What a great way to start the new academic year! Enrichment Officer Steve Stroud from Blackpool and Fylde College is £5,000 richer after scooping first prize in the Trinity Hospice Summer Prize Draw.

Blackpool resident Steve was in a tent at the Leeds Music Festival when he heard the good news. He said: “I was amazed to have won – I couldn’t stop grinning for about three days afterwards.”

Steve has been a keen supporter of Brian House Children’s Hospice, helping to organise a range of College fundraising events in recent months.

He said: “I got an email asking me to buy a prize draw ticket and thought ‘why not?’. We have done various events to support the Hospice over the past year, but I never expected to win this.”

The Summer Prize Draw has raised over £40,000 for the Hospice and the £5,000 first prize is the biggest ever offered by the charity.

Fundraising Manager Linzi Young commented: “The Draw has been one of the highlights of the year so far and we are so grateful to everyone who bought a ticket – it’s lovely to see an established supporter like Steve take the top prize.”