An Unforgettable Year Prize
An Unforgettable Year For Southsea

ECSTATIC neighbours Connor Ralls and Emma Down won £154,000 each just as they were about to cancel their subscriptions days after signing up.
The pair, of Southsea, in Portsmouth, Hampshire, joined after seeing adverts for our £17.5 million Postcode Millions draw in December - the biggest ever - and planned to cancel after it.
But they were both left stunned when they landed January's An Unforgettable Year prize of £12,000 a month for a year, plus a bonus of £10,000, and have now vowed to keep playing.
Connor said: "I joined the lottery in November with the intention of playing in December after I saw the adverts for the big prize. Then I had every intention of cancelling it."
He added: "I've only played twice. What a great investment!"
Emma, who lives a few doors away, said: "I've only been playing a month. I was only going to do it for Christmas to get vouchers to share with me and my friends, then I was going to quit. Now I'll keep playing.
"My mum has been playing for ten years, but she's happy for me."
And she added with a giggle: "Maybe a little bit jealous."
Emma and Connor won with five other neighbours after PO5 3AY - yards from where superstar comedian and actor Peter Sellers was born - won our An Unforgettable Year prize today. Every player banked £12,000 a month for a year, plus an extra £10,000.
Now, NHS health care support worker Emma is bursting with plans for the future and started reeling off what she will do with each month's win.
She said: "A friend's birthday in Las Vegas, moving out of my flat to a bigger place, mum and dad, friends, another holiday, invest it ... then, no idea."
However, her first step is to renew her passport, which is almost expired, for her first break since the Covid pandemic.
She said: "Oh my God, this is real. Amazing! I'm going to get a new passport and go on holiday. I've not been anywhere since lockdown.
"The last holiday I had was in 2020, and I got locked down in Goa, which wasn't as good as you might think. I ended up being there for nearly six weeks and had to be repatriated.
"My passport has been sitting in a drawer and has nearly expired in that time, so I'm going to get a new passport.
"It's my friend's birthday later in the year, and we want to go to Vegas. I've not had a holiday for five years, so wherever I go, it's going to be a big one.
"I'd like a big holiday for my 50th to Florida and New Orleans. I was supposed to start saving in January towards that, but it is there now. Let's go first class on the plane. That has always been my dream. It'll be a first-class holiday definitely."
Kind-hearted Emma also has plans to move out of her one-bedroom attic flat to a bigger place - and help her family.
She said: "This is life-changing. I've never had my own property, I've always rented. I'll maybe buy somewhere now. There's not enough room for my boyfriend to live here, so I'd like a bigger place, and he can have his kids to stay.
"I'll talk to my mum and dad and see what they want. They like Morocco, and my mum would like another cruise."
But she might splash out on treats for herself, too. She said: "I'll get myself the designer handbag I've always wanted ... clothes, jewellery, a full makeover and maybe a spa day to pamper myself. The handbag might be a Louis Vuitton. Why not?! And then never use it."
She is already lining up a special musical treat for Christmas 2025: Carols at the Royal Albert Hall.
She said: "It's something that I wanted to do last year but couldn't. I can get a box now! I'll settle for a day in London and do the whole thing."
Her mum, Kerry, a pet insurance worker, said: "I'm absolutely delighted. We've been sweating on this all weekend. I wish it was me, but there you go. I'm just so happy for her. She did say she was going to send me for a Costa!"
Emma had originally ignored the call from our team telling her she'd won. Then, as she travelled to work, she Googled the missed number at the bus stop before calling back.
She said: "After that, I was apprehensive, anxious and excited thinking about what I could have won but not wanting to get my hopes up too much. But this is actually real. I'm shocked because it's still sinking in. My head is buzzing at the moment."
Further along the street, stunned Connor started weeping when his concertina cheque was unfurled.
The IT firm purchaser said: "This is absolutely insane; I can't believe it."
Now Connor will use the cash to carry out repairs at his stylish flat, upgrade a Greek isle holiday he's planning with his girlfriend, and get a swankier camper van to replace his 25-year-old VW T4 camper van.
The former gymnast said: "We've booked flights to Kefalonia but haven't got accommodation. There's a big difference between cheap and expensive. We'll now go all out for it.
"My camper van has been broken down for months and is in the process of being repaired. I'm now tempted to get a better one. We've always talked about going travelling in Europe with the van. In the one I have, if you sit up in bed, you hit your head."
A few doors away, Richard Stidolph collected a cheque for £154,000 on behalf of his wife Carole and told us how it would help with a planned six-month holiday of a lifetime.
Landlord Richard and NHS manager Carole are set to retire later this year before jetting off on their dream break in June.
Dad-of-four Richard said: "We've been planning to retire for some time, but this will make it extra special."
The grandparents are set to fly to Australia and New Zealand to catch games in the British and Irish Lions international rugby tour.
From there, they are planning a trip across Asia - starting from Japan's capital, Tokyo, to Beijing in China - before taking in sights across Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
Richard said: "With this, we can bring the family out to meet us for Christmas, and we'll come back in the New Year."
He added: "This is amazing. It makes it an incredible trip now, and we'll be able to help the children out, too. It's spot-on timing with us retiring."
Good Causes Everywhere
Today's prize is part of a draw promoted on behalf of Postcode Support Trust. Supported by our players, this trust provides regular grant funding to organisations that support people who need help to live happy and more fulfilled lives. Benefitting charities include Crisis, Missing People and Depaul UK.
With a minimum of 30% of each ticket price going to charities and good causes, players of People's Postcode Lottery have now raised more than £1.4 billion for thousands of projects and groups across the world.
Fantastic Prizes are announced every single day. It couldn't be easier to sign up - it only takes two minutes, and it might be the best decision you ever make. If you're not sure how to play, you can learn more about us in our How It Works guide.
Published: 17/01/2025