Justin King CBE, Chair of National Lottery operator Allwyn, visited Cardiff retailer, Rashid Khalid – who owns Broadway Post Office – to present him with a plaque to celebrate his store and its National Lottery players raising more than £650,000 for Good Causes to date.
This funding has helped support people and organisations in his local community, across Wales and right around the UK.
For example, just a 10-minute walk from Broadway Post Office on Adeline Street is Green Squirrel – a National Lottery-funded social enterprise that creates opportunities for greener living. In September 2024, the organisation was awarded £323,0000 in National Lottery funding to deliver its Railway Gardens project which brings the community together to learn about climate and nature.
“It’s really nice to be recognised for raising money for National Lottery projects by selling tickets in my shop,” said Khalid. “National Lottery funding makes a huge difference to local communities like mine.
“I am personally big on charity and that’s why I know how important The National Lottery is to people and communities. At my shop, we always do as much as we can to help those less fortunate in the area. During Ramadan, which is happening now, we provide fresh food to some of the local mosques for when they break their fast in the evening.”
Since the first National Lottery draw in 1994, shopkeepers like Rashid have helped raise more than £50 billion for National Lottery Good Causes. This has funded more than 650,000 individual grants across the UK – that's hundreds of projects in every UK postcode district.
Justin, a prominent figure in retail whose career spans 30 years including as former Sainsbury’s CEO, was able to impart some retailing advice to Rashid – who has been selling The National Lottery for over 24 years – and thank him for his contributions to Good Causes by selling National Lottery tickets.
Justin King commented: “When people think of The National Lottery, the first thing they probably think of is the big winners that it makes. But retailers like Rashid are critical to the success of The National Lottery and the billions of pounds it raises for Good Causes every year – funding that goes to projects in his local community and right around the UK. So, I’d like to thank him and his store’s players for the amazing role that they've played in this success story over the years.
“The National Lottery has around 2,600 committed retailers across Wales acting as its public face. Since the first National Lottery draw in November 1994, more than £2.2 billion has been invested into Good Causes in Wales, benefiting more than 74,000 arts, community, sports and heritage projects throughout the country.”
Some other projects that have been funded in Wales include: WeMindTheGap, which was recently awarded £4.9 million to support its work with disengaged young people across north Wales who have often encountered adverse childhood experiences, resulting in high levels of isolation; Wrexham-based Cariad Pet Therapy which delivers pet therapy to isolated individuals in the community and in care settings, hospitals, mental health units, schools and workplaces across South Wales; and Horizons/Gorwelion, an initiative which helps to foster new talent in the Welsh music scene thanks to The National Lottery funding.
