Charity lotto pays out £35k to city man

Painter and decorator originally told his wife he’d won £100 on Veterans’ Lottery...and she was delighted!

A Peterborough family are celebrating after winning £35,000 on the Veterans’ Lottery – after winner Ross Beddows initially joked with his wife he had won just £100.

The 45-year-old from Peterborough not only bagged the £5,000 first prize in the December draw, but also secured the £30,000 rollover to start 2022 with a real bang.

“It was New Year’s Eve when I got the call,” explained Ross.

“I didn’t actually pick up the first time, but when the call came back 20 minutes later and I answered it, I couldn’t believe it.

“It’s amazing!” Incredibly, December’s draw was only Ross’ second as a player of the Veterans’ Lottery and his motivation for signing up is one that’s very close to home.

“I’ve got family members who are veterans, including one that has PTSD, so I’ve seen them struggle,” said Ross.

“I know how hard it is for them to get through without any help.”

But it’s not only the veterans who have struggled, as a painter and decorator, covid has had a big impact on both his and his wife’s work in recent times, so this win was most welcome.

“With the pandemic, me being self-employed and my partner working in the pub industry, it’s set us back a bit as well, so this couldn’t have come at a better time,” Ross explained.

“If I could describe winning the Veterans’ Lottery in one word, it would be: ‘unbelievable’!”

Ross said his wife was delighted when he told he had won – even when he initially told her he had won just £100. He said: “I called my wife over and I did actually tell her that I’d won £100, and she was ecstatic.

“Then I said £5,000, even better. But when I said £35,000, she didn’t believe me! People who are thinking about doing it, shouldn’t just think about doing it, they should just actually do it.

“For the sake of a small donation a month, if everyone collectively thinks the same, the charity can become bigger and help more people. They’ve served for our country, they’ve protected us, so we should help to protect them.”

Ross plans to use the money to pay off some debts and take the family on a holiday – a new shed and a laptop for his daughter are also on his list.

To support our veterans • visit https://www.veteransfoundation.org.uk/ play the Veterans’ Lottery.

Ross Beddows who won £35,000 on a lottery.