A lottery winning father and daughter have pledged to give back to the Whittlesey community as a thank you for supporting the family when they needed help.
Lorraine Daniels, 41, and her dad Derek, 77, won £729,026 on a set of numbers they have been playing for almost seven years and are donating an undisclosed amount to the town’s Round Table so another family can benefit.
Last year they were given almost £4,000 following a massive fund raising drive by the Round Table, Whittlesey Discussion Facebook page and family and friends to buy a special bed for Lorraine’s six year old daughter Lotus who was diagnosed with severe epilepsy at just 19 days old.
Lorraine said: “It’s now my turn to pay it forward. It’s an amazing feeling, but also a bit odd, it hasn’t sunk in.
“I’m now in a position that I don’t have to worry about the future or ask people for help.
“I’ve got a nest egg for Lotus and can provide everything I might need as she grows up,
“I’m not sure if Lotus fully understands what has happened but she went to school today giggling.”
The winning numbers of 1, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 31 were based on Lotus’ birth date, her baby weight of 7lb 1oz, the number of the room she was born in and the day she was christened.
Her dad Derek said: “All our heartache and worry for Lotus’ future is over.”
Lotus had half of her brain removed in a nine hour surgery two years ago and since then is coming on in leaps and bounds.
Lorraine said: “I went from knowing one seizure could kill her to feeling as is she has been reborn.
“Since her operation Lotus has baffled all the doctors and specialists who predicted a very limited quality of life.
“She is learning to walk again and communicate through sign language and she’s doing really well at school.”
Beyond helping the community Lorraine plans to use her share to buy a house and take Lotus on a holiday
Derek bought the winning ticket from Parkers News on Market Street and they were one of three lucky ticket holders to share the jackpot of more than £2m, on Wednesday April 20.
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