“You won’t believe it mum…we’ve won the Lottery.”

The syndicate, who call themselves ‘The Brickle 10’, matched five main numbers and one Lucky Star in the EuroMillions draw on Friday 5th May, 2017. Stunned syndicate leader and Matron of Bricklehampton Hall Nursing Home, Shirley Archer, arrived at work to find her daughter Naomi, who also works at the home, and a colleague, Annie, shaking in disbelief as they stared at the EuroMillions results checker on their phone.

Shirley explains. “Naomi was holding the phone and her hand was shaking like a leaf. She was with our Patient Services Manager Annie Humphrey and they were screaming ‘we’ve won, we’ve won the Lottery!’ They showed me the phone revealing the massive amount and the rest is a bit hazy.”

Shirley, Naomi and Annie then called the rest of the syndicate, some of whom were working, others on a day off, and explained to the group that they were going to call The National Lottery to confirm the win.

Annie Humphrey, Patient Services Manager at the nursing home and syndicate member, said, “No-one would believe us. Even when I showed those in work the winning amount on the phone screen, they thought we were joking. Shirley then started phoning round those who were off site and I called The National Lottery to confirm the win.”

Shirley’s daughter Naomi, who works at the nursing home as an Assistant Diversional Therapist, said, “As Annie was on the phone to Camelot to confirm the win, we were huddled in the office next to her. We were making quite a noise by that point and were jumping up and down in the background. It was just incredible and noone could take it in. We just kept smiling and laughing.”

After all the calls and a great deal of disbelief, the group who were working decided it was time to celebrate. Shirley said, “Once I was done, Nicky, our Bursar, rushed home and got a couple of bottles of bubbly and some cakes from the local farm shop and we all had a bit of a celebration in the office.”

The hardworking syndicate, all from the Evesham and Worcester area, have won £20,743.51 each. They plan to spend their winnings on a variety of things including holidays to Croatia and Dubai and Naomi plans to put hers towards a deposit on a house.

Syndicate leader Shirley Archer, 59, is a Matron with the other members spread across the business. The members include: Nicky Haines, 45, Bursar, Sarah Payne, 49, Administration Assistant, Naomi Archer, 23, Assistant Diversional Therapist and Shirley’s daughter, Annie Humphrey, 51, Patient Services Manager, Lisa Vincent, 51, Deputy Matron, Karen Bayley, 57, Registered Nurse, maintenance workers Alan Griffin and Simon Webb, 69 and 34 respectively, and one other staff member. They have played ten lucky dips on each Friday EuroMillions draw for the last 18 months and this is their first big win.

Shirley, who has two daughters, Naomi and Jessica, 27, said, “It has been so nice to share this win with my friends and colleagues. Also with lots of residents and their relatives who have been congratulating us. It feels amazing and I think all of us will splash out on a nicer holiday, perhaps an all-inclusive break, after our windfall.”