A TEAM of National Lottery winners, including a couple from Warrington, have been donning their gardening gloves as part of a major transformation project at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
John and Patricia Gill, from Warrington, who scooped £1M on EuroMillions in 2015, were among the winners helping on the day.
Alder Hey, which has benefited from National Lottery funding over the years, is one of Europe’s biggest and busiest children’s hospitals. It cares for more than 1,200 children and young people every day.
It is currently undergoing a multi-million-pound redevelopment to create a world-class healthcare campus on the site of the hospital, where all aspects of children’s health can be addressed in one dedicated space.
And a group of National Lottery winners – some of whom have children who have been treated at the hospital – spent today on-site planting colourful borders alongside a new path and walkway.
The piece of land the winners have been helping to transform is situated around the Alder Centre – a bereavement unit. This area can be seen by the thousands of families who visit Alder Hey every year.
The Alder Centre not only offers one to one therapy and counselling sessions, it also hosts bakery, art and a whole range of different courses to help and support both parents and siblings through bereavement.
It also acts as a base for calls from across the country to the Child Death Helpline.
John and Patricia Gill
Patricia said, “It is wonderful to think we can play a part in such a major building project and at such a prestigious location – not only in the UK – but across Europe.
“Everyone knows about Alder Hey and the tremendous life-saving work that the hospital does and to be able to help to create an even better environment for children and their families, really is a true honour!”
Ceri Roscoe-Roberts and husband Paul, from Conwy, who won £1M on EuroMillions in November last year, say they owe their youngest son’s life to Alder Hey after his pushchair collapsed with him inside and Ceri was forced to resuscitate him.
Ceri added, “Without Alder Hey my youngest would not be here today.
“The hospital does so much incredible work and I am truly honoured – thanks to my National Lottery win – to be back here today giving something back in terms of my time and contributing to a project which really will benefit thousands of people for many years to come.”
The team of National Lottery winners, who between them are worth more than £32M, spent a day planting a range of trees, climbers, grasses, bulbs and ever-greens which will flourish during the months ahead to bring smiles to the faces of everyone who visits the hospital.
Joining John and Patricia and Ceri and Paul, were: Sarah and Aldan Ibbetson, from Leeds, who won £3.1M on Lotto, in 2002; Ruth Breen, from Wigan, who won £1M on EuroMillions in 2014; Helen and Derek Garnett, from Ulverston, who won £1M on EuroMillions in 2017; Ian and Sandra Black, from Carlisle, who won £2M on a National Lottery scratchcard in 2022; Geoff and Hilary Bennette, from Lancashire, who won £3.5M on a Lotto jackpot in 2011; Sharon and Nigel Mather, from Cheshire, who won £12M on EuroMillions in 2010; Elaine and Rob Leason, from East Riding of Yorks, who won £1.4M as part of the Tesco Driffield Lotto jackpot winning syndicate in 2005; Laura Hoyle, from Cheshire, who won the top prize on The National Lottery’s Set for Life draw of £10k every month for 30 years, during the third national lockdown; Natalie and Andew Cunliffe, from Blackpool, who won £1M on a National Lottery scratchcard in 2016; Ben and Leanne Woods, from Wirral, who won £2.4M on Lotto in 2004 and Alex Best, from Leeds, who won £1M on EuroMillions in 2018.
Fiona Ashcroft, CEO at Alder Hey Children’s Charity, said, “We have been extremely grateful to have the lottery winners on site – they have certainly done an excellent job and played a very important part in developing our Children’s Health Campus here at Alder Hey!”
The vision for the Children’s Health Campus, located next to Springfield Park in the city, is to provide an innovative, vibrant and safe place with a focus on developing the very best health outcomes for children and young people. Over time, this will showcase Alder Hey as a leader in children’s healthcare on a national and global scale.
By playing any National Lottery game, including EuroMillions, players generate £30M each week for National Lottery-funded projects. This money helps fund projects across the nation, with over 685,000 grants – supporting projects both big and small – having been made across the UK to date.
