A HOSPITAL COOK won £25 million in the lottery, but only took home a fraction of the winnings due to a promise she’d made years previously.
Julie Amphlett was working at Nealth Port Talbot Hospital, Wales when she heard the news of her giant EuroMillions win in 2017.
The Catering Girls, pictured at Hensol Castle in south Wales, won the lottery as part of a syndicate in 2017[/caption]
This week, syndicate members Sian Thomas (left) and Julie Amphlett (right) reunited to cook a special lunch[/caption]
They were joined by other lottery winners to prepare the meal at Cegin Hedyn community kitchen[/caption]
However, she had previously agreed to divide any winnings with five other people – meaning she only came away with just over £4.2 million.
The six women were part of a work syndicate called The Catering Girls – all colleagues at the hospital.
They had been playing the Euromillions for six years before their win.
Despite losing out on a large proportion of the jackpot, syndicate leader Julie was delighted with the result, as the six colleagues all quit their jobs and jetted off on a luxury holiday to Las Vegas.
Julie and fellow syndicate members Louise Ward and Sian Thomas reunited this week to celebrate 30 years of the National Lottery.
Along with other lottery winners, the women prepared a special lunch for guests at the Cegin Hedyn community café.
Julie said: “It’s great to be back in the kitchen with the girls, it takes us right back to those years we spent in the hospital kitchen before our incredible win.
“And it’s nice to be using our skills for such a deserving project.
“The idea that everyone, from all walks of life, can come together and share a meal is so important within the local community.”
The women prepared food and mocktails, and presented a gift and thank you note to those involved in the success of the café.
Since opening, Cegin Hedyn has served over 10,000 meals to the local community.
Dave and Sarah Williams, Wales’ most recent National Lottery millionaires, also joined The Catering Girls in the kitchen.
Dave said: “Since that incredible moment when our numbers came up I’ve pinched myself quite a bit, and today is no different.
“Firstly, it’s amazing to meet all these other lucky winners – I didn’t realise there were so many in Wales! – and it’s also been great to see where the Good Cause funding goes to, this project is doing some truly amazing things for the community in Carmarthen.
“Our lives have changed so much for the better since our winning moment.
“We moved into a new home where Trevor, our very boisterous dog, can finally wear himself out with his zoomies, and Sarah and I are taking things easy for a bit before we plan our next adventures, and if I know Sarah, that might well be deciding what pet will be joining our family next.”
The news comes as another lottery syndicate in Australia descended into a bitter feud.
Alan Way sought legal action against Mark Peter Bowling, 76, and Moya Posa, 89, over claims he was cut out of the syndicate’s massive £3 million winnings.
What is a lottery syndicate
A lottery syndicate is a group of lottery players who pool their resources to buy multiple tickets, increasing their chances of winning. The costs and winnings are shared among all members. Syndicates can be formed online or with friends, family, or colleagues.
Setting up a syndicate
- Set up a syndicate agreement to avoid disputes and tax issues. This will outline the structure and management of the syndicate.
- Appoint a syndicate manager
What are the syndicate manager’s responsibilities?
- Maintain the syndicate agreement
- Ensure each player has paid for their tickets
- Purchase tickets and check for prizes
- Collect and distribute winnings among members
How many members can you have and how many tickets can you buy?
- There’s no limit to the number of members or tickets
- More tickets increase winning chances, but also make management harder and winnings smaller per member
Prize distribution
- Winnings are paid to the syndicate manager, who then distributes them
- Online syndicates automate this process
Legality
- Lottery syndicates are legal and a fun way to enhance your chances of winning
- Ensure a syndicate agreement is in place for offline groups, or join an online group for secure and automated management of tickets and winnings
