Association of Guernsey Charities chairman David Farrimond, left, and Deputy Francis Quin, representing Culture and Leisure, help to launch this year’s Christmas lottery. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0861101)

ISLANDERS are being urged to get behind this year’s Channel Islands Christmas Lottery.

The annual draw, which raises money for CI charities, is launched today and the minimum top prize will be £300,000.

Association of Guernsey Charities chairman David Farrimond said it was important that people continued to support the draw.

‘It’s vital for the charities,’ he said. ‘Last year we raised a record sum and we hope to have similar support this year. This is a tough time for charities and they are finding it hard to raise funds because of the economy.’

The local draw is one of the longest-running small lotteries in the world.

It began in Jersey in the mid-1960s. A separate lottery was started in Guernsey in 1971 and in 1975 the two merged.

Last year, the total prize money was more than £500,000 and the draw raised £147,455.

The lottery is sponsored by Culture and Leisure.