Maureen Nicholson, of Hunny Hill, Newport, is thinking of changing her address after winning the £2,000 top prize in the Isle of Wight Lottery for the second time in two years. “I’ve told the neighbours, and they can’t believe it. We think they should call it Money Hill now!” she said.
Mother of four Maureen joined the Lottery five years ago on the death of her close friend Rita Puckett, who also played the Lottery. “I wanted to take her place,” she said. “She was always telling me what a good cause it was, and I signed up straight away. So anything I win is because of her.”
Maureen plans to spend the money on a holiday for herself and her husband Michael, a retired prison officer. “We’ve both been quite ill recently, so this will be our first chance for years to get away anywhere,” she said.
Maureen won her first £2,000 almost exactly two years ago, the morning after one of her daughters Corinne, arrived from New Zealand. Coincidentally, this year’s win happened on the same day Corinne phoned to say that she would be travelling home later this year to help Maureen and Michael celebrate their golden wedding in December.
Maureen said: “All my neighbours are now thinking of signing up for the Lottery. It is lovely to win the money, but the main reason I joined was to help do my bit for the island.”
The Isle of Wight Lottery – a division of the island’s Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and Industry – operates on a non-profit basis, and all proceeds are directed into a loan fund which is used to provide interest free loans to start-up and expanding island businesses. Since its launch in 2001, the Lottery has paid out more than £900,000 in prizes to over 900 people.
