Millionaires dig deep to help children’s hospital bloom

Ceri and her husband Paul, who won £1MMillion on EuroMillions last year, were able to show their gratitude recently when they joined a team of green-fingered National Lottery millionaires helping plant colourful borders alongside a new path and walkway at the world-famous hospital. The greenery is part of a major transformation project at Alder Hey which cares for more than 1,200 children and young people every day.

Ceri said, “The hospital does so much incredible work and I am truly honoured – thanks to my National Lottery win – to be back here today giving something back in terms of my time and contributing to a project which really will benefit thousands of people for many years to come.”

The piece of land the millionaires helped to transform is situated around the Alder Centre – a bereavement unit. It is a part of the hospital that can be seen by the thousands of families who visit every year.

The Alder Centre not only offers one-to-one therapy and counselling sessions, it also hosts bakery, art and a whole range of courses designed to help and support parents and siblings through bereavement.

John and Patricia Gill, from Warrington, who won £1MMillion on EuroMillions in 2015, were among the millionaires helping on the day.

Patricia said, “It is wonderful to think we can play a part in such a major building project and at such a prestigious location – not only in the UK, but across Europe. Everyone knows about Alder Hey and the tremendous life-saving work that the hospital does and to be able to help to create an even better environment for children and their families, really is a true honour!”

Fiona Ashcroft, CEO at Alder Hey Children’s Charity, said, “We have been extremely grateful to have the lottery winners on site – they have certainly done an excellent job and played a very important part in developing our Children’s Health Campus here at Alder Hey.”

Other National Lottery millionaires planting trees, climbers, grasses, bulbs and ever-greens at Alder Hey included Sarah and Aldan Ibbetson from Leeds, who won £3.1MMillion on Lotto in 2002. They were joined by Ruth Breen from Wigan, who won £1MMillion on EuroMillions in 2014 and Helen and Derek Garnett, from Ulverston, who won £1MMillion on EuroMillions in 2017.

The team also included Ian and Sandra Black from Carlisle, who won £2MMillion on a National Lottery scratchcard in 2022; Geoff and Hilary Bennette from Lancashire, who won £3.5MMillion on a Lotto jackpot in 2011; Nigel Mather from Cheshire, who won £12MMillion on EuroMillions in 2010 and Elaine and Rob Leason from East Riding of Yorks, who won £1.4MMillion as part of the Tesco Driffield Lotto jackpot-winning syndicate in 2005.

Also putting their ‘green thumbs’ to good use were Laura Hoyle from Cheshire, who won the top Set For Life prize of £10KThousand every month for 30 years in 2021; Natalie and Andrew Cunliffe from Blackpool, who won £1MMillion on a National Lottery Scratchcard in 2016 and Alex and Liana Best from Leeds, who won £1MMillion on EuroMillions in 2018.

25th April 2024