Lotto winners’ fountain sprinkles some joy at hospice

Jill and Steve Walsh, who won £1MMillion on Lotto in 2016, made the 4-foot high fountain during lockdown. They have installed it in the gardens of Dove House Hospice as a way of saying ‘thank you’ to staff for the end-of-life care Jill’s sister, Ann, received as she battled pancreatic cancer 6 years ago.

Jill, a retired nurse, said: “Steve initially started building a water feature for our garden during the first lockdown – there was little else to do except spend time in the garden so he taught himself how to do it, as he’d never done anything like this before.

“We then had the idea to create another for the hospice where Ann was cared for. The care that Dove House provides is absolutely fantastic; it was Ann’s happy place and she felt safe and very comfortable there. Her room overlooked the garden where the water feature has now been installed and we hope it will create a feeling of peacefulness and tranquility to those receiving care at the hospice, as well as for staff to take some time out.”

The water feature is a 2-tiered design decorated with miniature brass stag heads and horseshoes. It is surrounded by some bedding plants also donated by the couple.

Jill added: “We’re thrilled to be able to donate this to Dove House – helping charities has always been important to us and we love to get involved with charity projects with other National Lottery winners, something which we normally do several times a year.”

Chris Sadler, chief executive at Dove House Hospice, said: “We’re so grateful to Jill and Steve for creating such a beautiful water feature for our gardens. Our outdoor space provides a relaxing haven for our staff, our patients and their families.”

30th April 2021