Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice is celebrating the 5th Birthday of its weekly Hospice Lottery on July 31 2014.

The Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice Lottery was established in July 2009 to provide a new source of regular income as a contribution towards the £7million annual running costs of the Hospice and compliments income from the Hospice’s 16 shops, fundraising events and charitable giving donations.

Since its 2009 debut, the Hospice Lottery has generated over £180,000.

Just over 600 people took part in the first lottery draw but now as many as 2,800 people play each week.

Last year, 1,196 prizes ranging from £10 to £10,000 were awarded.

The total prize fund comes from the sale of lottery tickets and every penny of profit goes directly to help fund the annual running costs of the Hospice.

Anyone over the age of 16 can sign up to the weekly draw and each week 24 lucky winners can share in the £1,500 prize fund which has a top guaranteed weekly prize of £1000, plus there is a weekly rollover prize of up to £10,000.

The cost of playing the lottery is £2 a week and players can join by visiting www.communityhospicelottery.org.uk or by calling 020 8319 9244.