LOTTERY winners from Warrington have helped to spread some festive cheer while thanking carers for their hard work throughout the pandemic.
John and Patricia Gill, who won £1m in a Euromillions raffle draw on Christmas Day in 2015, joined a Christmas 'hamper task force' with other winners from across the region.
They all wanted to ensure carers at Age Concern Central Lancashire were able to experience some special Christmas cheer.
The team helped create more than 100 luxury hampers, packed with a range of goodies.
Patricia said: "The efforts these carers go to so selflessly and the sacrifices they make every day to care and love is incredible.
"I was absolutely thrilled to be involved in such a heart-warming project to say thank you and show our appreciation for all they do.
"I absolutely love Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed creating the hampers.
"We all need a bit of festive cheer at the moment so it was fantastic to be able to help make Christmas arrive early!"
The winners, who would normally be brought together by The National Lottery in the run up to Christmas to help support various charities, adapted by creating a Whatsapp group so they could work from their own homes as they made the hampers.
After being quarantined, the hampers were delivered to Age Concern Central Lancashire’s Dementia Day Support Centres in Bamber Bridge and Fulwood Preston, aboard a festive truck.
Set up in 1981, Age Concern Central Lancashire is dedicated to helping people across the county with a variety of services, including help at home and within community settings, dementia care and programmes to combat loneliness and isolation.
Suzanne Carr, CEO, said: "Our family carers are at the core of our charity, they embody everything that we are passionate about and we’re incredibly proud of how well they have adapted over lockdown, overcoming the many personal challenges that carers often face on a daily basis.
"They are unsung heroes!
"We’re extremely honoured to be chosen by National Lottery winners to receive these beautiful festive hampers and we know that our fantastic carers will truly appreciate a spot of early Christmas joy!"
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