Supporters of King’s Mill, Newark, and Mansfield Community hospitals can further give back to the health facilities by signing up to a new weekly lottery that has a top cash prize of £25,000.

The Sherwood Forest Hospitals Charity has launched Your Charity Lottery, which costs £5 per month to enter into a weekly draw — with the first draw taking place on Saturday, 19th July.

To find out more about the prizes and how to play, go to www.sfh-tr.nhs.uk/charitylottery

Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust, which runs the three hospitals, is supported by the charity. It backs projects and services to improve patients’ lives, going above and beyond what the NHS can fund.

Money raised through the lottery can help to provide the little extras that make time spent in hospital more comfortable for patients and their families and visitors;·fund environmental changes to enhance patient facilities; help the trust to buy the latest state-of-the-art medical equipment; and help staff to access additional training, development, and health and wellbeing support.

Ken Godber (pictured), head of charity development and corporate partnerships at the trust, said: “The lottery will make a big difference to what the charity can fund. The projects that the charity has been involved in previously have had such a positive impact on our patients, visitors, and staff and we are extremely grateful for every donation received.

“We know there are people who would like to make regular contributions to the charity. The lottery gives those people the chance to support the charity regularly in small amounts, with the incentive of a cash prize if their numbers are drawn.”

A recent project funded by the charity was improvements to the waiting area outside Ward 25 at King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton, made possible thanks to a £12,500 donation to children’s services in recognition of fantastic care received.

The improvements, which included redecoration, new tables, chairs, and colourful wall art, provided a welcoming and more comfortable environment for families to wait in when attending the ward for tests and reviews, or waiting for medicines to take home once they’ve been discharged.

Sally Brook Shanahan, director of corporate affairs at the trust, added: “I’m excited to see the positive changes that can be made to our services because of people joining the lottery, and I’d like to thank all our supporters for their part in improving lives.”

For more information and details of how to sign up to play the lottery, go to www.sfh-tr.nhs.uk/charitylottery