Your views

Below you’ll find some examples of what the Big Lottery Refund means to people in their own words. Got a testimonial or case study of your own? Contact us at biglotteryrefund@dsc.org.uk!

Video testimonials

Check out this video produced by young people at the organisation Exposure, where young people make the case for the Big Lottery Refund in their own words.

And in this video from DSC's annual Charityfair, delegates explain what their charity could achieve with a share of £425 million.

Supporters comments

Just a few of the comments we've received from supporters of this campaign:

"'Raided' is a very good word although 'stolen' may be preferable. This should not have happened in the first place when so many small charities are struggling to survive. I hugely support this campaign."
Nick Gauntlett, Aurora Health Foundation

"Funding for the Olympics should not have come at the expense of vulnerable people across the UK. What kind of legacy will this bring? And what precedent is it setting? What will they be raiding the Lottery for next?"
Alice Ridgway

"It seems unfair that less advantaged people - who are frequently the purchasers of Lottery tickets - are subsidising the cost of the Olympic Games - the ticket costs of which may be out of their reach."
Helen Bright

"I coach voluntarily at several small community sports clubs that rely on grants to continue and develop. You can't run campaigns to get more people playing more sport, in their own neighbourhood, for longer, to get and keep them fit, but then take away the means for local clubs to do this."
Johanna Billingsley

"Absolutely support the Olympic ideal but not on the back of vulnerable and needy people. It undermines the spirit of the games when I am sending families to a food bank!"
Petherbridge

"I am a Games Maker and have been volunteering many days at the Games. I love the Olympics and am proud to be part of it. But to take away money from those most in need to pay for the Games when tickets cost a fortune and millions are made from sponsorship deals and merchandise is very upsetting. I work for a charity and many of our projects have been funded by the Big Lottery. So much of our work wouldn't have been possible without it. I therefore fully support this campaign and sincerely hope the money will be refunded. "
Sabine Nierhoff

"Groups like ours have benefitted immensely from BIG Lottery support, and more importantly so have a huge number of beneficiaries. These are people at the margins of society who rely on agencies like ours and other advice sector partners to provide them with the support and assistance to move on with their lives. There are no medals for those facing the daily challenge of debt, homelessness and poverty."
Kris Ambler, Advice Derbyshire

"Finding funding is a nightmare at any time; the recession has only made the process even more difficult for small charities and voluntary organisations. This money is urgently needed if we are to continue to support our local communities. We are used to tightening our belts, but I sometimes wonder how much tighter we can go before busting a gut..."
Lyn Lowther, Phoenix Solutions

".Many charities will simply not survive if we do not have Lottery Funding and these services will be lost, people's lives will be affected and society will suffer. Let's avoid all this and give back Lottery funds, which should not have been diverted to the Olympics..."
Louise Higgins

"A matter of months after the Olympic bid was confirmed we were invited to a meeting at One North East where we were told 'the criteria have changed' and we could no longer seek the £250,000 we had been led to believe we could apply for and have a good chance of obtaining, but could get a maximum of £25,000 only. What a coincidence!"
Ann Roe, Gisborough Priory Project

"Team GB deserved every support - but so do the people who every charity helps!!! Go everyone in Britain' - not just 'Go Team GB'"
Jane Perrin, Friend (North Somerset) Ltd

"The funds that have been taken from the Big Lottery Fund would have been put to a better use by funding the needs of the many vulnerable people in our society. These people from cities like Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Cardiff, Glasgow etc will not be able to afford the tickets for the events or the trip down to London to participate in the South of England's Olympics. Put the money back so more people can enjoy the activities and events that matter to them a lot more."
John Roberts, Liverpool Six Community Association

"The Games are a big success and a wonderful boost for the country. However many thousands of people are also losing out because of the money which has been diverted. This money should be refunded."
Richard Roberts, TowardsNirvana

"The legacy of the Olympics should be driven by local communities, through our work we heard of countless voiceless organisations in Newham that have been excluded to decide their future. Is this the Big Society or a Big Hypocrisy?"
Sergio Lopez, Big Bang Lab

"The Olympics is the worst thing that has happened to community sport in this country in my lifetime. The billions that have been spent on a few medals could have transformed the sporting infrastructure in this country."
Derek Brook

"The Third Sector is struggling more than ever.at a time where service user numbers are soaring and demand is high - we already have waiting lists for our children and family services that we cannot fulfill. Let's hope that sense and decency prevail and the refund is granted - rather than lining the pockets of the private sector."
Sharon Atkins, Swansea & Brecon Diocesan Board for Social Responsibility (Faith in Families)

"The voluntary sector is facing enormous and increasing demands on its services while funding sources shrink. This situation is not sustainable. The sector has a fantastic record of delivering highly cost effective support to those most in need. Give this money back to the sector so it can support the people and communities who are suffering most."
Natasha Roe, Red Pencil

"There are loads of small community groups and organisations that could use this lottery funding to make positive impacts at grassroots level throughout the country instead of it all being wasted on a single event that is available only to a 'fortunate' few- mainly in the south of the country, and will not make a change in most people's lives. This money should be paid back and distributed more fairly where it can make more effective change to those that really need it."
Kerris Casey-St.Pierre, Spiral Designs Community Arts

"We not only need the money back but there should be interest paid on it."
Charlotte Langley

"We support the Olympics and wish our athletes success but this should not be at the expense of communities that are in need of support."
Caroline Downey, MERCi

"What a joke...community sports projects have been closing up and down the country for the last few years as funds for this kind of positive diversionary project has diminished in the constant quest for evidence and stats and outcomes...utter nonsense...the government have a massive responsibility to ensure this money is returned to the public domain!! That would be a true legacy of support and help for the community! Not the spin we hear and see in the media!"
Dom Weir

"The money that will be spent in a couple of months on the Olympics could fund years' worth of work achieving a far greater impact in our cities and towns."
Stella Peyerl, Community and Voluntary Sector Forum