8 Dec 2017 Community

Friday 13th – Lucky for some!

In a Lottery draw back on Friday 13th October, Quarmby woman, Kathryn Beney, was the lucky winner of the £750 Jackpot and top Lottery prize.

Today, the 66-year-old ex-Magistrate and Civil Servant, member of The Huddersfield Rock Choir and winner of TV quizzes The Chase and Tipping point along with her husband, Terry, an ex-Community Psychiatric Nurse, talk to us about their life, why they decided to join the Kirkwood Hospice Lottery and why you should too.

How long have you been playing the Kirkwood Hospice Lottery?

Kathryn: We’ve been members since 2013. It’s only £4 a month and we know how lucky we are so we don’t really notice it. You don’t expect to win and you don’t do it to win.

What initially made you sign up?

Kathryn: We’ve always shopped at and donated to your charity shops and I’ve had friends who have volunteered their time at Kirkwood Hospice. We buy toys for our grandchildren and they love going into the charity shops and picking out a book or two. The shops are lovely and the staff are always so nice.

I’ve also sung with Huddersfield Rock Choir at several of your events including the Christmas Fairs.

With the Kirkwood Lottery, you can choose the amount you’re giving and it’s a very easy way of giving without having to think about it. There’s always the remote thought at the back of your mind about winning but that’s not the main reason.

Lottery winner, Kathryn Beney

 

Is this your first win?

Kathryn: It is for this Lottery, yes. It’s the first time we’ve won in four years but some people have been playing for over 15 years! I also have premium bonds and I’ve never earned a penny on them.

How did you feel when you heard you’d won?

Kathryn: It was a bit of disbelief really but it made our day! I’ve been very lucky with the TV quizzes but I can have an influence on the outcome of those, whereas the Lottery is pure good luck.

Terry: It was me that got the call and when I heard it was the Hospice calling, I thought I better answer that, but I had no idea what it was about.

I rang Kathryn and said ‘well do you want the good news or the good news?’ I think she was as knocked back as I was, you don’t expect news like that out of the blue!

"I say, the more people we tell about this, the better, and hopefully it could persuade them to play too." Terry Beney

What will you spend your winnings on?

Kathryn: We’re very fortunate – we’ve got a weekend break to Berlin later in the year and we’ve just come back from Prague. We’re also trying to future-proof the house and we’ve given some of the winnings to my son to enjoy on his wedding anniversary coming up. In summary, we’re going to have fun with it!

What would you say to anyone else thinking of playing?

Kathryn: I would say just give it a go! You won’t miss the £4 a month, you’ve just as much chance of winning as anyone else and look at the good it’s doing. It’s only a small amount but if everybody in Kirklees gave that, just think how much money would be made.

Terry: I say, the more people we tell about this, the better, and hopefully it could persuade them to play too.

After meeting the couple, Lottery Assistant, Deborah Blackburn, said: “We love to see the faces of the people who have won the Lottery draw.

“Our winners, such as Kathryn and Terry, pay in their money every single week and deserve every penny they win.

 “Thanks to our loyal players, the 12,500 who play each week, the Lottery brings in over £700,000 each year which goes straight back into patient care at Kirkwood Hospice.”

Find out more about the Kirkwood Hospice Lottery by clicking here.