A TEAM of staff and volunteers from Humber-wide charity CatZero were stunned when a planned donation of £15,000 turned into a massive £100,000, as they met a team on behalf of players of the People’s Postcode Lottery,
Receiving a call from the People’s Postcode Lottery team on May 2, CatZero was informed that it would be being given £15,000, but as staff gathered on the charity’s 72-foot around the world Challenge yacht the following day, visitors from the People’s Postcode Lottery announced a massive £100,000 award. The news saw many staff in tears, with hugs and delighted faces from everyone on the boat.
CatZero CEO Dave Bertholini said: “This award is totally amazing, and complete surprise! Catzero needs to raise around £1million pound each year to support children, young people, veterans, and families, so that we can help them to change their lives for the better. This amazing award of £100k will enable us to continue our work with the most in need across Hull, East Riding, and North East Lincolnshire.
To be in with a chance of receiving money from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, an organisation must have been operating for more than a year and have signed accounts at the time of application. CatZero applied some years ago and are delighted that this time around, they are the recipients of the award.
Requirements of application for an award include enabling participation in physical activities, arts, the reduction or prevention of poverty, supporting marginalised groups, tackling inequality, improving diversity, and increasing access to the outdoors, and providing support to improve mental health.
Pete Tighe, partnerships and development manager, said: “The news of the funding has come as a complete shock to us but will be vital in allowing us to continue to impact the lives of people across the Humber for the better, thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.”
For 15 years, CatZero has delivered lasting personal change to people across the Humber region, applying its innovative and life-changing programmes to support a broad spectrum of people across the community, including children, younger people, unemployed adults, Forces’ veterans, and full families. The need for its services has never been greater, and the award from People’s Postcode Lottery will go a long way to supporting the continuation of CatZero’s programmes across the region.
To find out more, visit www.catzero.org