Cancer patient Alan Ford draws the winning ticket with a little help from Gazette publisher Graham Harris, Chemotherapy Appeal fundraising manager Ian Roome, County Garages Group marketing director Andy Witherington, Parkside Kia sales manager John Kuczer. Picture: Andy Keeble
Barnstaple man wins brand new Kia Picanto in Chemotherapy Appeal’s Grand Car Raffle.
The car raffle is launched at Parkside last spring. Picture: Andy KeebleThe car raffle is launched at Parkside last spring.
A delayed train journey took a turn for the better for the winner of the Chemotherapy Appeal’s Grand Car Raffle.
Colin Strelow was stuck on a train from Exeter to Barnstaple when he got the call to say he’d won a brand new Kia Picanto on Friday afternoon.
“It was a wonderful surprise,” said Mr Strelow, from Barnstaple.
“There had been a problem with the train and we’d been sat there for an hour when the call came through.
“I wasn’t sure whether it was a hoax or not – I’ve never won anything before in my life.”
Mr Strelow said he bought two £1 draw tickets in the hospital foyer earlier this year. The raffle was launched last spring by Gazette, in conjunction with Parkside Kia, of Newport Road, Barnstaple.
“The funny thing was that I walked out of the hospital once and joked to my wife ‘that’s my car’,” he added.
“I said a similar thing when we saw it in Barnstaple High Street but of course I never thought I’d win it. It’s such a nice thing to win.
“The chemo unit is something that we hope we will never use but it’s there now, and it’s a testament to the generosity of people in North Devon.”
Mr Strelow’s winning ticket had been plucked from more than 22,000 by cancer patient Alan Ford outside the new chemotherapy unit and day treatment centre at North Devon District Hospital.
The retired builder from Tawstock, who has had three lots of chemotherapy treatment at the old unit during the last two years, said the new unit would make a huge difference to patients.
“It looks fabulous,” said Mr Ford, who received treatment himself on the morning of the draw.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen it; it’s a lot more open and there are lots of private rooms too.”
Courtesy of Andy Keeble, North Devon Gazette