Charities receive £300,000 this Christmas thanks to players of The Health Lottery

FoodCycle will use their £75K to deliver approximately 620 community meal sessions, serving over 21,000 three-course meals across the UK. This includes over 80 Christmas meals, in which volunteers always go the extra mile to make guests feel special.

Some of the funding will be used by FoodCycle to go beyond providing their normal festive menu - vegetarian roasts with all the trimmings, mince pies, Christmas puddings and plenty of gravy -  to purchase additional items such as decorations, crackers and Christmas cards.

Sophie Tebbetts, Chief Executive said: “Winter is a particularly difficult time for many of the people we support, with some telling us that at this time of year they often have to choose between heating their home or eating. Having a place where they can access a hot cooked meal every week is a lifeline, and the funding from the Health Lottery Foundation will help us support so many people throughout the winter months through our community meals.”

Beauty Banks supplies hygiene essentials through food banks, domestic abuse services, homeless shelters, NHS trusts and care leaver groups. They operate nationwide through four warehouses in Brighton, Croydon, Aberdeen and Winsford (Greater Manchester). The organisation will allocate £15,000 per region to fully supply hub charities in these areas. This amounts to approximately 210 charities in total - for a three-month period (November to end of January). This grant also supports their Christmas Gifting Fund, helping them to wrap and distribute 4,000 Christmas gifts for 2025 to charity partners across the UK and towards operational costs.

Jo Jones, Co-Founder of Beauty Banks said: “£75,000 is a transformational amount of money for a small, grassroots charity like Beauty Banks. This grant will enable us to reach hundreds more communities across the UK — individuals and families living in hygiene poverty who can’t afford the basics to stay clean. Thanks to the players of The Health Lottery, thousands more people will now have access to hygiene essentials like soap, toothpaste, and deodorant — everyday items most of us take for granted, but that no one should have to live without.”

Crisis will use the funding towards providing hotel rooms in London for 378 people who would otherwise be sleeping rough and help support 5,500 people nationwide through day centres and frontline services. In addition, this Christmas the charity will be offering a 41-bed women-only hotel which is a new pathway specifically designed for women experiencing homelessness. 

Located in East London, this short-term, high-quality accommodation is a women-led initiative grounded in a psychologically informed approach. Each guest will have access to a private en-suite room and hot meals, ensuring a dignified and comfortable stay and receive one-to-one casework support, along with opportunities to participate in wellbeing and communal activities. Like all Crisis at Christmas hotels, the women-led pathway places dignity, choice, and respect at its core.

Ian Richards, Head of Crisis at Christmas said: “Crisis is deeply grateful to the Health Lottery Foundation for their generous grant. This vital funding will help people begin a life beyond homelessness this Christmas. With this grant, we’ll provide warmth, safety, and specialist care to people experiencing homelessness during one of the hardest times of the year. We aim to help 5,500 people access personalised support with housing and healthcare, giving them the tools to move forward into stable, secure homes. Thanks to the Health Lottery Foundation, our Christmas services will help build a future where everyone has a place to call home.”

Dreams Come True supports children with disabilities, serious illness or life-limiting conditions in the UK’s most deprived areas. The funding will help to deliver dreams to 1,560 children, through four community projects—including adapted trikes, a playground refit and two sensory areas—and 10 individual dreams such as equipment, bedroom makeovers and a holiday. The community dreams include - a fleet of fully adapted, bespoke trikes in Merseyside, a playground refit in Buckie, a sensory area in a hospital in Inverclyde and a sensory area for a school in Glasgow.

Lisa King OBE, CEO said:  “Dreams Come True is absolutely thrilled and deeply grateful to receive a £75,000 grant from The Health Lottery Foundation. This incredible support will help us make even more dreams come true for children in the greatest of need and who are often overlooked – those living with a disability or life-limiting condition in the UK’s most disadvantaged communities. With 4.3 million children in the UK living in poverty (over one third), the need for our dreams has never been greater – and it is growing by the day. Thank you so much to The Health Lottery.”

Delva Patman, CEO of The Health Lottery Foundation, said: “The four charities... funded all work exceptionally hard to make life easier for the people they support. The money awarded is intended to help these organisations offer additional comfort and joy at a time of year when charities are under a lot of pressure.” 

MD of The Health Lottery, Martin Ellice, added: “We’re grateful to everyone who plays The Health Lottery. Their play means we can step in at a time that’s especially hard for many people. Being able to help at Christmas matters, and this funding will make a real difference.”

About The Health Lottery

The Health Lottery’s Big Win draws operate 7 days a week and since launch, more than 21 million people have won prizes, with over £175 million paid out so far. Thanks to players of The Health Lottery over £136 million has been raised for health and wellbeing projects across Great Britain. 

About The Health Lottery Foundation

The Health Lottery Foundation was set up in January 2025 and ensures that the money raised by Health Lottery players flows back into local communities and makes a difference where it’s most needed. It funds projects that unite people to improve health, wellbeing and happiness.