Woman who gave away half of £115m lottery prize says it’s human nature to help

A National Lottery winner who has given away half of her £115 million winnings has said it is human nature to help others.

Frances Connolly has set up a charitable trust to support good causes since winning the enormous EuroMillions jackpot with husband Paddy in 2019.

In honour of her 60th birthday, seven athletes who appreciated her support for young sporting talent will undertake a series of gruelling challenges to raise money for the couple’s PFC Trust, which funds good causes in the North East of England.

Frances, who was a social worker and teacher, helped others from a young age while she was growing up in Northern Ireland, well before the life-changing lottery win.

Her father was a fan of country and western music, with Dolly Parton a favourite.

Frances described the singer, who died last month aged 80, as an “inspiration” for her philanthropy.

After Parton’s death, it was said she could have been a billionaire had she not given so much of her wealth away to causes such as child literacy.

Frances and Paddy estimate they have given away half of their lottery winnings over the years.

Frances, a grandmother who has three daughters, told the PA news agency: “It depends on what you want in life. If your ambition is to be the richest person in the world and be influencing presidents, then you need to keep all your money, or you need to keep a lot of your money.

“But I don’t know anybody who doesn’t share something.

“I think it’s in mankind to share when you get to a level where you’ve got enough.

“’Enough’ is a different level for everybody.

“Maybe if we had been younger I’d have kept more, maybe you’d be a bit more nervous about how much you could give away, but unless I intended to live forever – I was 50-whatever when I won it – so even being generous, I was well over half-way through.

“So as long as the kids are sorted and they had enough to live comfortable, nice lives, I didn’t see the point.”

Connolly launching her latest charity venture at Middlesbrough Velodrome (Tom Wilkinson/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Tom Wilkinson

Paddy continues to run plastics businesses and the couple enjoy good holidays and have a large house on Teesside, but they remain aware of value for money, buying a second hand Cartier watch or a used Aston Martin.

She said: “We have a lovely life.

“I always tell people, we have the same life, we just live it bigger.

“You know, we haven’t particularly changed, if you talk to my friends.”

Frances was delighted with the support of the athletes taking part in the 60 for 60 Challenge, where the team will run, swim or cycle a total of 60 miles.

Starting with a family fun day at Middlesbrough Velodrome on Sunday, there will be a series of tough events, culminating in a team taking on the Great North Run for the trust.

She said: “They wanted to put something back into the community, and I’m delighted, I couldn’t have been given a better present.

“I am at pains to explain to people that despite being a millionaire, I can’t cure poverty, and I certainly can’t do everything that’s needed to be done on my own.

“I have a team of hundreds of people who work with me all the time.

Connolly was a social worker and teacher (Tom Wilkinson/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Tom Wilkinson

“I put a message out – ‘we’re having a fun day on Sunday’ – there’s people baking cakes for us, people turning up to sell raffle tickets.

“We have 50 volunteers that come on the night of our ball.

“I get help and support every single day.

“I think people just need to be asked, and they just need to have that opportunity to do exactly what I do and change lives.”

The trust has bought respite caravans so young carers can take a proper break, funded loneliness projects and digital tech for older people, delivered emergency food parcels, and put defibrillators into local sports clubs.

Paul Hewitson, who will take on the Great North Run for the trust, said: “She has set such an example, and we wanted to help through sport, as we all know how vital it is for young people to live healthier lives.”

To donate, visit justgiving.com/campaign/60for60challenge