A Wokingham dad who stopped his wife from cancelling his People’s Postcode Lottery ticket won £100,000 just days later.
Brian Prodger’s wife wanted to cancel their payment after complaining they never won. But he talked Valentina, 33, in time to be included in the December draws, and ended up sharing a £1 million prize with his street.
Brian, 43, said: “I convinced my wife to keep playing. Thank goodness we didn’t cancel. Can you imagine? I’ll be getting another ticket now.”
Project manager Valentina said: “I was going to cancel it last month. I’m eating my words right now. I don’t think Brian would have talked to me for a few months.”
Brian shared the £1 million jackpot with eight other neighbours after RG40 1LL, which is Sadler Cresent, landed Postcode Lottery’s weekly Millionaire Street prize.
Each ticket was worth £100,000. One person doubled their win to £200,000, thanks to playing with two tickets.
Now he plans to give his two sons, aged three and two, a Christmas to remember – and might upgrade his Honda VFR motorbike.
He said: “I was just going up in the lift to a briefing at work when I got the call that I’d won. I thought it was a spam call.
“I might be upgrading my bike, but I’ve got no idea at the moment because I just have to get over the shock of this first.”
Wife Valentina revealed her wish list – a set of posh HexClad pots and pans.
She laughed: “I’ve wanted them for a while now. I have them on my phone…look.”
Just around the corner, Jason Parker got his £100,000 cheque, then turned to his elderly parents and declared: “They’re going to Australia.”
Jason, 54, revealed he had been researching direct flights to Oz for mum Erica, 85, and dad Clive, 84, since getting the call that he’d won.
The white goods service engineer said: “This is them just finding out that I want to send them to Australia to see my brother.
“He’s coming here next year, but I’d like them to try and go before that.”
The divorced dad-of-two added: “The other option might be if the family went to Thailand and my brother met us in the middle.”
He added: “My mum’s not happy, she’s been playing longer than me and has never won.”
Earlier this month, Wokingham was voted one of the happiest places to live in Britain in a survey published by estate agents Rightmove.
And winning neighbour Russell Pratt, 37, whooped: “It’s just become even happier today!”
Dad-of-three Russell and wife Natalie, 42, will take their kids on a dream trip to Disneyland, as well as trading in their 10-year-old Vauxhall Zafira.
The engineering recruitment firm owner said: “I always play the lottery, I’m a bit of a chancer.
“I love the concept of People’s Postcode Lottery. You’re sharing with the community and giving to charities, plus there’s a chance of winning yourself. I can’t believe it, I’m absolutely ecstatic.”
Lorry driver Peter McGhee is planning a return to Florida with wife Louise after his win.
Dad-of-three Peter, 57, said: “I didn’t know what to think, I was taken by surprise.
“We’ll have a lovely holiday. We can go anywhere now, maybe even Florida again.”
Catering worker wife Louise, 44, said: “I wished one day someone would knock on our door.
“Now you have, I cannot put into words how I feel. This means such a lot to us.”
Thanks to the Millionaire Street win, Link Visiting Scheme in Wokingham also received good Christmas tidings after being awarded £35,000 raised by Postcode Lottery players.
The charity aims to provide vital social connections to isolated older people and offers life-enhancing services and activities for its service users.
Marjie Walker, CEO said: “Our service users need additional and immediate on-the-ground support to help reduce their social isolation and feelings of loneliness. Of the 552 service users we look after right now 30 desperately require connection with volunteers – this is our most stretched point of the year.”
Other charities in the Wokingham area receiving funding as a result of Saturday’s Millionaire Street prize win include: Involve Community Services – £75,000. Citizens Advice Wokingham – £40,000, and First Days Children’s Charity – £40,000.
