Windfall comes at the perfect time for Susan

Lady Luck paid a visit to Bellshill on Saturday when ML4 1RF was announced as a winner with People’s Postcode Lottery.
Susan Callaghan (left) wants to treat her sister Joyce Mitchell to a spa day. Pic:
Iain McLeanSusan Callaghan (left) wants to treat her sister Joyce Mitchell to a spa day. Pic:
Iain McLean
Susan Callaghan (left) wants to treat her sister Joyce Mitchell to a spa day. Pic: Iain McLean

This landed one resident a cheque for a whopping £30,000, and couldn’t have come at a better time for mother-of-two Susan Callaghan (50) who has been unable to work in her job as a Post Office manager for the last 18 months due to ill health.

Susan was with her sister Joyce Mitchell and son Mark when she discovered how much she’d won.

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She said: “I just can’t believe this, this is a game changer for me and will have such a big impact on my life. I was expecting £1,000 so the numbers aren’t even registering with me just now.

“I was considering cancelling it last month too – thank goodness I didn’t because it doesn’t bear thinking about!

“I’ve been housebound for the past 18 months due to my hips and I’m recovering from having my first hip replaced just now, with the second one due to be operated on shortly.

“I can’t explain how much of a morale boost it is to get this good news. It’s really giving me an incentive to get well and get out and about again as quick as I can.”

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Once Susan has recovered there’s a few things she’d like to do with the windfall.

She said: “I’m sick to the sight of hospital beds, so I’d love to have a wee spa break somewhere for myself and Joyce.

“It would be great to treat her because she’s been so great at looking after me whilst I’ve been ill.

“Once I’m back on my feet again I’d love to get a car because I had to sell mine when I gave up work. I’ll also be sharing some of my good fortune out between my two boys who are 25 and 28.

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“My youngest son Mark has cystic fibrosis and has only just got out of hospital himself, so it’s great he’s been here to share this with experience with me.”

Susan is a big supporter of charities and that was one of the reasons she joined the lottery.

She said: “I do a lot of fundraising myself for St Andrews Hospice in Airdrie as they cared for my husband and before I took ill I was in training to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. It’s great to know that I’m helping so many good causes just by playing.”

People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Judie McCourt was in Bellshill to present Susan with her golden envelope.

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She said: “It’s been my absolute pleasure to meet Susan and make her day by handing over a lovely big cheque – what a wonderful lady! I’m wishing her a very speedy recovery so she can enjoy spending her win.”

With a minimum of 32 per cent from every ticket going to charity, players of People’s Postcode Lottery have now raised £404 million for thousands of good causes across Great Britain as well as internationally. This draw was promoted on behalf of Wildlife Trusts, which has received £8,488,627 in funding so far.

Local charities close to Susan have also benefitted from the support of players including Equitots Lanarkshire, which was awarded £2,000 last year to deliver equine assisted learning to disadvantaged children living in poverty, as well as those with additional support needs.