Many ‘nappy’ returns as ‘millionaire midwife’ celebrates decade of deliveries

She said, “Giving up my role as a midwife was never an option for me. I still love going into work and meeting new parents, delivering babies and working with families as they navigate those first few weeks. I meet lots of different families from various backgrounds and, unfortunately, not every baby gets the same start in life, often through no fault of the parents.”

That’s why Ruth chose to mark the 10th anniversary of her incredible National Lottery win by joining forces with The Baby Room at Spinners – a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing support to new families in financial hardship. Set up in 2022, it helps new parents experiencing financial difficulties by providing pre-loved baby clothing, toiletries and other essentials.

Ruth said, “As a mum myself, I know how daunting it can be in those early days and to have the added worry of how you are going to provide for this little person you’ve brought into the world would be incredibly upsetting. That’s why I’m so passionate about The Baby Room’s work.”

Ruth was joined by a group of fellow National Lottery winners who got to work assembling the perfect starter packs for new parents. They contained items such as baby vests, baby grows, nappies, wipes, toiletries and more.

Joining Ruth was Emma Cartwright from Liverpool, who won £6.5MMillion on EuroMillions in 2009 as part of a syndicate and Annette Dawson from Bolton, who won £1MMillion on EuroMillions in 2015.

Also present was Alison Wakefield, who set up The Baby Room after seeing the devastating impact that the Covid-19 pandemic had on new families. The mum-of-three wanted to make a difference to families who were under financial strain, without making them feel like they were receiving a ‘handout’.

Alison said, “When I had my little girl in hospital, I noticed that there was a huge difference in circumstances among the new mums. It got me thinking that, sadly, not all families have the same opportunities and I wanted to try to make a difference to this, however small.

“We rely completely on donations from the local community, with families being referred to us anonymously via their midwife. Once referred, a team of volunteers get to work on putting together a special Moses basket bundle, containing a little ‘starter kit’ of the essentials you need as a new parent.”

Alison added, “We’re massively grateful for the support from Ruth and her friends and we’re confident that the items donated will help raise lots of smiles among our families.”

While Ruth has continued her vital work as a midwife, she has enjoyed her EuroMillions win by ticking off a wish-list of dream holiday destinations. So far, she’s visited Dubai, St Lucia and Mauritius. And she’s treated herself to a designer wardrobe that includes Jimmy Choo shoes and bags.

She said, “I know how lucky I was to win such a huge amount 10 years ago – looking back now, it still feels surreal and I often can’t believe it actually happened to me.”

To find out more about The Baby Room or to donate items, visit www.thebabyroom.org.uk.

4th July 2024