Cowell was joined by the Health Lottery’s owner, Richard Desmond, along with a host of famous faces including Matthew Wright, Roger Daltrey, Vanessa Feltz, Jim Davidson, Kimberley Walsh and over 200 people from various charities which have benefitted from the £50 million raised.
With co-host Gloria Hunniford, a Health Lottery ambassador, Cowell presented special recognition awards to volunteers who have made outstanding contributions in their communities. The lucky recipients included Ferndale Skate Park in Wales, Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) in North Ayreshire and One Voice, a Lincolnshire based rock school where young people from low-income families can have fun while learning to play an instrument.
Taking to the stage at the event yesterday, Richard Desmond spoke about how he was celebrating giving millions of people a reason to smile and promised that the Health Lottery will continue to grow and raise even more money for UK charities over the coming years. When asked what the highlight of his year had been, Desmond replied that one of his favourite projects was an adventure playground built in the Shadwell area of East London which, thanks to a Heath Lottery donation, provides local children with a safe place to play and have fun.
Since the Health Lottery was launched in 2011, more than 1,300 UK projects have received funding and almost £80 million has been awarded to players.
Further information on the Health Lottery can be found on Lottery.co.uk.
Written by Grace Mee
