Bottesford and Newthorpe neighbours win prizes at People’s Postcode Lottery
A pensioner won the People’s Postcode Lottery just one month after signing up.
Geoffrey Hoe, 75, of Bottesford, was urged by his granddaughter Holly Chapman, 33, to join after she won a few £10 prizes – but kept forgetting until she reminded him again.
Less than four weeks later, Geoffrey, a retired trading standards officer, won £111,111 in his first ever draw.
He said: “Our granddaughter who lives in London said she had joined the Postcode Lottery and kept winning. She said — you’ve got to do it, Grandad.
“I said alright then, but I didn’t do it.
“The next time I spoke to her, she asked if I’d done it. I said no and she said do it now.
“I phoned up and it was so simple. The person said I was too late for the April draw, but it would be available to take part in the May draw. This is the actual May draw and I’ve won.
“Oh my God. I can’t believe it - £12 in exchange for today's prize is just unbelievable.
“The last thing we won was a 12-inch black and white portable television in the seventies.”
Geoffrey landed the bumper windfall with eight neighbours after NG13 0ED won Postcode Lottery’s weekly Millionaire Street prize on Saturday, May 25. Every ticket was worth £111,111.
And it’s the second £1m prize for the Nottinghamshire area after 11 neighbours in Newthorpe – just 29 miles away - won Millionaire Street last week.
In that prize every ticket was worth £83,333, but one player banked £166,666 with two tickets.
Now Geoffrey and wife Jenny, 76 – who have two children, four grandchildren and a great-grandchild on the way – plan to help their family and treat themselves.
Geoffrey said: “Firstly we’ll help the family. We might look at a new car, the garage roof needs sorted and I’d like some block-paving at the front of the house.”
Jenny added: “This never happens to us. I’d love to stay at the Headland Hotel in Cornwall.”
Diagonally opposite, best friends and next door neighbours Olga Maylard-Mason and Linda Dennett also won a prize.
Olga, 79, told how Linda had persuaded her to sign up again for the lottery after she cancelled last year.
The grandmother said: “This is so lovely. I must calm down. Linda and I are best friends. We go out together, have lunch together and have been on holiday together.
“Linda played and asked if I was playing. I used to play and stopped, so I said ‘ok then, I’ll start playing again’. I’m so grateful, and I’ll enjoy spending it.”
Polish-born Olga, supported by her husband Frank, 84, said they will complete a newly built extension on their home before treating their sports coach son Paul, 49, and grandchildren.
Olga said: “I want to finish my new extension. Then I’ll be taking my beautiful granddaughter on holiday after she finishes her GCSEs. We’ll be going to Benidorm because we love Benidorm.
“And if my son is ok with it, I might give him a little bit.”
Mum-of-three Linda snuggled into husband Bill, 76, after being presented with her cheque, then said: “Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. I don’t know whether I’m dreaming. We sit there and see it on the TV and think — if only.
“We’ve won the odd £10, but never dreamed we would win more. What an amazing amount of money.
“I joined because it was on the television and it was for a lot of good causes. And it’s a nice feeling that you’re doing something to help.”
Linda and Bill say they’ll put the money in the bank until they calm down but might visit their two sons and grandchildren in Miami, Florida.
Linda, whose daughter sadly passed away three years ago, said: “This is going in the bank for starters and I need to calm down. I feel as high as a kite. When I come down to earth that’s when I’ll decide what we’re going to do with the money.
“My eldest son takes us on cruises to places like Haiti and Alaska. It would be nice to pay for something for him for a change, but he’d never accept it.”
Later, as Linda popped in next door for a celebratory gin with chum Olga, she added: “Having a friend like Olga is like winning the Postcode Lottery in itself. She is a good friend.
“It is really nice that we have both won it together.”
The neighbours all said they are passionate about supporting charities at home and abroad. And their combined win has meant a welcome boost for one local organisation.
Nottingham-based charity Belvoir Cricket & Countryside Trust has been awarded £35,000 by Postcode Community Trust.
Founded in 2009, the charity’s main objective is to inspire children across the region to lead healthy, active lives through sport and countryside education.
Last year alone, the charity surpassed its largest annual total to date, reaching 4,273 children and working with 58 mainstream primary and special educational needs schools.
Darren Bicknell, Chief Executive of Belvoir Cricket & Countryside Trust, said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the funding we’ve received thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
“As well as supporting the everyday running of the charity, the funding will help massively towards our plans to build a new pavilion. This in turn will allow us to double the number of the children we can support.
The charity runs four main programmes which champion equity, diversity and inclusion to ensure disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs have equal access to a wide range of sports.
Darren added: “Our biggest programme in terms of numbers is our Cricket & Countryside programme which invites up to 100 school children to play cricket and learn about the countryside.
“Incorporating elements of sport and the English countryside help children to understand and respect the world around them, as well as encouraging them to make healthy, informed life choices.”
Other charities who have benefitted from the Millionaire Street prize recently include Newark Women’s Aid with £80,000 and £25,000 to the Victory Commemoration Hall which serves Bottesford, Easthorpe, Muston, Normanton and surrounding villages in the area.
