A Lancashire pensioner is celebrating this Christmas after winning £25,000 on a charity’s lottery.

Joan Poole scooped the ultimate Christmas gift in the Derian House’s lottery, making her the second pensioner in a week to win thousands of pounds in a cash prize draw run by the charity.

And coincidentally, both winners were named Joan!

The 79-year-old, of Astley Village, Chorley, couldn’t believe her eyes when she was surprised on her driveway with a £25,000 cheque last Friday (December 15), after playing the Derian House lottery for just five months.

Joan, whose son’s nephew was cared for by the charity, said: “I am so shocked. You see things like this on the telly all the time and you never think that one day it could be you.

“The money will really take the pressure off, especially as a pensioner. My 80th birthday is coming up, so it will definitely come in useful.

“Derian House is a wonderful charity to support, and I’ve donated knitted items before too. I never really thought about the money, it just comes out of my bank.”

Joan Poole is the second Derian House winner of the same name in the same week, after Joan Sagar, 83, from Burnley won £5,000 on the Derian House’s Christmas raffle, also on Friday, December 15.

Derian House, based in Chorley, cares for more than 400 babies, children, young people and their families from across the North West and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

It cost £6 million to run services at Derian House in 2023, and so the charity relies on the generosity of its supporters and players of the lottery for 70p in every £1.

Mick Croskery, head of income generation at Derian House, said: “We couldn’t believe it when we found out we had a £25,000 lottery winner so close to us drawing our big Christmas raffle winner.

“And then when we found out she was also called Joan we were gobsmacked – it seems like the luckiest name out there at the moment.

“Both Joans were such worthy winners and it’s one of the best parts of the job to surprise someone with such great news.

“Joan couldn’t believe it when we told her she’d won £25,000 just before Christmas – she promised she’d visit us at the hospice soon and even bring some posh Marks & Spencer biscuits with her.

“Thank you to everyone who plays our lottery. By taking part, you are helping us to continue to care for children and young people whose lives are too short.”

Joan is the third winner of the £25,000 prize since the lottery began five years ago.

Six other lucky people won £1,000 in the lottery in December.

The draw costs £1 per week to enter and players could win up to £25,000 whilst supporting their local children’s hospice to provide care for children and young people whose lives are too short.

Sign up to play the Derian House lottery by visiting: www.derianhouse.co.uk/derian-lottery