A couple from Saddleworth in Greater Manchester, are celebrating after scooping £10,000 a month for a year on The National Lottery’s Set For Life draw.
Denby and Sam Sinclair say they have now begun to draw up their bucket list of plans for each month of the year to make their dreams become a reality, and the keen sailors say top of their priorities is skippering a boat off the Greek coast.
The couple have already marked their first month of winnings in style, treating all their friends to a night out at their favourite restaurant.
Speaking about the win Denby, 58, said, “Our life has just changed forever. We are still pinching ourselves that something like this has happened to people like us.
“You play dreaming about what you’ll do if you win, but never truly believe it will happen.
“All we keep saying to each other is that we are absolutely set for life – we have so many ideas and so many dreams to fulfil – the bucket list is well on the way. We cannot wait to create lots of memories which will stay with us forever.”
The couple, who are both qualified sailors, have a boat off the coast of Conwy in North Wales and, in addition to taking this out on exciting cruises over to Belfast, the Isle of Man and down the Welsh coast, they also plan to charter a very special boat in Greece.
Sam, 58, added, “This is something we’ve always dreamt of doing, and now we can. It is the best feeling – we are on top of the world.
“We’ve already given the kids a bit of money and we also put some money behind the bar at our local restaurant and took our friends out for the evening just to say thanks for being great friends.”
Sam was staying in the boat in Conwy when Denby discovered they were Set For Life winners.
She continued, “It had gone midnight and Denby who was back at home had sent me a good night text. Five minutes later he was calling me and I was really concerned, I thought why is he calling me what has gone wrong?
“When he said we’d won Set For Life, I honestly thought it was a joke. I just didn’t believe him. He then sent me the email confirming we were winners and I was totally speechless. I could not sleep that night – everything was whizzing around in my head. I didn’t even know Denby had played Set For Life!”
Denby, a sales technician in a car body repair shop, said he had a little extra in his wages at the end of the month so decided to play a lucky dip online.
The couple says although they won’t finish work straight away, they will do some serious planning that will enable them to retire as early as they can.
Denby said, “I guess we will live the champagne lifestyle for a while, celebrate with friends, enjoy dream holidays and plan for an early retirement. What could be better?”
Sam, who works in sales, added, “We are just elated, what a fabulous position to be in, to draw up a bucket list of dreams for the next year. To be able to do so many things we have always dreamt of, and to treat our family too. It is truly the best feeling in the world.”
The couple has four children and three grandchildren who are also all lined up to receive some very special treats.
Abbie Suddick, Winners’ Advisor at Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery, said: “Huge congratulations to Denby and Sam on their amazing stroke of good fortune, I’m absolutely delighted for them. I love the different plans they are making each month to spend their prize money, this is exactly why Set for Life is such a great game for giving you that feeling of winning on repeat.”
