Mum plans to spruce up garden after winning the St Catherine’s lottery rollover!

A lucky Chorley mum has scooped a whopping rollover from the St Catherine’s Hospice lottery scheme – bagging herself nearly £4,000.

Sara Abbott has only been a member of the hospice’s lottery for less than a year, so was ‘gobsmacked’ to learn that she’d won the cash prize which had been building up for 26 weeks – just short of the longest-running rollover in the charity’s history.

She plans to use her £3,900 winnings to help pay off the mortgage on her Buckshaw Village home, and to give her garden some much-needed care and attention.

Sara, who works as a staff nurse at Royal Preston Hospital, said: “I definitely didn’t expect to win that much; ‘surprise’ is an understatement!

“I was really shocked when I got the letter, and really ecstatic. I’m a single mum so this is such a boost and will help with my mortgage payments. I also want to do the garden up. I’ve been in the house since 2005 and have been meaning to do the garden for years, so this has given me a push to get that done.

“I want to create a nice patio area where I can sit out and play with my daughter Stephanie, who’s nine. Hopefully we’ll get some sunshine too!”

Sara, who is due to turn 40 next week, said the news was a ‘great early birthday present’ too.

She joined the St Catherine’s lottery, which has around 17,000 members, because she wanted to support a good cause.

“I see the importance of hospice care, especially in my job,” she added. “There are lots of charities which appeal for money on a monthly or weekly basis, but I chose St Catherine’s because it’s a local charity and is a really worthy cause.”

People can sign up to the St Catherine’s lottery for just £1 a week to be in with a chance of winning the weekly jackpot of £2,000. On top of that, there’s a rollover which increases by £150 each week until it is won.

The rollover had been accumulating for more than six months before Sara’s numbers came in and she bagged the amazing prize. Last year, Derek Birchall from Chorley was another lucky winner who took home more than six months’ worth of rollover cash. His £4,050 scoop was the largest sum in the Lostock Hall hospice’s history.

Sheila Kennard, the charity’s head of promotions, said: “By joining the lottery, members are helping to provide St Catherine’s with a regular, sustainable income which allows us to plan for the future, allowing us to continue our specialised palliative and end-of-life care for people with life-shortening illnesses in the Central Lancashire community.

“We also offer lottery gift cards, and a payroll lottery through local businesses which gives people the opportunity to pay in from their salaries, so there are plenty of great ways in which people can support the charity whilst being in the running to win a brilliant prize.”

To sign up for the hospice’s weekly lottery scheme, click here or call 01772 629171.

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