A man who won a massive £7.6 million lottery jackpot gave away more than half of his prize money for one reason.
Ray Wragg and his late wife Barbara gave away a generous amount of cash after they won big on the National Lottery way back in January of the year 2000.
The pair were shocked when it was revealed that they were going to receive the £7 million jackpot prize after having matched six numbers on their gamble. However, they didn’t do what most people would have in their situation.
Instead of spending it all on lavish holidays and homes, cars and food, the now-86-year-old and his wife chose to give away more than £5.5 million.
To celebrate, instead of buying the best champagne, the pair drink Guinness and wine before calling their children to announce the news. The two then ‘effectively retired’ from work that night and went on to treat themselves with some of the winnings.
Ray bought a £52,000 white Range Rover and then the pair set sail on a cruise around the Caribbean. Then, they started giving away their money which led to them being invited to Buckingham Palace and the Pride of Britain awards.
The retired roofer and former nurse decided that this money was more than enough to go around to others, and thousands of people ended up benefiting from their gift.
Now, if you think they kept the remaining money and splurged on that, you’d be wrong again.
In fact, they went on to live modestly, with Ray still checking prices on socks to this very day.
This is because they said the money wasn’t going to change them from who they were, and so, they donated to 17 separate charities – including a hospital in Sheffield where they lived.
Because of their generosity, they received a special trophy from lottery organisers.
They then went to Sheffield Hallamshire Hospital to pay for a bladder scanner and Weston Park Hospital where their daughter had been treated for Ewing’s sarcoma.
They wanted to help children in a local hospice and bought 30 television sets so every child had their own to enjoy.
On top of their hospital efforts, they also paid for 250 children, who came from a deprived inner-city school, to go to Sheffield’s pantomime for six years on the trot during Christmas.
Sadly, Barbara passed away from sepsis in 2018 at the age of 77, but she considered their winnings as being ‘too much for two people’.
Right now, Ray believes the same thing and told the BBC: “I was working, Barbara was working, the kids were working. We were all right. Like other families do, we saved up.
“It changed our lives but not us as persons. That’s stood us in good stead. I still look at the price of a pair of socks you know.”
Barbara visited the Royal Hallamshire Hospital breast clinic in 2010 and donated £5,000 after seeing a donations pot on the side, as well as making joint donations with Ray at the Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, the Make a Wish Foundation, Whirlow Hall Farm Trust, the Meningitis Trust and Help The Aged.
They also helped a group of World War Two veterans on a trip to honour fallen comrades in 2003 and paid for 50 war heroes to visit Italy for the 60th anniversary of the battle of Monte Cassino in 2004.
What other charities did they help?
Here’s a list:
Meningitis Trust, Macmillan Nurses, Childline, Help The Aged, Help For Heroes, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Monte Cassino Veterans, Weston Park Hospital, Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Bents Green School Sheffield, Manor Boxing Boys and Girls Club, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Park Hill School Sheffield, Park Hill Lodge Sheffield, Help A Hallam Child, Norton House Country Club, Breast Cancer Research headed by Professor Malcom Reed at Sheffield University.
What amazing Samaritans.
