Celebrity snapper Rankin puts 30 National Lottery millionaires in focus
An amazing portrait of 30 people who became National Lottery millionaires in the past three decades has been captured by the celebrity photographer Rankin. The glamorous image was commissioned as part of The National Lottery’s 30th birthday celebrations.
Rankin, who has photographed icons ranging from Queen Elizabeth II to the Rolling Stones, gathered the winners at his London studio to create individual portraits and a historic group shot.
The total prize money won by the 30 millionaires in the photo exceeds £190Million. But they represent just a fraction of the 7,400 millionaires created since the first National Lottery draw was held in 1994.
The winners in Rankin’s picture – who have won £194,465,555 between them – include Lesley Higgins from Aberdeenshire and Gareth Bull from Mansfield who won £57.9Million and £40.6Million respectively on EuroMillions. Major Lotto winners include Jackie King from Grimsby who won £14Million in 1998, Sarah Cockings from Whitley Bay who banked £3Million in 2005 and Peter Congdon from Truro who won £13.5Million in 2015.
The 30 winners – whose ages range from 25 to 80 – come from all over the UK.
Rankin said, “I am extremely lucky that I get to meet and work with extraordinary people, from famous actors and models through to NHS nurses. I remember when The National Lottery first started, and it was intriguing to meet the winners and hear their stories and experiences. They are normal people who have had an extraordinary thing happen to them, transforming their lives. That is what we set out to capture.”
One of the millionaires in the photo is Sarah Cockings from Whitley Bay, who won a £3Million Lotto jackpot in 2005. Describing the impact of her big win she said, “It was an amazing experience that changed mine and my family's life. After winning, I finished my degree, bought my own home, and now have four wonderful children.”
Matt Myles, who won £1Million on EuroMillions in 2014, said he had travelled the world thanks to his prize. He said, “It was a crazy year, and I have the best memories. I flew straight to Bali, then on to Thailand, Brazil for the World Cup, which was unbelievable, then on to Ibiza on a mega holiday with 13 mates. My life revolves around my family these days. We live in a beautiful, converted chapel and I run my own car business. I still have my giant cheque – it hangs in the shed above my ride-on mower to remind me how lucky I am.”
Analysis of the 7,400 millionaires created since the start of The National Lottery in 1994 shows they live in villages, towns, and cities in every part of the UK. There are now 1,071 National Lottery millionaires in the Southeast of England, 886 in London and 878 in the Northwest of England. Scotland has seen an incredible 692 new millionaires made during the past 30 years, Wales 408 and Northern Ireland 195.
18th November 2024
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The National Lottery has been changing the lives of winners and supporting good causes across the UK since 1994. In that time, there have been more than 7,400 new millionaires created and by playing The National Lottery you raise over £4 million for Good Causes every dayΔ.
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