Omaze house draw helps Age UK Wyvern to fund social activities

A partnership with Omaze has seen Age UK Wyvern receive a donation to help fund its vital social activities and support older people in Herefordshire & South Worcestershire.

Age UK partnered with Omaze and their Million Pound House Draw last year, which offered participants the chance to win a luxurious £4 million Lake District property and £250,000 in cash. The draw raised £5,250,000 for Age UK – the highest amount Omaze has ever raised for a charity partner. The money has been split between Age UK’s national services and local Age UKs across the country, including Age UK Wyvern, enabling the Charity to extend its social activity offerings and helping to support its friendship services.

The donation will help to fund the running costs of Age UK Wyvern’s social activities, which provide local older people the opportunities to meet likeminded others and share an interest with them. This might be meeting up for a general chit chat and some games, getting involved with crafting, DIY or gardening or getting active with our walking group.

Age UK Wyvern’s services are crucial to older people in the local community, supporting people like Mary Carrington-Windo who attends a pop-up shed in Leominster. The project encourages older people to develop gardening and crafting skills in a friendly, accessible environment. Mary has this to say about the difference it’s made to her life, “I live by myself so the reason I go is to mingle with other people. I feel a lot better when I’ve come home. The people there are so warm and make you feel better in yourself.”

Some of our most crucial social activities, including our Sheds Together Project, Connect Communities and our newly opened Digital Cafés, have all benefitted from the donation. All of these are key to reducing loneliness and isolation within the local community and enabling older people with new skills to improve their independence.

Jude Henderson, Director of Services at Age UK Wyvern said:

“We’re thrilled to receive this donation from Omaze to support older people in Herefordshire & South Worcestershire. Contributions like this play a vital role in enabling us to provide essential services to older people and ensure we can be there for even more people in the future.

“Our services help hundreds of older people across our area and it’s through the continued generosity of partners like Omaze that we’re able to keep making a difference where it’s needed most.”

James Oakes, President of Omaze, said:

“Everyone at Omaze is delighted that our biggest ever raise for a charity partner is already helping Age UK have a huge impact – supporting older people across the UK, including in Herefordshire & South Worcestershire.

“Omaze offers people the chance to win amazing houses, while introducing charities to new audiences they might never otherwise reach – it’s a real win-win for both entrants and our charity partners.

“We’re immensely proud that the Omaze community has now raised over £100 million for good causes across the UK – funding life-changing work in communities up and down the country.”

About Omaze

Omaze raises new and significant sums of money and awareness for charities through its Omaze Million Pound House Draws – where entrants get the chance to win guaranteed prizes such as stunning multi-million-pound houses, whilst also supporting incredible causes.

Since launching in the UK in 2020, the Omaze community has raised £101,658,289 for some of the biggest and most loved charities in the country, including Teenage Cancer Trust, British Heart Foundation, The King's Trust, the NSPCC, GOSH Charity, Cancer Research UK, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Dogs Trust, RSPCA, Blood Cancer UK, Global’s Make Some Noise, Marie Curie, RNLI, Macmillan, FORCE Cancer Charity, Breast Cancer Now, NHS Charities Together, WWF-UK, the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK, BBC Children in Need, Prostate Cancer UK, London’s Air Ambulance Charity, the RSPB, Mencap, CALM, Scouts, Age UK, Comic Relief, Guide Dogs and MND Association and Anthony Nolan.

The £101,658,289 also includes support for incredible local causes across the UK: Cornwall Rural Housing Association, Hackney Foodbank,Well Communities, Holt Youth Project, Glaven Caring,  Kensington & Chelsea Foundation, Colehill Community Library, Wilmslow Youth, East Cheshire Hospice, Ryedale Special Families, Give A Dog A Bone, Scotty’s Little Soldiers and Jackson’s Animal Rescue, Alice’s Escapes, Ebony Horse Club, Tomorrow’s Women, Barnstondale, Carrbridge Centre, Claire House, Bath Romans, Cotswold Boatmobility, Audio Active, Smile Group, Cirencester Housing for Young People, Cotswold Friends and Polzeath Surf Life Saving Club.

Omaze is an official registered commercial participator with the Fundraising Regulator and has committed to following the Code of Fundraising Practice and the Fundraising Promise. Omaze is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising (the CIOF) and is the CIOF's Strategic Partner on Prize Draws.