Lottery winners give back with garden makeover

Graeme and Katherine White, from Wisbech, said it was "surreal" to win the lottery

National Lottery winners have come together to give back to the community by transforming a children's garden at a charity farm.

Eight millionaire winners from Cambridgeshire and their families were at Sacrewell Farm, near Peterborough, which offers animal petting sessions and farm education opportunities for young people.

They transformed the Seedlings Garden - a space for toddlers to help them learn about food and farming - by building a water play feature, revamping the mud kitchen and creating a wildflower bank.

The venue, run by the William Scott Abbott Trust, is 60 years old and is celebrating alongside the National Lottery, which began 30 years ago.

Sacrewell Farm celebrated 60 years with the gardening event

Katherine and Graeme White, who both work for Cambridgeshire Police, won the lottery in May and described it as a "dream come true".

"Everything has been an absolute whirlwind" since then, they said.

Mrs White said: "It takes the pressure off us hugely, though... we are more comfortable in the fact that if it gets too much or we decide to change [job] we are able to do that. It’s nice to have that opportunity."

Mr White said friends and family had been "supportive" and they had not seen any change towards them since their win.

The couple said attending such community events was important to them.

Mrs White said: "We have been here so many times with the kids so to be part of this is really nice."

Ben Lowther said he "could not stop laughing" for days after winning the lottery

Ben Lowther, from Cambridge, said his lottery win had helped him and his partner buy a house and grow their family.

But he said they were mindful of people still struggling with the cost of living.

"There’s an overarching feeling of guilt when I look around and I know what it’s like to be in that position and how hard the times are," he said.

"Whatever we can do to help people out... financially, or like this gardening session, we will take the opportunity up.

"It’s [helping out] the most important part of life."

Eight millionaire winners and their families joined the seeding transformation at Sacrewell Farm

Kirsty Elvin, from Sacrewell Farm, said she was "super-excited" over the event

Kirsty Elvin, learning officer at Sacrewell Farm, thanked the millionaires for their efforts.

"The Seedlings Garden is about gardening, nature, promoting potential young farmers and environmentalists - the future of us, really," she said.

"It is 30 years for the lottery and 60 years for Sacrewell farm. This event has come at an amazing time."

The Seedlings Garden is a space for toddlers to help them learn more about food, farming and its connection with nature