Some of the 20 Beau Sejour staff who are all £50,000 better off after collecting the top prize in the Les Bourgs Hospice lottery. Clutching the ticket is admin assistant and receptionist Jo Wimburg. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0883552)

CHEERS filled Beau Sejour on Saturday as a group of 20 employees celebrated winning the £1m. Les Bourgs Hospice charity lottery.

The 16 women and four men, including receptionists, gym and swimming instructors, management staff and a disability liaison officer, had trouble believing they would each be taking home a £50,000 share of the prize.

Activities manager Carolyn Le Cocq, 28, was particularly hard to convince. ‘It’s just wonderful that it has gone to so many fantastic people who really deserve it and could do with the money,’ she said.

‘But it’s all so surreal and it probably won’t sink in for a while – I keep having eureka moments when I realise this is really happening. I am going to use it to do up my little flat,’ she said.

The lottery raised £385,000 for the hospice and Deputy Jack Honeybill, who organised the event and announced the totals, said he was overjoyed the prize would be shared.

‘It is just wonderful for them,’ he said, moments after breaking the news to Beau Sejour administration assistant and receptionist Jo Wimburg. ‘She was very, very excited and I had to tell her over and over,’ said Deputy Honeybill.

‘She sounded over the moon and was repeating herself. I am delighted for her and her friends – this is what it is all about.’