THE DORCHESTER community is being asked to dig deep and support a new fundraising initiative for cancer patients.

Dorchester Town Football Club and the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust will be hoping to score big after teaming up for the Dorchester Lottery.

The scheme was launched at the town’s Cracker Night and will involve a monthly lottery with 10 per cent of all the ticket sales going to the local charity and half of all income making up the cash prize.

The football club is urging as many people as possible to sign up to swell the jackpot.

Magpies chairman Neal Butterworth said: “We are delighted to launch the lottery in partnership with the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust and give our support to a small, local charity that is doing such excellent work contributing to the care and welfare of cancer patients in the area.

“The lottery will be run online, meaning that it is ever so easy to enter, and tickets are just £5 a month. We hope that as many people as possible will enter.

“We believe that the lottery has the potential to raise considerable funds for both parties and we are confident that with the support of the wider community, we can make this into a real winner for everyone.”

The Fortuneswell Cancer Trust works to contribute to the care and welfare of cancer patients at the Dorset County Hospital.

With the full support of the hospital management, the charity is supporting the opportunities to provide treatment in satellite hospitals nearer to the patients’ homes, provide financial assistance to nurses and medical staff to help them engage in further research and education to improve the quality of care to patients with cancer.

The Dorchester Lottery will be drawn on the last Saturday of each month and costs just £5 a month to enter.

To join visit dorchester lottery.co.uk or call Dorchester Town Football Club on 01305 262451.