NI National Lottery millionaire gives away half her fortune to change lives
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Frances Connolly scooped £114.9million on the lottery in January 2019 and set about using the money to help those in need, inspired by the generosity of her late mother.
The 54-year-old and her husband Patrick, both of whom were born in NI but now live in the north east of England, started sharing their wealth by writing a list of 50 names of friends and family who they wanted to help.
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Hide AdFrances said: “We’ve given to between 150 and 175 families now. They’ve received direct gifts from us. The really nice bit is every single person we’ve given money to has passed it on to other people.”
The couple, who were living in Moira at the time of the win, have also set up two charities in Hartlepool and NI.
In total they estimate they’ve given away half their fortune to others.
Asked if the money ever felt like a burden, she said: “How could you change people’s lives and it be a burden?
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Hide Ad“I keep telling Paddy to stop getting me involved in his businesses because I’m knackered, but apart from that, this bit of it [changing lives] is just love and joy on a permanent basis. It’s like winning the lottery every day.”
The Connollys made a key contribution during the pandemic with Patrick helping to produce visors for frontline NHS workers and Frances funding a charity group making masks.
They also bought new sewing machines for charity workers making PPE and sent out food parcels to people who were shielding and £50 thank you vouchers for frontline workers.
Vulnerable secondary school pupils received laptops and the couple paid for hundreds of elderly patients in care homes to have iPads to Facetime their families.
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Hide AdFrances said her mother Kathleen inspired her to share her fortune: “Mummy died the year before we won. She was the most generous woman you’d ever meet.
“She’d have give you the last penny in her purse. She’d have had the money given away faster than me.”
Frances added: “I’ve been doing voluntary work since I was nine years old. I’ve never ever turned my back where I saw there was a need.
“If I ever get to the gates of St Peter I’ll be able to put my hand on my heart and say I did as little bad as I could and as much good as I could and that was long before I won the lottery.”
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Hide AdShe said: “Money does changes how you live – we’re living in a nicer house, we’re driving nicer cars, I can write a shopping list and miraculously my PA has everything in the fridge for me, if I want to go and stay in a hotel I can – but it doesn’t change who you are.”
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