Salisbury postcode celebrates £1m lottery win as man thanks wife’s lucky nudge

Daniel Christmas, 42, admitted he had stopped playing the Postcode Lottery, only to be persuaded back in by his wife, Gemma.

That decision proved priceless.

“Thank goodness she did,” he said, after their postcode, SP1 3RD, landed a share of a £1m Millionaire Street prize.

The couple were sitting on Southbourne Beach in Bournemouth when they got the call, but only believed it when neighbours started messaging.

Daniel Christmas and wife Gemma (Image: Postcode Lottery)

Daniel shared a £1m pot with six other neighbours in Salisbury after SP1 3RD landed the lottery’s weekly Millionaire Street prize. Every ticket was worth £125,000, but one player doubled their prize with two.

With boxes already packed for a move to a new four-bedroom home, the timing could hardly be better for Daniel and Gemma.

“The lifelong dream has been to own a Porsche… a black 911 of some description,” said Daniel, a chief infrastructure officer for a market research and marketing company.

“I might be able to do that now, but I have to be sensible.”

Gemma added: “We’ve never won anything in our lives and, because we’re moving house, the timing is just mad. This is definitely going to help, there’ll be lots of new furniture coming.

“I like Minis. I would like a second car; it would be so much better and more helpful.”

Their 13-year-old daughter may also benefit, with horse riding high on her wishlist.

They weren’t the only lucky ones celebrating.

Neighbour Ron Innell, 87, a widower and an RAF veteran, is planning a long-awaited solo cruise, complete with a balcony cabin. 

Ron, who earned medals during the Aden Emergency in the 1960s, said: “It’s just wonderful, absolutely wonderful. I can’t believe it was that amount. There are so many houses in the area. I know there’s 43 just in my postcode.”

RAF veteran Ron Innell receiving the Post Code lottery cheque (Image: Postcode Lottery)

Despite his decorated past, the great-granddad insists he never expected a win to come his way.

He said: “I’ve been playing Postcode Lottery for years, but you don’t believe it’ll ever come. It’s surreal.”

Ron says he’s delighted to hear others in his tight-knit neighbourhood are also celebrating.

He said: “It’s a nice community with lovely people. We’re all very sociable. It’s great that lots of us have got this too.

At the bottom of the street, clinical pharmacist Lola Teluwo, 40, won at her previous home.

The mum-of-one kept playing Postcode Lottery with her old postcode and said it was poignant she’d win with that address.

Lola’s partner Marcus, 52, who received the prize cheque on her behalf, said: “We moved away from this street about a year ago. It was Lola’s first house and she’s got an emotional connection to the house too. 

Marcus receives the cheque on behalf of Lola Teluwo (Image: Postcode Lottery)

“Her mum, Elizabeth, came over from Nigeria and spent a lot of time living with us in this house. We shared lots of lovely times together. 

“Unfortunately, she got diagnosed with stage four cancer when she was here and later passed away when she got home to Nigeria.”

He added: “I’m over the moon for Lola. She really deserves this; Lola is just an amazing person. She’s always helping other people through her job and in the local community, especially within her church. I know she’ll want to help her brothers and sisters too.”

Lola and Marcus will celebrate the cash windfall with a trip to Cyprus to belatedly celebrate her 40th birthday.

Marcus said: “After Lola’s mum passed away, we didn’t really do anything for her 40th and now we can really go away and enjoy some time together. I’m sure we’ll upgrade our holiday now.”

Further along the street James Brodrick, 44, was left shocked at his £125,000 win – just five months after signing up.

The dad-of-one said: “I signed up less than five months ago and this has happened to me already.

“It still hasn’t sunk in. Since I got the phone call, I wasn’t sure whether to believe it. I woke up this morning in a cold sweat. Now I don’t need to worry about it. It’s crazy!

As it came out of the envelope, I wasn’t sure where the comma was. I saw the one and the two and was expecting £1,250, then £12,500 – then I won this!”

He added: “I kept seeing the adverts and thought, ‘why not’. It’s reasonably priced and helps charities and that can only be a good thing. I’m going to recommend it to everyone now.”

Now construction firm project manager James is planning adventure holidays – and a treat for his 17-year-old son.

He said: “I’m going to think long and hard about it, but to start with, I hope to get my son a car and pay for his driving lessons.

“I’d love a holiday and a break in the summer would be great. My son is 18 in the summer. We’ve always done staycations; mountain biking, hiking…all sorts of adventure activities like ziplining.”

James likes to go to rugged locations like the Scottish Highlands and Snowdonia in Wales.

James Brodrick receiving the cheque (Image: Postcode Lottery)

The neighbours all started playing the lottery to help charities – and they were thrilled to hear that local organisations have also benefitted from their Millionaire Street win.   

And one charity, Building Heroes Education Foundation, has received £75,000 thanks to Postcode Lottery players.   

Established in 2014, Building Heroes is dedicated to service leavers, veterans, reservists, military families and bereaved military family members.  

Deputy Chief Executive Nicola Schneider said: “On behalf of everyone at Building Heroes Education Foundation, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the players of the Postcode Lottery for helping to make our work possible.

“For many of the people we support, leaving the Armed Forces is not simply a career change. It can mean stepping away from a life of structure, purpose, identity and belonging, and facing the challenge of starting again in a civilian world that can feel unfamiliar and uncertain.

“This funding will support veterans to access a fully funded place on a Building Heroes training programme, at a cost of around £1,500 per learner.”

She added: “We are incredibly grateful to Postcode Lottery players for standing behind those who have served, and for helping us open the door to new opportunities, new careers and brighter futures.”

Other charities receiving funding include:

Rise:61 – £25,000

Based in the residential estate of Bemerton Heath in Salisbury, the organisation is committed to helping young people and their families navigate the highs and lows of life through weekly clubs, mentoring, events and community projects.

The Species Recovery Trust – £15,000

The Salisbury-based charity’s primary aim is to remove 50 species from the edge of extinction in the UK by 2050, both by targeting the species and their habitats.

Silver Salisbury – £5,000

The charity aims to reduce loneliness and isolation by supporting older people to be active in their local community.