Friday 12 February 2010 |
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A couple from Weston-super-Mare are celebrating after hitting the jackpot the first time they played the Weston Hospicecare Lottery.
Peter and Barbara Read, both retired great-grandparents, decided to play the lottery game for the first time as they wanted to contribute to the running of the hospice charity, which provides free palliative care to 1,100 people with life-limiting illnesses each year in North Somerset and neighbouring parts of Somerset.
Peter, aged 83, who was born in Weston, said he was very surprised when the letter came through the door telling him he’d hit the £1000 jackpot in January and at first thought it was just junk mail.
He said: "We have always used the shops and donated furniture now and again, so we thought signing up to play the lottery would be a good way to contribute to the charity.
"We can’t do anything too active to help, but we can make that donation once a week.
"When the letter came through to say we had won I was amazed. I just thought it was junk mail at first, but as my wife said it was a good job we didn’t throw it away.
"The winnings will help a great deal especially as we are pensioners."
The Weston Hospicecare Lottery, which costs just £1 a week to play, was re-launched in June with a weekly jackpot of £1000, as well as 32 other weekly cash prizes ranging from £10 - £150.
The charity says it wants to give people the chance to have a bit of fun with the game, while being able to donate to the hospice which needs to raise £2.7 million a year to meet the demand for its vital services.
Weston Hospicecare Lottery spokeswoman Sarah Chick, said: "We would like even more people to sign up to play the lottery this year as it is ten years since we started the game as a way to raise money to pay for our services.
"It is such a vital source of funding and a very easy way for people to donate to their local charity, at the same time as getting a chance to win a prize.
"Demand for our services is higher than ever which is why we hope more people would like to help us by playing the Weston Hospicecare Lottery."
Money raised by the lottery will help to fund services like the community nurse specialists who visit hundreds of patients in their homes every year, to provide essential care and support to people with a range of life-limiting illnesses, helping patients to live as symptom free as possible.
This is in addition to the ten-bed in-patient unit at the hospice itself at Jackson Barstow House, which includes the day hospice facilities.
Funding from the lottery game helps to raise £600 every month for the hospice to keep all its patients pain free, which is the equivalent of 150 extra lottery players.
The lottery helps to fund the 97 paid staff including 57 clinical professionals who work at the hospice and deliver critical care to patients who are suffering a life-limiting illness. And new players will also receive a free "Jackson" teddy bear when they sign up.
For details on how to play the Weston Hospicecare Lottery log on to www.westonhospicecare.org.uk and click on the Hospice Lottery Club, or call the hotline: 01934 423 923. |
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Article expires: Friday 12 March 2010 |
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