I won £1million lotto jackpot but kept my job in hot kitchen & never moved house – tropical beach holidays aren’t for us
A COUPLE who scooped a mammoth £1million in a Lotto draw 20 years ago say they kept their old jobs and still live in the same home.
Chris and Julie Jeffery bagged the life-changing windfall in July 2002 but chose not to switch up their no-frills lifestyle.
While Chris retired in 2017 as a kitchen planner, Julie has continued working as a chef at Garston Fire Station, where she has plated up hearty meals for 24 years.
The grandparents celebrated the eye-popping prize by embarking on a trip around the world two decades ago, but chose not to up sticks from their modest Watford home.
In 2022, the couple celebrated the two-decade landmark by prepping a banquet for staff and volunteers for the Watford Women’s Centre (WWC).
Chris and Julie penned a list of charities they wanted to help out after banking £1,038,997, and they’ve offered a helping hand ever since.
“It’s hard to believe that it’s 20 years since our win, it’s been one hell of a ride,” Julie said.
“We’ve had so much fun, made lots of new friends along the way and the memory bank is bursting at the seams.
“It’s almost impossible to list all the wonderful experiences we’ve enjoyed thanks to our win, from an Alaskan cruise to simply waking up every day knowing we are financially secure – we have never taken a single second of it for granted.
“The moment soon after the win when we wrote out a series of cheques for those closest to us was so special.
“And in many ways, helping others has been something of a surprise bonus to the win, not just the financial support we could offer but being able to give up our time.
“We’ve had the chance to volunteer with so many incredible organisations that have received National Lottery funding, from building a garden at the National Memorial Arboretum, organising a Christmas party for young carers through to painting a gingerbread house for a children’s hospice and now, catering an office-warming at Watford Women’s Centre.
“Being able to see first-hand where the money raised by people, like us, playing the National Lottery, has been one of the greatest pleasures.”
Chris admitted people are surprised that the duo haven’t splashed the cash following their monumental win.
He said: “Some people might think a suitable Lotto win anniversary would be Champagne on a tropical beach, but not us.
“Julie is a cook at Garston Fire Station – a job she thought she’d ‘do for a bit’ but is still at 24 years later as she loves it so much – and the team there very kindly lent us their kitchen so, instead of quaffing Champagne, we were peeling, chopping and mixing an array of salads and tasty morsels.”
It comes after one couple who won a lottery jackpot almost walked away with nothing after a supermarket mistake.
It wasn’t until they received the call from the National Lottery that they put their worries to rest.
Terry Kennedy, 30, and Kay Yoxall, 37, scooped up £1million in National Lottery in 2021, but were nearly left empty-handed because of a small mistake.
Terry had almost left the ticket behind at a Barnsley shop, but the assistant called him back to grab it off the counter.
If it wasn’t for a kind shopkeeper stepping in, the South Yorkshire pair could have missed out on a whopping sum.
The former footballer matched five numbers plus the bonus ball after buying the Lotto Lucy Dip ticket but couldn’t believe his luck.
UK's biggest lottery winners
By Ethan Singh
- Anonymous winner – £195,707,000
A UK ticket-holder scooped the record EuroMillions jackpot of £195 million on July 19 2022 – the biggest National Lottery win of all time.
The holder, who remains anonymous to this day, amassed the fortune with just one lucky ticket.
- Joe and Jess Thwaite – £184,262,899.10
Britain’s previous EuroMillions record holders were Joe and Jess Thwaite.
The couple won a record-breaking £184million jackpot in May 2022 and shared hopes of a Hawaiian holiday and a new horse box for their children’s ponies.
Joe bought his winning ticket online on May 10, 2022, and the following morning received an email with good news.
As he learnt of the huge win, he was in disbelief and initially kept it for himself as he did not want to disturb his wife, who was sleeping.
Joe, a communications sales engineer, and Jess, who runs a hairdressing salon with her sister, have been married for 11 years and have two children.
- Colin and Chris Weir, £161,653,000
Colin and Christine Weir landed the colossal prize money in 2011 and were Europe’s second-biggest winners until someone in Italy won a jackpot worth £193m in 2019.
They splashed the cash at an astounding rate of £100,000 a week before tragedy struck.
But at the time of Colin’s death in December 2019 his share of the prize money had dwindled by around £40m.
He spent the millions living a life of luxury, forking out for sports cars, property and the football club he supported.
Colin and Christine divorced shortly before his death after being married for 38 years.
He left money for their children Carly and Jamie.
- Adrian and Gillian Brayford – £148,600,000
Adrian and Gillian won 190 million euros in a EuroMillions draw in August 2012, which came to just over £148 million.
But Adrian split from Gillian the following year because of the stress of the win.
The couple bought a Grade II listed estate in Cambridgeshire, complete with cinema and billiards room, but it was sold in 2021.
After divorcing in 2013, he failed to woo ex-sausage factory worker Marta Jarosz — but fell for stable girl Sam Burbidge.
She left him in 2017, taking 30 prize horses Adrian bought.
It might have worked out in the end for Adrian though as the former postman was seen smiling with ambulance worker Tracey Biles last year.
- Frances and Patrick Connolly – £114,969,775
Former social worker and teacher Frances set up two charitable foundations after she and her husband hit the jackpot.
They scooped almost £115 million on New Year’s Day 2019.
She estimates that she has already given away £60 million to charitable causes, as well as friends and family.
- Richard and Debbie Nuttall – £61,000,000
The couple from Colne, Lancashire, took home £61 million on January 30 2024.
Both 54, they were enjoying a holiday in Fuerteventura, celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary.
But they then discovered the big EuroMillions win.
Richard revealed they originally thought they had won £2.60, but then received another email telling the pair to check their account.
Other eye-watering anonymous winners:
- 2019 – £123million
Another anonymous winner scooped up a prize of £123,458,008 in the June Superdraw rollover.
- 2021 – £122million
Following nine rollovers, one ticketholder bagged the £122,550,350 jackpot last April.
The successful participant chose to remain anonymous.
- 2018 – £121million
Another anonymous winner found their fortune during the Superdraw jackpot rollover in April 2018, securing £121,328,187.