

Like the rest of the UK, the community went through one of its toughest times during the Covid pandemic – but money raised through The Health Lottery helped to support those who needed basic provisions.

“During lockdown we adapted what we offer and, thanks to our funders, we were able to keep people connected,” says Andy.

“We made up food and comfort parcels and we’ve sent out 40,000 hot meals – for some people that’s the only hot food they’ve had all day. People couldn’t come to the centre, so we did a Brew and a Blether online, as well as quizzes, socially distanced street bingo and a Friday night disco online.”

Staff and volunteers work tirelessly to bring the community together – and funding raised through The Health Lottery has helped them change people’s lives.

“That money has raised the bar for us – it helps to create lifelong friendships and social networks that go far beyond those few hours people spend in the centre each week,” says Andy.

“It’s allowed us to grow and take on more staff, most of whom started out as volunteers, and it’s helped us target isolation and loneliness.

“The money really does change lives. If it wasn’t for The Health Lottery, we wouldn’t be able to offer all the support that we do.”

‘It’s so good to give back’

Volunteer Craig Byrne, 34, says Easthall Residents Association has helped him to help others.

“I’m a volunteer supporting young adults and I hold cycling trips out to different parks in Glasgow. Staying active and socialising is so good for your mental health and wellbeing.

“When I first came here in 2017, I was a service user, and after a couple of years I became a volunteer. I always wanted to help young people with disabilities because a lot of people helped me. It’s so rewarding working with young people.

“People who play The Health Lottery make the centre such a great place to be, and I can’t thank them enough for what they put in.”

Sign up and play at healthlottery.co.uk

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