Moortown pensioner wins ‘hot new wheels’ in charity raffle

Mrs Tilly Hagan, now in her nineties, plans to keep the car so that family can drive her around when she needs to get out of the house, or go on errands.

When asked how Tilly felt about the win, her grand-daughter Grace McGuigan - who collected the car on her behalf - said she was very grateful and feeling very lucky.

The ‘hot new wheels’ which Grace will insured on as her grandmother Tilly can’t actually drive, were donated to 4Cs by a very generous Magherafelt man.

Speaking about Tilly’s surprise, Grace said: “She’s feeling very lucky.

“She’s worried about where she’s going to get her first spin.

“It’ll be me that will be insured on it to take her wherever she goes. She likes a wee trip out to Cookstown and Magherafelt, so I am sure she will enjoy that.”

Speaking about the raffle, Ann Attwood from 4Cs told the Mail: “This was a car that was donated to us, but the car was actually too small for what we needed it for - hospital runs - and it was petrol as well so that made it that bit more expensive to run.

“We decided during one of our committee meetings that we would raffle the car, so we sold tickets at £10, and they went slowly, but they did go. We made in and around £800.”

When asked if 4Cs had expected to raise more from the raffle, Ann added: “We did expect a lot more for a charity, but that’s the way it went.

“We didn’t get enough to buy another car, but the money raised is going into materials and labour for the new therapy rooms here.”

The 4Cs, which operates across two premises in Cookstown describes itself as a charity “set up to bring comfort and friendship to those within our community” as well as providing “therapies and courses” or a “cup of tea or coffee and a chat”.

Money raised from the raffle is being spent upgrading facilities for cancer patients who use the premises on Oldtown Street they said. They also operate a shop in the town.