A LOTTERY that has raised more than £11 million for St Luke's Hospice is celebrating its 25th birthday.

The weekly fundraiser now has more than 16,000 players.

Staff nurse Di Collins said: “In 1994 St Luke’s was one of the first hospices in the UK to launch a weekly lottery and it has gone from strength to strength to become the single biggest source of income for the hospice.

"We are incredibly grateful to our loyal supporters who play it each week, in fact some have been playing since the very first draw.

“After 25 years it still costs just £1 a week to play the lottery, but all of those pounds collectively make a huge difference to our hospice.

"The lottery has raised a staggering £11 million pounds which is the equivalent of one week of care on our in-patient unit every month for the last 25 years. An incredible achievement!

“Throughout July we will be celebrating the lottery and thanking our existing players with four weekly bumper jackpot draws of £2019. We also hope to encourage others to sign up. It really is the easiest way to support St Luke’s.”

The first draw on July 1, 1994 was won by Norah Davies, from Winsford, who scooped the £1,500 jackpot and still plays the lottery today.

Gran Norah, who has four children, said: “I can’t believe it has been 25 years. I remember we had come back from holiday and my daughter-in-law said do you want the good news or the bad news. The bad news was that our car had been stolen while we were away but it had been found over on Mount Pleasant with a bloke asleep in it, and the good news was that we had to ring a number. So I rang it and they told us we’d won the lottery. I’d never won anything in my life before!

“My friends came and we went out for a meal to the railway carriages at the Brighton Belle and a bottle of champagne which none of us liked really! We didn’t like it but we drank it anyway! We gave some money to the children as well.”

The lucky lady then went on the win the jackpot again in 2001!

“It’s a good cause and it’s only a £1," she said. "I pay £52 a year in advance and then I forget about it, but I feel like I’m doing my bit to help St Luke’s and I’ve won the jackpot twice!”

Crystal Legal Services is kindly sponsoring St Luke’s 25 year lottery celebrations throughout July.

Chief executive officer Tony Shields said: “As a long term supporter of St Luke’s, Crystal is delighted to sponsor the hospice’s lottery celebrations. We recognise the value in working with a local charity as a means to give something back to the community. It becomes a focal point for our colleagues to contribute through gifts of time and money to a really fantastic cause.

“There are members of our staff who have had family members and friends cared for by St Luke’s so we understand how committed the staff are and just how superb the care and support is that's provided to hospice users.”

Every penny of profit the lottery raises, currently 70p in every £1, supports local people who are cared for by St Luke’s.

READ > Two Cheshire ice cream parlours named best in the country

Each Friday there are 39 guaranteed cash winners with a weekly top prize of £1,500, increased to £2019 during July.

To join the lottery visit slhospice.co.uk/lottery, call 01606 553553 or email lottery@slhospice.co.uk.