'We won £6.1m on the lottery – now I help out at a food bank'

'We won £6.1m on the lottery – now I help out at a food bank'

In 2016, Kevin and Michele Jones, a couple from Cheshire, experienced a life-altering moment when Kevin, a bus driver at the time, won a £6.1 million lottery jackpot. The news transformed their lives instantly, granting them financial freedom and the ability to make choices they had not considered before. Despite their newfound wealth, the couple has since dedicated much of their time to giving back to their community.

Ten years after their win, Michele has become an active volunteer at The Pantry @ Sandbach Hub, a local food bank providing affordable food and support to residents facing financial hardships. She explained that helping others has become one of the most fulfilling parts of her life. Michele shared, “I’ve always wanted to help other people, so I’ve got the opportunity now,” and noted that her involvement began after Kevin spotted a call for volunteers. The pantry not only supplies food but also connects individuals with organizations offering advice and practical assistance.

Kevin recounted the moment he found out he had become a millionaire while working a bus route between Crewe and Newcastle-under-Lyme. He recalled, “I rang my boss up and I said: ‘Can I get off the bus at Crewe; can you take me off the service because something important has happened?'” When told to go ahead, he revealed, “I told him I’d won the lottery!” Despite the life-changing news, Kevin felt a responsibility to his passengers and completed his shift the following morning. The couple then took time to plan how their lives would change, prioritizing support for their family.

Since their win, Kevin and Michele have relocated from Crewe to Sandbach to be closer to relatives and have enjoyed traveling, including frequent trips to the Canary Islands. Kevin emphasized that the greatest benefit from their lottery success was the freedom it provided and the ability to secure the futures of family members by removing mortgages and financial stress. He said, “We all have to go to work, we have obligations to pay mortgages, bills, etc, and all that was suddenly removed. We had the freedom to go where we wanted, when we wanted.” Their inspiring journey coincides with a major overhaul of the Lotto game, with the operator Allwyn expecting the changes to dramatically increase the number of millionaires created annually

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