A lucky grandmother from Dorset, who has worked with homeless people for 20 years, has won the keys to a beautiful house in Yorkshire worth over £2.5 million - along with £250,000 in cash - for just £10.

Jo Booth (61) has won the latest Omaze Million Pound House Draw in Yorkshire and is now the proud owner of an 18th century Georgian country house boasting six-bedrooms, acres of gardens and a spa pool - as well as its own paddocks, stables and state-of-the-art equestrian facilities.

Her new property comes mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered. She also scooped a whopping £250,000 in cash to help her settle in and can decide to either live in the house, rent it out for a supplementary income or sell it whenever she wishes to become a cash multi-millionaire.

Jo, who bought her multi-million-pound winning entry for just £10 as part of her Omaze subscription, joked that when Omaze came calling at her door, her first thought was that they ”might be burglars!”

She has been married to husband Will Harrop (51) for 17 years - and the couple have lived in their 3-bedroom house in Dorset, that Will built himself, for the past 15 years.

Jo has worked with the homeless for almost 20 years, setting up a Community Interest Company (CIC) that works with local authorities to provide accommodation for people who are rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleeping.

She has two grandchildren, a boy aged 11 and girl aged 6. She said her golden labrador, Charlie, “will enjoy her massive new garden just as much as her grandchildren.”

An ecstatic Jo said: “One minute you’re living a life where you worry about all the boring bills - and the next minute you’re a multi-millionaire and never have to worry about money ever again - it’s a dream come true!”

On her career in the charitable sector, she said: “I’ve worked with the homeless for almost 20-years now, I love my job - but you don’t do it for the money that’s for sure. I thought I’d still be working when I was 90 years old at this rate, but winning this house means I can finally think about retiring. I’ve never had a pension , but I reckon I’ll be alright now I've got this place! I’ll always do volunteer work, helping people is just in my nature, you can’t switch off caring.”

“We always give as much as we can to charity - that’s why I’ve been entering Omaze draws as even if I hadn't won - we’ve still contributed towards a worthy cause like Mencap.”

As well as making Jo a multi-millionaire, the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Yorkshire, raised £3,900,000 for Mencap.

Mencap supports people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives by supporting them directly and campaigning with them to make communities and society fairer and more inclusive.

1.5 million people in the UK have a learning disability and face barriers every day due to stigma and discrimination .

On average, people with a learning disability die up to 23 years younger than the general population and many deaths are avoidable.

Only 5% of people with a learning disability have a job but 86% of people with a learning disability want to work, they just need a bit more support to do it.

The money raised from the Omaze partnership will help the charity to fund awareness initiatives to tackle the discrimination that people with a learning disability face every day, breaking down barriers to create a fairer and more inclusive society.

Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive at Mencap, said: “On behalf of everyone at Mencap, and the 1.5 million people in the UK with a learning disability, I want to thank everyone who entered this draw and helped reach this incredible total.

“People with a learning disability face barriers and inequality every single day. Societal barriers, discrimination and a lack of understanding mean that people with a learning disability are more likely to have a reduced life expectancy, are sometimes locked away against their will and often unable to do many things that other people take for granted.

“The money from this Omaze partnership will quite literally change lives. It will enable Mencap to fund crucial campaigning work, helping us to break down barriers and create a fairer, more inclusive society where people with a learning disability can thrive.”

The partnership with Omaze was backed by actor, Dr Who star, and proud Yorkshire native, Jodie Whittaker, who said: "Wow, what a fantastic amount of money for Mencap, which is an absolutely brilliant cause. I'm over the moon that this partnership will have such an impact for people with a learning disability."

James Oakes, Chief International Officer at Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is delighted that Jo has won this beautiful house in Yorkshire, whilst also contributing to the £3,900,000 raised for Mencap.”

A woman on the left and a man on the right smiling at the camera raising wine bottles that have the Omaze label on them
Large house in the countryside

-ENDS-       

 

For further information or to arrange an interview with a Mencap spokesperson or case study , please contact Mencap’s media team on: media@mencap.org.uk or 02076965414 (including out of hours).    

Notes to editors

About  Mencap:    

Mencap exists to ensure the UK is the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives. We support people directly and campaign with people with a learning disability, their families and carers. We work to change laws, increase representation and campaign for better health, social care and employment opportunities for the 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK.

What is a learning disability?      

A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability which affects someone for their whole life. Typically, people with a learning disability need more time to learn and process information. They may need extra support to develop skills, complete tasks and interact with others, or they may have more complex needs requiring round-the clock care. The level of support needed is different for everyone and may change during a person’s lifetime.  

Learning disability is NOT a mental illness or a learning difficulty. Often, the term ‘learning difficulty’ is wrongly used in place of ‘learning disability’. Having a learning difficulty (such as ADHD or dyslexia ) may mean a person learns at a different pace or in a different way BUT – unlike a learning disability - it does not affect a person’s intellect.  

With the right support, most people with a learning disability can lead happy, healthy, independent lives. At Mencap, it’s our mission to remove societal barriers and shatter misconceptions to make this more possible for more people.  

Mencap’s guide to reporting on Learning Disability  

When it comes to creating content with people with a learning disability, we know many people feel nervous about saying and doing the wrong thing. Our guide for journalists, covers everything from up to date facts and figures to the right language to use. It also includes tips on how to work with people with a learning disability to gather the best content.