Postcode Lottery players in Dartford win £200k each

The winning players on Craymill Square landed £200,000 each after their postcode - DA1 4SF - was announced as the winner today (November 18).

The winners landed the lottery’s weekly Millionaire Street prize.

They all chose to remain anonymous.

Following the neighbours’ wins, nearby charities will also benefit.

A combined total of £1 million will be shared between local charities in the winning Millionaire Street areas as part of November’s Postcode Lottery draws.

An award of £25,000 has thrown a lifeline to one charity who feared they may have had to shut their food bank, hitting thousands of people and families in the area.

Howbury Friends, based in Erith, Bexley, feed more than 2,000 people every week.

But soaring demand, low supplies and rising food costs threatened to shut their doors before Christmas.

But, with help from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, they will now be able to stay open through the winter.

Melanie Hudson, Community Project Coordinator, single-handedly oversees the running of the charity’s food bank.

She also organises numerous community groups including daily after school activities, football groups, two weekly over 70s food clubs and half-term activities such as cookery classes.

Melanie said: “Funding raised by the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery will make a huge difference to our work.

“Earlier this week we feared we wouldn’t be able to open the food bank due having such low supplies.

“This funding will enable us to be able to keep the food bank full of food over the winter months and support vital appeals for coats and jumpers this Christmas.”

She added: “In these times of austerity we’re one of the only lifelines for people in the area. We have up to 300 people visit our food bank daily, this equates to us feeding over 2,000 people in one week.

“In one day, we can give out up to 70 loaves of bread and essential items such as packets of pasta. It is a huge pressure to feed your own family, let alone a community.”

People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Jeff Brazier said: “It’s definitely a Saturday to remember for five of our players in Dartford, it’s a truly life-changing sum.

“And it’s amazing to see Howbury Friends will also receive funding alongside local charities after the neighbour’s postcode landed the Millionaire Street prize.”

Other charities in the Dartford area receiving funding thanks to Saturday's Millionaire Street prize win include:

• Active Horizons - £50,000

A youth led organisation established to encourage leadership in young people aged 13-25 years living in the London Borough of Bexley.

Promoting the voice of disadvantaged young people, particularly from the black, ethnic and minority community.

• Bexley Crossroads Care - £50,000

A charity supporting all unpaid carers, both children and adults, and older people.

Some of their services include respite care, an independent living service and community social activities.

• Re-Instate - £50,000

They work to improve employment opportunities, as well as quality of life for disadvantaged people in the London Borough of Bexley.

This includes people experiencing mental ill-health, those with learning disabilities, autistic adults, and young people.

All funding was awarded by Postcode Society Trust.

How it works People’s Postcode Lottery costs £12 a month to play and there are guaranteed winners every day.

People play with their chosen postcode and are automatically entered into all draws.

A minimum of 33 per cent from each ticket goes to charity.

Every Saturday, £1 million will be shared by one postcode as part of the lottery’s Millionaire Street prize.

Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised more than £1.2 billion for thousands of charities and local good causes.