A caring Edinburgh woman who won £30,000 in a Facebook competition has given over a third of it away to family and local charities.
Generous Roberta McGivern, 30, who lives in a Mordeun high rise, had entered a Breeze competition on social media on Friday May 5.
She says that bought raffle tickets for the grand prize that was either £30,000 in cash or an Audi S5.
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Breeze runs regular competitions where players can win prizes from holidays to cars and a wide range of cash prizes.
Roberta is a regular player and she says that she has won the odd smaller prize of £100 in the past but she could not believe her luck when she found out she had landed £30,000.
She says that the cash was in her account the next day but that her first thought was making sure that those around her did not go without in the middle of a cost of living crisis.
Roberta had always promised her family, which consists of her single mum, nine sisters, three brothers and a large group of nieces and nephews, that she would share any winnings with them.
“I’ve been playing the raffles for about a year and won smaller prizes like £100 but I’d never won the main prize for a competition”, she said.
“I played on Friday and by Saturday the money was in my account, I couldn’t believe it.
“I’ve got such a big family - nine sisters and three brothers plus a bunch of nieces and nephews - so I ended up giving out around £10,000 to my siblings and mum.
“My mum raised us as a single mum after my dad passed away when we were younger and I always promised her that I would give her some money if I won.
“We have always been a really close family and with the cost of living crisis at the moment everyone is struggling.
“I decided that I also wanted to give £500 to Goodtrees Neighbourhood Centre because when we had experienced homelessness and had moved to the area they were so amazing with helping my mum.
“During Covid they would bring everyone packed lunches and they had helped me out with food in the past, they are just fantastic for the community.
“You see it all the time with how they put on Christmas fairs and keep the young ones off the streets by giving them something to do and a place to belong to.
“They also gave my nephew an expensive bike for nothing, so it was important that I gave back to the people that supported me.”
Roberta, who lives with her partner, also gave Steps To Hope charity £500 as they had helped someone close to her overcome their addiction.
She says that her nieces have also been desperate to go and see 50 Cent so she has decided to get them all tickets to head to a concert.
“It was a good win but my dad always taught me that if you won money or came into it then you should always share it as you did not work hard for it”, she added.
“I don’t really like getting recognition and can be quite shy but John from Goodtrees felt it should be recognised that I donated to them.
“For me the money won’t last forever and everyone is struggling right now and needs a bit of cash to help out.
“I went on my first ever holiday abroad last year to Italy so I’ve treated myself to a second holiday this June to Tenerife.
“It was funny that we got offered the money or the car, as the day after we chose the cash my partner's car broke down.
“We plan on keeping the rest of the money for a rainy day fund as you never know what might happen.”
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