A grand total of 226 Hale residents are celebrating after winning at least £9,211 in the People’s Postcode Lottery - with two lucky locals winning £407,032 each.
The residents - who each live within the winning WA15 9 postcode - attended a jubilant reception at the Bowdon Rooms on Friday where they discovered exactly what share of a £3.2million jackpot they had won.
195 residents picked up a cheque for £9,211 for having one ticket, 23 won £18,422 for having two tickets, six claimed £27,633 for three tickets - and the full winning postcode - WA15 9DZ - was revealed on the night, bagging two players a total of £407,032 each.
Among the winners was Victoria Kelsey, 37, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer.
She picked up a cheque for £9,211 at the same venue where she celebrated her wedding to husband Michael 14 years ago.
She said: “This is fantastic, lovely… something good for a change.”
Mum-of-two Victoria, who works for a wealth management firm, was diagnosed with cancer last October and has had 13 treatments in a 16-round course of chemotherapy before having to undergo surgery.
She says they’ll use their winnings during an Easter family holiday to Vale Do Lobo in Portugal’s Algarve as she recovers from treatment.
“It feels good being back here and seeing it again. We got married in the church just round the corner," she said.
“This will go to the holiday fund. We’re going to Portugal. After all the chemo, I needed a break.”
Other winners included a mother and son who each claimed £9,211.
Primary school teacher Jon Hammond, 42, only started playing the People's Postcode Lottery three months ago, while retired Sandra, 67, has been playing for a decade.
Now Jon is planning a trip to Disneyland Paris with his three kids - and Sandra will share her windfall with husband Gregory and daughter Kate.
Jon said: “This is amazing winning together. I’m buzzing. I would have been happy with £5,000. I’ll be going on a lovely holiday with the kids. I’ll bet they’re already spending it on sweets!”
Mum-of-two Sandra said: “I always said that if I ever won anything, I’d share it with the family.”
She added: “It’s our 45th wedding anniversary on April 7. We’ll have a good celebration.”
Another winner Sonia Blake, 58, told how she will plough most of her pot into two local charities – as well as helping identical twin sister Sharon Key, an NHS HR administrator.
Mum-of-one Sonia said youth charity Manchester’s Got Talent and food bank Keeping It Real 24/7 will get the bulk of her £9,211 windfall.
The office manager and bookkeeper said: “I’m very grateful for this. I’ll give my sister something. But my main aim is to help the children of tomorrow.”
Excited Sacha Byrne leaped into hubby Colin’s arms when his double ticket landed them £18,422.
The couple, who wed in The Bowdon Rooms in 2007, had only been expecting to win a maximum of £10,000 – but now plan to go on holiday and treat their three children.
Sacha said: “We didn’t expect it. We thought we’d won five grand, ten grand tops. Absolutely can’t believe it - just like the best thing ever!”
Colin, 51, added: “I buy two tickets. It makes sense doesn’t it now? Nobody believed me for years that I was buying two tickets and I just thought, there you go, it proves it. Amazing.”
Mum-of-two Aimee McCall, 36, and husband John were thrilled when her winning cheque of £9,211 was revealed.
She said: “Our daughter’s about to finish her GCSEs so we’re trying to mark it with something special.”
The couple have a holiday to Zante coming up, but Aimee added: “We might go to Dubai or even Lapland for Christmas.”
The McCall’s recently retired neighbour Claudette Elliot, who lives in the same street, also won £9,211.
The 61-year-old said: “I think I’m going to probably treat the children. I’ve got two children and two grandchildren”.
The former NHS nurse and senior manager is going to Vietnam for two weeks, taking her two grandchildren for Easter.
Claudette, who retired after 42 years, said: “I’m actually off on holiday tomorrow so that might just be a little spending money!”
