EUROMILLIONS WINNERS GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

Although this is a fairly common thing to do, it’s always great to hear about EuroMillions winners sharing their lotto fortune with others less fortunate than themselves.

The lottery winners in question are Gillian and Adrian Bayford. The couple haven’t been out of the news since their £148m win on EuroMillions in August 2012. Obviously, winning such a huge lottery jackpot is big news and we all want to hear their amazing story. Such as making it to number 516 on The Sunday Times Rich List 2013, which is a great achievement. They are now in the good company of billionaires and millionaires such as the Beckhams.

Unfortunately, such media attention can also bring unwanted interest, including ‘begging letters’ from those who would also like a slice of the lotto wealth. The Bayfords receive a huge amount of letters on a weekly basis. Gillian Bayford said: “We do get a lot of letters, but in this world if you don’t ask, you don’t know. You can’t condemn anybody for asking. It takes a lot of guts just to ask somebody for money, just to come out and say it. We still read every one of them, and work out yes or no on their own merits.” This type of attention caused Adrian Bayford to close his existing music shop and move on to pastures new.

Gillian Bayford chose to give up her job as a healthcare assistant almost as soon as she realised she was a lottery winner. Who wouldn’t? But now she has purchased a local failing business, and hopes to give back to the community. Along with friend Cindy Smith, Gillian Bayford intends to reopen the former Cheeky Chimps Funhouse in Haverill, Suffolk. It will open on 4th May under the new name of Rascals Playhouse. Gillian Bayford said of the new venture: “At the moment, there’s nothing for kids from Haverhill and the surrounding villages. We wanted to give them somewhere to go. We’re hoping to bring some fun back to Haverhill.”

To get a chance of becoming the next jackpot winner, you can purchase your EuroMillions tickets online at Lottery24.com.