A family from Preston have been handed the keys to a brand new home that they won in a charity prize draw.
Charles Maughan and his partner Kerrie Moir were declared winners of the Great Big House Giveaway, which has raised £460,000 for Derian House Children’s Hospice in Chorley.
The three-bedroom home on the Green Hills development in Feniscowles, near Blackburn, was gifted to the charity by developers Kingswood Homes.
The £250,000 new build will now become home to Charles’ stepson Lewis and his partner Autumn, who are currently living in rented accommodation nearby, along with their six-year-old daughter and newborn baby son.
Kerrie said: “It all falls into place, the location of the property, the baby arriving. It just couldn’t have worked out any better!”
Charles bought £75 worth of tickets in the Great Big House Giveaway prize draw, just days before the competition ended.
He said that he never expected to win, but thought of it more as a donation to a worthy cause.
“We have close family friends who have been supported by Derian House, and the fact that they raised £460,000 is the icing on the cake,” said Charles, who works for a local authority.
The announcement was made at a glittering fairground-themed ball held by Kingswood Homes at Hoghton Tower on 17 September.
A total of 22,374 people entered the prize draw, raising £357,489 for the children and young adults at the hospice.
With the proceeds of the ball and other fundraising activities held by Kingswood Homes throughout the year, including a banger rally, skydives, a triathlon and a car auction, the total amount raised climbed to more than £460,000 – enough to run the entire hospice for nearly two months.
David Robinson, Chief Executive of Derian House Children’s Hospice said: “The money is going to contribute well in excess of 10 per cent of our annual running costs, so you can imagine what a massive difference that makes to a charity like Derian House. We can’t thank Kingswood Homes enough for their incredible generosity.”
Paul Jones, Managing Director of Kingswood Homes said: “Everyone at Kingswood Homes has enjoyed being involved with the fundraising for The Great Big House Giveaway, and what a year it’s been. The amount that we’ve managed to raise is tremendous and every penny will go towards supporting the hospice in helping children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses to make happy memories. What tops it all off is that the winner of the house, Charles, is keeping the home and giving it to his stepson to live in. Just such a worthwhile cause in all aspects.”
Derian House Children’s Hospice cares for 450 babies, children and young people from across the North West, offering respite and end-of-life care. The charity helps children whose lives are too short to make the most of every moment.
