We’ve all had the “If I won the lottery” fantasy. Most hypothetical indulgences include world travel, buying property, paying off loans, or the somewhat-boring savings option. All of these, however, center around an individual award- an inordinate lump sum of dough awarded to one lucky person. But the United Kingdom’s People’s Postcode Lottery is changing some citizens’ idea of what wealth means to not just themselves, but their communities, and communities around the globe. On the surface, it’s like any other lottery- you buy a ticket, and cross your fingers. But every week the Postcode drawing awards £25,000 to not one person, but the entire street from which the winning ticket is selected. The rest of the tickets purchased within the greater neighborhood (the Sector Prize) are also awarded cash prizes. On top of that, 20% of all ticket sales go towards Nature and Wildlife Conservation, Children’s Wellbeing and Poverty Relief. It’s a simple idea, and the money is only the beginning. Residents have a better chance of winning on behalf of their street or sector if more people play, so residents engage with their neighbors, creating community and a common goal. Then once prizes are awarded to the street or sector, residents are more inclined to (and typically do, based on past winnings) rally together to pool their wealth for the good of the community. While money should not always be our go-to tool for community development, here’s an example that turns wealth into a resource to be shared, earned, and spent together to prioritize the whole over the sum of its parts.
by Emily Pilloton
