EuroMillions winner Frances Connolly has been honoured by Derry and Strabane council for using some of her £115m winnings to help the fight against the coronavirus.
Derry and Strabane mayor Graham Warke made a special award to Mrs Connolly who became the North’s biggest EuroMillions winner when she scooped the jackpot in 2019.
Originally from the Glebe outside Sion Mills in Co Tyrone, but living in northern England, Mrs Connolly and her husband Patrick have given away more than half their winnings to family, friends and charitable causes.
She set up two charitable trusts to distribute her winnings, including the Kathleen Graham Trust, named in honour of her late mother.
Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, Mrs Connolly and her husband have singled out groups helping the fight against Covid-19.
In 2020, she purchased new sewing machines for a County Derry group which was making personal protection equipment for health workers. Mr Connolly has also arranged for supplies for a charity which was using 3D printers to make visors.
The couple have donated toiletries and clothing to the Mater and Altnagelvin hospitals and funded £50 “thank-you vouchers” to 150 frontline workers.
Other charitable donations have included laptops for vulnerable secondary school pupils and the Shankill Women’s Centre as well as gifts for 1,000 pensioners who had to spend Christmas Day in hospital.
hey also purchased hundreds of electronic tablets so elderly care home resident could video call their families while isolating.
The Derry and Strabane mayor said the presentation was in recognition of Mrs Connolly’s “generous contribution to the fight against Covid-19”.
“I was delighted to recognise Frances’ selfless generosity with her winnings with a reception at the Guildhall,” said Mayor Warke.
“She has never forgotten her Tyrone roots.”
