A woman who has dedicated 35 years of her life to community nursing has won £120,000 in the National Lottery, after working through the testing conditions of the pandemic.
Teresa Robinson and her partner Charlie Hobson both bought tickets for the Set For Life prize at Hollesley Post Office on Wednesday, April 14 — but never expected to cash in on a prize of £10,000 a month for a whole year.
The couple, who live in Woodbridge, had been saving for their retirement with 65-year-old Teresa stepping down from her job in June.
They had bought a renovation project last year and were building an extension on their dream home when they got the news as Charlie, aged 62, is a self-employed builder.
“We buy our own tickets but we always share the winnings, so when I scanned my ticket and heard the winning sound I expected to see enough for a little treat for our supper, not for a second was I expecting £10,000 a month for the year," Teresa said.
"I was bouncing off the walls but Charlie, calm as you like, looked at it and simply said ‘I knew we’d win it one day’, gave me a kiss and went outside to carry on building our extension.
“Charlie’s family is from Nevis so we’ve been there many times but obviously with my nursing and his work we could never stay long enough.
"Now, we are hatching a plan to buy a home there so we can spend months at a time on the island, enjoying everything it has to offer and catching up with family.”
The nurse isn't the only Suffolk lady to win a life-changing prize this year as Ipswich dinner lady Karen Dakin cashed in a cheque for £1million in March.
Though Teresa was on duty all weekend, limiting celebrations to a cup of coffee rather than a glass of champagne, while her first purchase as a lottery winner was an understated packet of wooden pegs from the village shop.
She is hoping to have a family get-together once restrictions allow to properly celebrate, as she has four children, Charlie two, then between them they have eight grandchildren.
The nurse — who said she'd never do anything else — said working through the Covid-19 crisis has been the most testing time in her career and that at times it was "truly horrendous".
She added: "I’m proud to have served my community throughout the pandemic and feel that I have earned my retirement and the lazy days we will spend on Nevis, once it’s safe to travel.
"We feel so blessed to be together and already had so many exciting plans, even before this amazing win."
The winning Set For Life numbers for the draw on Thursday, April 15, were 2, 17, 24, 26, 46, the Life Ball was 7, and Teresa was one of two ticket-holders to bank the second tier prize in that draw.
She has been buying tickets for the prize since it began a few years back, and encourages all her friends to give it a go, having won smaller prizes quite often.
Teresa has previously lived in Ipswich and Stowmarket, and is hoping to enjoy the beautiful town of Woodbridge once normal life resumes having only moved there four years ago.
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