News writer
Who needs Cupid when the lottery's on your side? A surprise postcode win in Kingsthorpe didn't just deliver cash — it delivered wedding vows, dream homes, and a serious case of happily-ever-after for three UK couples.
A lottery win for the neighborhood
A lucky neighborhood in Kingsthorpe, Northampton, had its postcode selected in the People's Postcode Lottery. With that lucky win, there were eight winners who collected a share of £1m.
Of those eight winners, three announced they would be getting married after their six-figure lottery win.
The People's Postcode Lottery is a subscription lottery in the UK that raises money for charities. Players not only win cash prizes, but good causes receive essential support.
To participate, players sign up with their postcode and pay £12.25 per month. They are then entered into every draw, and prizes are announced every day of the month.
For this lucky group of winners, their postcode — NN2 8RU — happened to be drawn for a £1m prize. With eight winners in the postcode, each of them got a check for £125,000.
Long overdue wedding on the way
After an 11-year engagement, one of the lucky couples that won the Postcode Lottery will finally be walking down the aisle.
In July 2014, Nathan Brown, a professional referee, proposed to his childhood sweetheart. Jade Dunkley, at an Eminem concert. However, they have yet to officially tie the knot.
Brown told lottery officials, "We both work really hard. I work three jobs, so this is just an incredible amount of money." Dunkley added, "It's maybe about time we got around to a wedding."
The couple told lottery officials they plan on tying the knot in Jamaica.
Redo on a COVID wedding
Another one of the winning couples happened to get married in 2020 when COVID took over the world. Because of that, the couple's wedding was not the big occasion they were planning on having.
Ashli Wise told lottery officials:
We got married on the first day that we were allowed to have 15 guests for a wedding, and we literally just had a tea party in our garden. And everyone had face masks on.
After this lottery win, they can now have a real celebration. She added:
We can have a real wedding reception, and we can take our children away on our honeymoon.
In addition to the official wedding reception, the couple is planning on buying a bigger house to accommodate their three young girls. Cory Wise said a new house would be “life-changing for us.”
Proper house and proper wedding
Another winning couple will be upgrading their home and holding a proper wedding after their lottery win, even though Jamie Holden, a motor mechanic, doesn't even remember getting the check from lottery officials.
Holden stated:
It's a blur. I've never seen that sort of money ever.
Holden got engaged to Laura Fullthorpe in 2021, and they have four children between them. They have big plans after the lottery win. He continued:
We can now buy a bigger house to be a proper family in. And then we'll have a proper wedding.
Charities win too
As stated above, the People's Postcode Lottery is a subscription lottery that also raises money for charities. So, not only are the players winning money, but local charities are also cashing in during these drawings.
For this Kingsthorpe, Northampton, postcode win, the Northampton Hope Centre, which helps homeless people, will receive £100,000. In addition, Northamptonshire Association for the Blind will receive £50,000, and Springs Family Centre will receive £25,000.
Enjoy playing the lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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