Peter Congdon of Truro in Cornwall matched all six UK Lotto numbers on 27th May 2015 to bank £13.5 million and promised at the time to use some of his bulging bank balance to help fund the Merlin MS Centre in Hewas Water. Staff at the centre had cared for his late wife Rosemary, who had multiple sclerosis, and he said he wanted to repay their hard work. It was announced last week that kind-hearted Peter had donated a Fuji white Land Rover Discovery Sport worth £33,000 to be used as a raffle prize, with all money taken in ticket sales pledged to the Merlin Centre.
"It was bought especially for the raffle from my lottery winnings,” confirmed the 67-year-old, “it's a lovely car to drive and I have kept the mileage down. I have only driven it three times and that has been to the centre. It has not even done 100 miles. One hundred per cent of the money will go to the Merlin for its ongoing running costs."
Tickets are being sold for the raffle across the county, with the final draw taking place at Truro’s Alverton hotel on 13th December. Peter is also offering financial backing to help build more facilities at the centre, with blueprints for a therapy room, hydrotherapy pool and refreshment area being drawn up and subject to planning permission.
EuroMillions winners Susan and Lee Mullen have also hit the headlines in recent days due to their generosity. The pair, who pocketed £4.8 million in February 2011 and are fanatical Grimsby Town fans, stepped in to pay £1,000 towards the funeral of a fellow supporter who died on the way to Wembley for the Mariners’ National League play-off final tie with Forest Green on Sunday 15th May.
Jeffrey Smith’s family made an online appeal for help towards funeral costs for the 51-year-old, who was struck down by a suspected heart attack on a minibus just a few miles away from the national stadium. The couple, who have invested in the club since their big win, contacted the family on hearing the news and promised to give Jeffery “a proper Grimsby Town send-off.”
Just by playing lotteries like UK Lotto and EuroMillions, you are already helping worthy projects, as 56p from every £2 UK National Lottery ticket is automatically transferred to the Good Causes fund. However, a major win like tonight’s £28 million (€37 million) EuroMillions jackpot would allow you help even more if you wished. You can buy EuroMillions tickets online or from authorised retailers in any of the participating nations up until 7:30pm BST (8:30pm CEST) today.