Four local organisations from Wicklow have been announced as County Winners in the National Lottery Good Causes Awards 2023. The awards aim to honour, showcase and celebrate the inspiring work being carried out nationwide by thousands of projects, clubs and individuals who have received support from Good Causes funding.
The County Wicklow initiatives being recognised at the awards and their respective categories are:
Arts & Culture: Signal Arts Centre, a working artist centre whose purpose is to provide opportunities for artists to create & sell their work, to meet other artists and share possibilities of collective support, cultural production & income generation.
Community: Lakers Social and Recreation Club who support those with intellectual disabilities to grow, learn and enhance their personal skills and confidence through a range of sports and social activities.
Health & Wellbeing: Wicklow Rapid Response, a voluntary group working in partnership with and supporting the existing emergency services.
Sport: Shillelagh Community Games, an organisation providing opportunities for young people to develop healthy lives in a safe environment through a wide range of sporting and cultural activities.
Gráinne Seoige, host of the Good Causes Awards, said “This is my fourth year being involved in the National Lottery Good Causes Awards, year-on-year my delight to be involved grows. By working with Good Causes, I have had the pleasure of meeting so many individuals and groups that are doing extraordinary work in our communities. They continue to inspire me each year, and I look forward to seeing who makes it through to the National Finals in October!”
In total more than €6 billion has been raised for Good Causes since the National Lottery was established 34 years ago. In 2021 alone, €304 million was raised for local Good Causes in communities across Ireland. Nearly 30 cents of every euro spent on National Lottery games goes back to Good Causes all over the country.
The 133 County Winners will now compete for a place in the National Finals judging phase next month, after which the National Finalists will be announced.
The full list of 133 County Winners can be found at www.lottery.ie/good-causes-awards/county-winners.
The total prize fund available on the night of the Good Causes Awards ceremony is €100,000, whereby each of the seven category winners will receive €10,000 and the overall Good Cause of the Year will take home an additional €25,000. A special category, ‘Hero of the Year’, will be announced on the awards night in recognition of outstanding work and the recipient will receive a prize of €5,000. In addition, each of the National Finalists announced in June will receive a cheque for €1,000.
