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Olympic cheers will drown out refund plea to Prime Minister

Fundraising | Niki May Young | 27 Jul 2012

As the Prime Minister watches the Olympic Opening Ceremony this evening, the last thing on his mind will be the refund of £425m of lottery money taken out of the charity pot to fund the Games, says Niki May Young.

In a 3 minute 41 second film Debra Allcock Tyler pleads to David Cameron, "Please, will you pay back £425m of lottery money which the previous government raided to fund the Olympics".

The video appeal, launched on Monday, continues the work of the Directory of Social Change's Big Lottery Refund campaign which aims to have the funds returned to the Big Lottery Fund in the next 15 days. While the government has signed a memorandum of agreement to return the funds, it has set a target of the mid 2020's, "by which time many charities will have folded," says Allcock Tyler.

Strong words indeed from the DSC chief executive.

The film outlines the "straight-forward case" for the government to give back the money: In 2007 the Labour government ‘diverted’ an additional £675m of lottery revenues to help pay for the 2012 London Olympics. £425m came from the BIG Lottery Fund pot which would otherwise have been given direct to the charity sector. The Conservatives criticised the move at the time, says Allcock Tyler.

"We want the money paid back in full to the Big Lottery Fund now, so they can distribute it to charities now, so those vulnerable people and causes can be helped now," she begs the Prime Minister.

The government has been asked repeatedly to fulfill its promise, she says. And indeed a tireless campaign has ensued. The Directory of Social Change set up a dedicated campaign website, has written to government, set up a supporters list, has implanted itself in the social media framework. But to little avail. While it has gained the support of a few hundred signatories, it has failed to achieve the kind of viral success a campaign of this sort would aim to amass. Its Twitter account has just 297 followers, its facebook page just 206 likes. But more importantly, despite encouraging a Dispatches film on the matter earlier this month, the situation has not been so much as mentioned in Parliament since February 2011. 

A direct film appeal to the Prime Minister is an unorthodox measure, but perhaps it is the only measure left for a campaign that is falling on deaf ears.

Allcock Tyler's filmed plea comes four days after another film commissioned by the Big Lottery Refund campaign outlining what delegates at Charityfair 2012 would do with their share of £425m. "With a share of that money we could develop more supported housing for adults with learning disabilities, bringing them into the wider community and giving them greater support, helping their carers, helping their families" said one attendee. Another said simply, "we would be able to mend the hole in the roof". 

It's a noble aim, a worthy aim, and a rightful aim. But no matter how loudly or forcefully Allcock Tyler begs at the camera, it's proving unlikely the Prime Minister will hear her over the roar of Olympic rapture. 

I'd love to be proven wrong. Lend your support to the campaign by visiting the Big Lottery Refund website.

Who's Who: Debra Allcock Tyler