A GENEROUS lottery-winning couple have shared their good fortune by buying laptops for children who are home-schooling during the pandemic.
Terri and John Picton-Clark are celebrating a £1million National Lottery win on a Lotto ticket.
Amateur ballroom dancer Terri, 69, and John, 67, enjoyed five bottles of champagne and a waltz around the living room when they found out their fortunes had changed.
The couple, from the Lutterworth area, wasted no time sharing their good fortune with others, buying laptops for friends and family who are home-schooling.
Terri said: “To be able to tell friends who have always been there for you that you can help them feels amazing.
“We’ve helped friends who are home-schooling their children – we bought another laptop for them to make things a little easier and we also bought one for my grandchild to help my son.
“John also gave the shop assistant at the garage who sold him the ticket £100 and said to her, ‘make sure you don’t do anything sensible with the money’.”
The pair scooped the life-changing prize on their way to a hardware store in search of a new kitchen – but ended up getting more than they bargained for.
Terri said: “I was trying to get zero per cent interest for the kitchen we wanted and the bank was being difficult, and I ended up just crying in despair. John said to me, ‘you never know, we might win the lottery’, to which I replied with ‘oh, you always say that!’.”
Terri, who works as an Equine Facilitator at Project Pony, was on a work video call a few days later when John came home with the good news.
She said: “John came in waving the ticket about, and I mouthed to him ‘what are you doing?’ but continued the call. Once I’d finished the work call I found out exactly what was up with him.
“We called Camelot and John said to me, ‘if it is what I think it is, I’ve already spent it.’ We were thinking it was around £50,000 and when Camelot confirmed it was £1,000,000, John was very calm, as usual, and I was the one jumping up and down!”
Terri and John promptly opened a bottle of champagne at 2.30pm that afternoon to celebrate.
Terri said: “The neighbours could see us celebrating and asked us what we were doing. We told them about our win and they ended up celebrating with us, socially-distanced from our respective front gardens.
“Five bottles later and John didn’t get up until 3pm the next day!”
Terri and John, who is retired, are now making plans for the future.
Terri said: “John wants to go to Antarctica, when it is safe to do so – that is top of the bucket list. There is also talk of a ski trip with the grandkids. I would love to go again, if I can still do it! John has never been on a winter holiday.
“My son is really pleased for us, as we can now have the retirement we always dreamed of and don’t need to worry about watching the pennies. We have always had penny-pinching holidays – even our wedding was on a budget.
“We are looking at a new house, one with more space. And we also want to get a new car each – a sensible one and a sporty one! I would love to revamp my wardrobe.
“John has said he will take me to Saville Row to get a new tailored suit with a matching skirt to wear in all seasons. I also want to buy a new dress and dancing shoes, ready for when I can dance again.”
