Edinburgh artist, Amy Nash, has been chosen by The National Lottery to design a Christmas card which will be sent to over 400 elderly and vulnerable Scots as part of a festive drive by Scottish National Lottery winners.
After spotting Amy’s beautiful designs, The National Lottery contacted her and asked her to create a bespoke card which captured the real spirit of Christmas.
A group of National Lottery winners from Edinburgh, the Lothians and further afield penned heartfelt messages in the cards and packed festive treats which have been hand delivered to The Boomerang Club in Dundee and Glasgow’s Golden Generation.
Both charities work hard to tackle loneliness in older adults, offering services such as virtual events and providing meals to those who are isolated from friends and family.
The National Lottery winners, whose combined wealth is over £19 million, jumped at the chance to help out – especially with many people spending Christmas away from family this year.
The charitable group included East Lothian couples, Brian and Ann Sharp, who won £2,033,705 on Lotto in June 2010 and Alan and Claire Gray, who won £1,000,000 on EuroMillions in July 2019.
Brian and Ann Sharp said: “This has been a tough year for so many people, and it must be even harder for elderly people living on their own. With Christmas coming up we really wanted to do something to spread a little joy, and to let those in isolation know that someone is thinking of them. We hope our cards and gifts will put a smile on their faces.”
Other National Lottery winners donning their Christmas elf hats at home to write cards and wrap gifts included Bill and Fiona McKenna who won £1,187,959 on Lotto in October 2012 and Ken and Jannette Wedgeworth who won £1,055,923 on EuroMillions in November 2016, Ray Storey who won £1,050,000 on EuroMillions in 2014, Libby Elliott, who won £2,159,664 on Lotto in 2012, Jake Bowman who won £10,317,199 on Lotto in 2016, and one of Scotland’s newest winners Sandra Devine who won £300,000 on a National Lottery Scratchcard in November this year.
Artist Amy Nash said: “I was absolutely thrilled to be asked to create a Christmas card design for The National Lottery and to be involved with such a wonderful initiative. I hope the cards and the lovely handwritten messages bring a wee bit of festive cheer to everybody who receives one!”
In the past National Lottery winners have always looked to come together during the festive season to support charities across Scotland, however Covid-19 restrictions have meant that The National Lottery had to think differently this year. Adapting to the current tier systems in place across Scotland, winners wrote Christmas cards and packed puddings from their own homes. These were then quarantined before being taken to Glasgow’s Golden Generation and The Boomerang Club, both of which have received funding from The National Lottery in the past, for distribution.
This year with the help of National Lottery players, up to £800 million is being used by charities and organisations affected by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak across the communities, the arts, heritage and sport. This includes up to £400 million in funding support from the National Lottery Community Fund which is being used to help groups best placed to support people and communities through the crisis – from helping support food banks to causes that combat loneliness and isolation, support for the elderly and projects that aid health in the community.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
