Cotgrave residents share £1million jackpot after Postcode Lottery win
A dozen neighbours have scooped hefty cash prizes after their home addresses hit the jackpot.
Residents of the NG12 3NT postcode, in Cotgrave, won the Postcode Lottery’s weekly £1million Millionaire Street prize on Saturday, February 8.
Every ticket was worth £76,923 — and one winner doubled their prize to £153,846 with two tickets.
Among the lucky residents were father and daughter Samantha and Peter Newham.
Sam, 39, decided to join after seeing a TV advertisement for the lottery at her boyfriend’s home late last year, and roped in Peter, 65, after telling him the next day. The pair cried and hugged after they were each presented with ‘life-changing’ cheques for £76,923.
Chocolatier Sam said: “I was playing first by one day. I came home and told my dad I’d done it, and he chucked his phone at me and said, ‘sign me up as well’. That was just four months ago.
“I had been saying for years that I’d start playing, and an advert came on the telly, so I did it. I was sitting in my boyfriend's with my phone in my hand and I just signed up. This is phenomenal — it has changed my life.”
She plans to use some of her winnings to get on the property ladder with her partner.
Peter, who only retired from his 4am starts as a baker with Morrisons on January 31, added: “This is unreal. It couldn’t be written. I’m glad my daughter got me to join.”
He plans to treat his wife of 47 years, Sheila, to a luxury cruise, and, as a football fan, he added: “I might look at taking a box at Nottingham Forest.”
Around the corner, dad-of-four Andrew Higson revealed he planned to spend part of his winnings on a tribute to his late parents Alan and Peigi — by restoring a 2007 S-Type Jaguar he bought with the legacy they left to him — as well as making some improvements to his home.
The semi-retired piano tuner said: “When my parents passed away, they left enough money for me to buy the house and car. This is very much in their memory and doing the car up will perpetuate that.
“I wanted to contribute to charities on a regular basis, so that was my main motivation for joining the Postcode Lottery. I thought I would never win… I’m going to be putting it to good use and some of it will be going back to Postcode Lottery for the charities.”
Nearby, 67-year-old Karen Ferns’ win came as a huge surprise as she played with two tickets — and so was presented with a huge £153,846.
It came just a day after her husband Archie, 65, was given news that he was a year in remission from cancer.
The retired couple plan to spend some of their money on a holiday with son William, 28, who has cerebral palsy, as well as investing in a new iPad for him.
Karen said: “When the Postcode Lottery called we were out at the hospital for Archie’s check-up. When we got back, the carer who looks after William said, ‘you’ve had phone calls from the Postcode Lottery’.
“Archie had Hodgkin’s lymphoma and he got the all-clear again yesterday, so today is the icing on the cake.”
Nearby charity Belvoir Vale RDA also benefitted, and was awarded £50,000 by the Postcode Community Trust.
The charity — which is a member of the Riding for the Disabled Association — offers equestrian activities for children and adults with disabilities, supported by a dedicated team of around 60 volunteers and ten horses.
Lesley Davies, charity chairman, said: “We believe horse riding and the other equestrian activities that we offer are a key aspect in helping to improve the lives of our participants.
“Everyone should be able to access the benefit of being involved with horses no matter their circumstances and we are committed to providing both ridden and non-ridden opportunities to cater for a wide range of needs. £50,000 is an absolute game-changer for us.”
