Big lottery win for five Worthing neighbours

Their lucky postcode, BN11 5LJ, was announced as the winner yesterday (Thursday, December 27).

Four residents scooped £30,000 each, while the fifth landed £60,000 thanks to playing with two tickets.

Jeff Brazier, People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador, went knocking on doors in Elm Grove to reveal the news.

Carmela Resarchi, a 52-year-old carer, was one of the lucky winners who doubled her win by playing with two tickets.

Carmela said: “I was expecting to win £1,000 and I would have been so happy with that! This is the best Christmas ever.

“My daughter Domenica is at university, studying Psychology with Sociology at Brighton. I want to use the money to help her out while she’s studying.

“This couldn’t have come at a better time, as her car keeps breaking down, and with this money we can afford to replace it.”

Rianna Chapman, a 32-year-old office worker who’s been playing People’s Postcode Lottery for just 6 months, won £30,000.

She said: “I’m shaking, I can’t believe it. I’m the unluckiest person in my house and I’ve never won anything before this.

“I’ve never had this kind of money, it means so much to me.

“I’d like to use some of it to book a family trip to Disneyland Paris with my partner and my son Leon for his birthday in October.

“I started playing because it’s easy to set up and you don’t need to think about entering yourself to play every month.

“I love hearing about the charities that People’s Postcode Lottery support through their updates – it’s nice to know that we’re making a difference.”

Neil Watson, 66, who started his own fire and security systems maintenance business three years ago, won £30,000.

He said: “I am over the moon, this is so wonderful and so unexpected.”

His wife, Ella, who works as a highway steward, added: “I feel a lovely holiday coming on!

“We would love to do a cruise, we’ve never done one before. We can treat our daughters, Tiffany and Jodie, too.

“I got everything I could ever want this Christmas, with my daughter Jodie home from the USA where she works as an au pair, and this is just the icing on the cake.”

Two winners of £30,000 were unavailable when Jeff and the team visited their home, but the prize will be paid into their bank account.

A minimum of 32 per cent from every ticket from the People’s Postcode Lottery goes to charity, a spokesman said.

The lottery has raised £371 million for good causes across Great Britain and internationally.

The draw was held for the Postcode Earth Trust, and one of the charities to benefit is the National Trust who have received almost £1.5 million to date from the players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

This includes the Worthing National Trust Association.

Other local charities that are supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery include Release Counselling and Therapy for Women, which received £2,000 last year to run support groups for new mums suffering from post-natal depression or anxiety.

The group aims to help the transition into motherhood for mums who may be struggling to cope.

The Deans Senior Tea Club was also awarded £2,000 last year to help run free social tea clubs for older people to combat isolation and loneliness.

For more information, visit www.postcodelottery.co.uk.

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