Lottery Winners, including Tayport's Jim and Pam Forbes rally build play shed

The winners spent two days painting and furnishing the playhouse at The Yard in Dundee and have, in the process, made dreams come true for hundreds of young children in the area who access the essential services and facilities at the charity.

The charity’s original gingerbread playhouse – built and gifted by National Lottery winners five years ago – was vandalised earlier this year, leaving the young people without this vital and much-loved resource.

But as soon as the team of Scottish National Lottery winners, many of whom had been involved in the original build, found out what had happened, they immediately rallied to ensure this vital lifeline could be restored.

Led by The Yard’s members, the children themselves, favourite colours were chosen and a wildlife theme decided upon, and now the hard-working group of National Lottery winners have brought the children’s colourful vision to life.

Jim and Pam Forbes, from Tayport, who won £655,838 on EuroMillions in September 2017, were among the winners who helped to create the new playhouse.

Jim said today, “We just could not believe it when we heard about what had happened and immediately rallied the support of our fellow winners. Everyone has been so upset as we all understand what a vital lifeline this is for so many young people in the area.

“We just wanted to build a new playhouse for the children as quickly as we could. We cannot wait for all of them to see it and once again enjoy hours of playtime fun.”

Also joining Jim and Pam, were two of the country’s biggest winners, Lesley and Fred Higgins, from Perthshire, who won £58M in 2018.

Fred added, “Like all our fellow winners here today, we were devastated when we found out what had happened. Our immediate reaction was to find a way to help, and Jim and Pam galvanised the group into action.

“The new design is just what the youngsters asked for and we hope they will have many, many more happy and fun years using it.”