Lottery winners given 'the gift of time'

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg4zdne826o

Version 0 of 2.

Ruth and Peter Doyle said that winning £1m gave them the gift of time

It has been 30 years since the first lotto draw - not only has it raised £50bn for good causes, there have been plenty of winners too. Ruth Doyle was one of them in 2014 and told the BBC that "everything changed" after being a millionaire.

Ruth, who lives in Wiltshire, won £1m in June 2014 when she was busy working abroad - but she did not get it until August that year, partly because she did not check her emails properly.

The prize money allowed them to retire early and spend more time with family and friends.

"We'd probably be struggling if it wasn't for our win"," said Mrs Doyle. "Our life is far less stressful than it would have been otherwise."

One of the couple's big purchases was a Shaun the Sheep statue - originally on display in London

It took more than two months for the couple to realise they had won.

Mrs Doyle first spotted £25 in her bank account from the lottery. She thought it was a "nice addition" and did not think anymore about it until a call a couple of months later.

"It was a normal Friday afternoon and everything changed from then," she said.

When the "lovely lady" from the National Lottery announced the prize money, Mrs Doyle thought it was a scam.

Once convinced, her and husband Peter took "quite a while" to decide what to do with it.

Most of all, she said it has given them the "gift of time".

The couple now rescue dogs from Romania, volunteering for a charity

After paying off their mortgage, the pair decided to support the Bristol Children's Hospital charity by purchasing a Shaun the Sheep statue, which is in their living room.

This particular Shaun had spent time at Paddington station.

Another cause close to their hearts, is rescuing dogs in Romania.

With a rescue pet from the country herself, Mrs Doyle was able to fund a trip there, taking some aid to feed animals at a shelter and bringing some back to be fostered and find new homes.

30 years of the lottery: Alan Dedicoat remembers three decades of jackpots – and when things all went wrong.

If you are one of the lucky ones to get a big win, she recommends sitting back for a few weeks, coming to terms with it and discussing.

"Depending on your age and personality it all becomes clear," she said.

They carried on working, but planned to make sure they would have more time to spend with others.

When Ruth had to take redundancy a couple of years later, she did not have to find another job and Peter retired early.

Now in their 60s, she said that without the win "our life would be so much different".

"It has all meant more time together, with friends, family and on their interests." she added.

Get in touch

Tell us which stories we should cover in Wiltshire

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.