‘I am so shocked – Chorley pensioner wins £25,000 on Derian House Lottery

Joan Poole, 79, from Astley Village, couldn’t believe her eyes when she was surprised on her driveway with a £25,000 cheque last Friday (15 December) after playing the Derian House lottery for just five months.

Joan, who will celebrate her 80th birthday in January and is the third winner of the £25,000 prize since the lottery began five years ago.

But it wasn’t the grand prize that enticed her to sign up – the hospice is close to her heart after her son’s nephew was cared for by the charity.

She said: “I am so shocked! You see things like this on the telly all the time and you never think that one day it could be you!

“Derian House is a wonderful charity to support and I’ve donated knitted items before too. I never really thought about the money, it just comes out of my bank.”

She added: “The money will really take the pressure off, especially as a pensioner. My 80th birthday is coming up, so it will definitely come in useful.”

Joan’s big win makes her the second pensioner in a week to win thousands of pounds in a cash prize draw run by the charity – and both winners were named Joan!

Mick Croskery, Head of Income Generation at Derian House, said: “We couldn’t believe it when we found out we had a £25,000 lottery winner so close to us drawing our big Christmas raffle winner.

“And then when we found out she was also called Joan we were gobsmacked – it seems like the luckiest name out there at the moment!

Six other lucky people won £1,000 in the lottery in December.

The draw costs £1 per week to enter and players could win up to £25,000 whilst supporting their local children’s hospice to provide care for children and young people whose lives are too short.

To sign up to play the Derian House lottery click HERE.