Nicola Dickinson spent four years entering charity drawings while her husband Martyn told her to stop wasting money. Last month, that persistence paid off: she won a five-bedroom mansion in England's Lake District worth nearly £5 million, complete with private lake, solar panels, and a waterside sauna.
"This is precisely why I never listen to my husband," she said after learning the news.
The win came through Omaze, a platform that runs property giveaways to raise money for charity. Nicola's £25 entry ($33) was one of thousands, but it turned out to be the one. She also received £250,000 in cash to help with the transition—and the flexibility to live in the house, rent it out for income, or sell it entirely.
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The timing was almost surreal. On the morning Omaze called, Nicola and Martyn had been discussing downsizing to manage their spending. "When I got the call, I honestly didn't think it was real," she recalled. "We'd actually been talking that very morning about downsizing soon, but now we've upsized—massively. It's a funny old world."
Martyn took the news in stride, joking that he was disappointed he hadn't won the Porsche 911 that was also part of the drawing. Nicola's response was swift: "I've reminded him that if he plays his cards right, I can afford to buy him one now."
For Nicola, the win represents more than a change of address. After 38 years of marriage and a lifetime of work, she sees it as a generational shift for her family. "This win really does change everything for all of us," she said. "We're looking forward to further supporting our children and grandchildren, to help give them the best possible start in life."
The property itself is substantial: five bedrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows, a floating staircase, and panoramic views across the lake and countryside. The waterside jetty includes a hot tub and outdoor shower—the kind of details that feel abstract until they're suddenly yours.
Beyond the personal windfall, the drawing also funneled £1 million to the RSPCA, the UK's leading animal welfare charity, to support rehabilitation work with neglected and abused animals. Omaze continues to run similar drawings across the UK, each one pairing life-changing prizes with charitable funding.
