Jackpot winner Arlene hits high notes
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Pictured L-R: Critical Care Paramedic Justin Carding,
Lottery Winner Arlene Staten and HEMS Doctor Nigel Raghunath
A
Retired office
manager Arlene Staten, 72, of Oaklands, only signed up to the life-saving
charity's lottery in August.
She celebrated
with a tipple of her favourite Chardonnay after her winning numbers - 16, 18,
22, and 24 - came up in last Wednesday's draw.
As she toasted
her win, Arlene vowed to swap her 10-year-old Mazda Demio for a newer model and
is also planning a family holiday to
The most she had
ever won before was £150 in Premium Bonds and £10 on the National Lottery.
She said: "I've
never won anything like this in my life and I didn't expect to win anything.
"I'm still in a
state of shock, I really can't believe it. I'm still bemused by it all. I woke up the next morning thinking it was a
dream. I was absolutely numb.
"I immediately
rang my daughters and they were shouting down the phone, asking me what I was
going to do with the money.
"I told them, 'I
don't know, I haven't got the money yet!', but I've been told I must treat
myself."
She added: "It's
funny because I usually go to
"I told my family
I could never go there again but now I can afford it!"
Arlene, who used
to work at Rayners estate agents, picked her numbers from birthdays in her
family and 22 was her late husband Geoff's favourite number.
The jackpot win was
an early Mother's Day present for Arlene who has two daughters - Sue, 50, and
Karen, 47. She also has two granddaughters - Sam, 25, and Steph, 22.
Arlene joined the
Surrey Air Ambulance lottery after hearing how it costs £1.7m-a-year to keep
their helicopter flying from its Dunsfold base near Cranleigh.
She said: "I just
thought it was a tremendous idea. If I give money I like to think that it's
going to a good cause and will make a little difference.
"It's my little
way of supporting something that is so worthwhile. They save so many people,
that was why I did it."
Last year, the
lottery raised £845,000 for the charity, up from £703,000 in 2008, with almost
18,000 members.
Tickets cost just
£1 a week for the regular lottery with 12 weekly winners of £25 to £1,000.
