Hat-trick lottery win for St Catherine’s Hospice supporter Christine

Grandmother Christine Barker has the lucky touch playing the St Catherine’s Hospice lottery – she has won three times since joining and her latest success saw her land the £2,000 weekly jackpot prize!

Christine has been a loyal supporter of the lottery along with her late husband Eric – who was awarded the OBE in 1995 for services to the water industry and was a magistrate at Leyland – who was cared for in the Lostock Hall hospice in September 2015.

Christine, who has eight grandchildren, said: “The care throughout Eric’s illness was excellent and we couldn’t fault it. We like to give something back so I’m going to enter our sons and daughters in the hospice lottery as well.

“The money comes out twice a year on direct debit and you just forget you’re doing it. It’s an easy way to support the charity.”

Eric spent his entire 36-year career working in river pollution prevention before taking early retirement from the National Rivers Authority which became part of the new Environment Agency. He also undertook voluntary work for more than 20 years, including helping Lions Club International.

The family passed on donations of £1,000 from Eric’s funeral to St Catherine’s. He died from a brain tumour, aged 73, spending two weeks at the hospice after a stay in Royal Preston Hospital.

After winning the £2,000 lottery prize in October, Christine split half of the jackpot between their two sons and two daughters, with the balance paying for new gates at her Longton home.

Christine, who spent the last 15 years of her working life with Lancashire Libraries, including six years as manager of Penwortham Library, explained: “We’ve done the lottery for years and had already won £700 which helped pay for a holiday in Greece, and then we won another £300. When I received the letter and there was a cheque for £2,000, it was a lovely surprise.”

The St Catherine’s Hospice lottery costs £1 a week to join. Weekly cash prizes can be won in addition to the £2,000 jackpot, including a rollover which can reach £5,100.

Head of lottery and promotions, Sheila Kennard, said: “St Catherine’s was the first hospice in the country to launch a lottery in 1993 and the care of one in 10 of our patients is funded by lottery income, at the hospice and in people’s own homes. St Catherine’s also offers bereavement and other forms of practical and emotional support to local families.

“During the pandemic, the lottery has been our most dependable source of income – St Catherine’s is still providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care to those who need our help, and our teams are adapting in many different ways to meet the changing needs of our communities. Our fundraising activities have been significantly impacted this year with the closures of our charity shops and The Mill café, as well as the cancellation of our popular events, and there are many more challenges ahead.

“Playing the lottery is a really simple way for people to support their local charity by paying just £1 a week, which helps us to budget and plan for the future in these unpredictable and difficult times – plus there’s a chance of winning a great cash prize in the process! Gift vouchers are also available which make great stocking fillers, or are ideal for popping inside people’s Christmas cards and sending in the post this festive season.”

• For more details and to sign up, please click here. 

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