I WRITE to allay any fears that Dr Rodger may have around the newly launched BH Coastal Lottery (Letters , January 28).

At a time when councils throughout the country are experiencing challenges in their budgets for statutory services and we in Dorset are imminently moving to a two unitary council model to save costs and work more efficiently, it is inevitable that the voluntary sector will find difficulties raising funds from all directions to continue their very valuable work.

We wanted to help them in any way that we could, so have created the new BH Coastal Lottery. There have been some small set-up costs, but these are massively outweighed by the benefits to local good causes and charities which will be seen over the next months and years.

This lottery is structured in a way that gives more than twice the percentage of the money earned back to the good causes than other nationally known lotteries – 60 per cent will benefit Bournemouth residents.

Dr Rodger is mistaken when he says that Vale are the only other lottery in existence. Gatherwell Ltd currently manage over 50 schemes across the country, one of which had a jackpot winner in their first draw! The increases in sales are a projection and the tickets sold are largely in the hands of the good causes themselves. They are given promotional materials in order to ensure that their supporters are aware and will purchase tickets. We already have 54 good causes registered and in the first few hours had 211 people purchasing 481 tickets. Even these early figures could show an annual revenue to the charities of just under £15,000.

Yes, the prizes are relatively modest, but the chances of winning something are far greater than with larger, national lotteries. The three free ticket prizes may not bring any benefit to the good causes, but the initial ticket purchase will have done and the winner has three opportunities to win a further prize!

I am delighted that BH Coastal Lottery will bring much needed funding to many local and well established charities and community groups and trust that people will support their favourite cause by logging on bhcoastallottery.co.uk

CLLR JANE KELLY, cabinet member for regeneration and public health