A carer who won £300,000 on a National Lottery Scratchcard says the jackpot has changed her life one year on.
Community care worker and avid sewer Bee Murton, from Bilston, scooped
Since her life-changing win, community care worker and avid sewer Bee Murton, has set up her own textiles business, started her driving lessons and planned out major house renovations, all whilst still working as a community carer.
She’s also bought a static caravan near the beautiful spa town of Malvern.
And when not working, learning to drive, renovating or looking after her eight-year-old son, Bee tunes into her favourite TV show; The Great British Sewing Bee.
Enjoying arts and crafts and making clothes for herself and her son is something Bee really enjoys.
Bee, from Bilston, said: “It gives me another focus away from work. It gives me a great sense of satisfaction seeing what I’m able to create.”
And to celebrate one year as a National Lottery winner, Bee visited Guthrie and Ghani, a haberdashery and dressmaking shop in Birmingham owned by Great British Sewing Bee finalist, Lauren Guthrie.
Bee said: “Meeting a real-life ‘sewing bee’ was brilliant. Lauren’s shop is full of beautiful fabrics and materials that have given me so many ideas. Chatting with her was inspirational.
"Learning her story – physiotherapist turned dressmaker and now a successful businesswoman and author - it just shows you that you can follow your dreams. The win has given me the opportunity to do the same.”
Bee's Bespok Creations is Bee’s new fabric and embroidery online business set up in early 2022, after having used some of her National Lottery winnings to buy an embroidery machine which was her first purchase after winning.
Selling everything from hair bows to embroidered pram blankets, Bee said, “It’s early days but word is spreading, and the number of orders is creeping up.”
Bee has spent the last three years working as a community carer. Having worked through the Covid pandemic she has seen, first-hand, how people have been affected.
“It is such a fulfilling job, even more so in the pandemic," she said.
"To see the smiles on peoples’ faces when you visit them is very rewarding - it feels great to be doing a job that helps people. And I’ve just started my studies towards my NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care.”
As Bee doesn’t drive, she walks everywhere including for work. “I walk at least 20,000 steps every day.
"I especially love walking down the canals to different appointments, although getting my driving licence is very much in my sights. I’ve got an amazing instructor, so fingers crossed, I’ll be able to tear up my L plates very soon!”
Recounting the story of how she became £300,000 better off, Bee said, “I wanted a fizzy drink so popped to the local shop.
"I saw The National Lottery Scratchcards at the till and thought I’d have a go. I picked a couple and on the walk home I started to scratch them.
“I won a fiver on the first Scratchcard so I was pretty pleased. I was just about to walk through the front door, having scratched the second one, when it all went a bit crazy! I couldn’t believe what I was staring at and started to shake. After many checks and double-checks, I just started to cry.
“I called The National Lottery hotline to make my claim and that night I didn’t sleep a lot - you could say I was buzzing - my mind was racing, thinking about what I could do with the money.”
