Lotto love for Fermoy club

A Fermoy club is one of 4,000 which was supported by the National Lottery in 2018 and 2019, it was revealed this week.

Over 710 Good Causes projects were supported in Cork over the two years, and on average, 4,000 clubs, groups and voluntary organisations are supported every year across Ireland, it was announced on Tuesday.

One such organisation which has benefited in the past from National Lottery funding is Blackwater Sub Aqua Club based in Fermoy.

The Blackwater Sub Aqua has been involved in at least 200 search and recovery operations across Ireland often working in the most difficult of conditions. Over the years, the Blackwater Sub Aqua club has received several allocations from the National Lottery. The combination of dedicated divers, experienced support teams and high-quality, well-maintained equipment makes the Blackwater Sub Aqua club an essential part of search and rescue services. It is a voluntary body and every cent it gets in funding is very warmly received.

Nikki Gallagher, Head of Corporate Affairs at the National Lottery, said: “With an average of 143,000 people in Cork playing National Lottery games every week, a huge amount is raised for local community groups, projects and sports clubs each year. While it has been a challenging year for such organisations, National Lottery players are responsible for supporting thousands of organisations and groups in towns and villages across Ireland in the areas of Irish language, arts, health and wellbeing, heritage, rural and community development, children and youth affairs and sport. Nearly 30 cent in every €1 goes directly to the Good Causes Fund.”