A way to care. Hospice lottery manager Carl runs more than our weekly draw

Carl’s been at the hospice for 22 years now.

His first title was Lottery Field Coordinator, initials LFC like his chosen team, at a time when he was pulling together fifty volunteers from all around the Wirral who were collecting two pounds every fortnight, in cash, from people in their local areas.

It was 2004 and cash was still king and all of those, even then, thousands of pounds were not going to collect or count themselves.

So working alongside then lottery manager, Barbara and ably supported by a lady called Irene, Carl would liaise with all the volunteers join in the collecting when some couldn’t make various weeks and then hand over the counting to two ladies called Debbie.

Things, as they still are, would be exceptionally busy on a Thursday as they made sure everyone who had paid their money was entered into the draw each Friday.

Nowadays there’s around 14,500 members, of whom about 500 are still paying by cash. Most people pay for their weekly membership by standing order or direct debit and in this way they generally pay for several weeks or months, sometimes years, in advance.

Out in the field we now have one employed cash collector, Rachel, a volunteer, Neil, who collects around his local neighbourhood and one other lady, Maria, who collects around her retirement home.

In terms of recruiting new members the hospice employs a full-time canvasser, Laurence, and also contracts with an experienced company, Engage and Connect, who have a further two people canvassing for us at any one time.

As members will have joined at different times of the year, Kate in the office, works with Carl to make sure supporters are up to date with their memberships and that all is ready for Friday’s draw.

The weekly reminders on social media also encourage people to take part in our lottery with the supportive line, it’s a way to win and… a way to care.

Every Friday, Carl will share with Kate, the call that one person will get to let them know they’ve won the £2,000 top prize. Or more, sometimes.

Carl says,

“I love my job but, without doubt, the best part of it is making that Friday call.

Sometimes people will scream, sometimes they think it’s a hoax and sometimes I’ll get a couple of amazed, disbelieving, expletives.

Our second prize rolls over in multiples of £500 and, as well as giving out some larger payouts than the top prize in the last 18 months, we’ve also been able to give away £10,000 three times.

They were great phone calls for us to make.”

Wowee!

In his home life, Carl has been married to Sue for twenty years and their blended family of five children, Sam, Matty, Josh, Molly and Oliver have brought them five grandchildren, so far!

Carl also loves his dogs. He’s got a St Bernard called Charlie and a Golden Retriever called Trish.

More often these days it’s Charlie who is waking Carl up at 5.30am for his, Charlie’s, morning walk, too early for a brandy! Luckily they live in Wallasey so there’s plenty of bracing scenic walks along the New Brighton seafront to exercise them.

Most mornings after a good walk, Carl will drop off Charlie (and sometimes Trish who is getting on a bit now) and head out on a 5k – 7k, sometimes longer, run.

You see, he’s a keen runner. “I wouldn’t say ‘keen!’” interjects Carl. HaHa!

Truly however, he’s been involved in various runs for the hospice from 2015 when he was “pressganged into”, his words, a Wirral half marathon by hospice colleagues.

He put the London Marathon on his bucket list for his fiftieth birthday, and, in 2023, he realised this dream when he was given a place at the still tender age of 56. Nice.

He duly achieved that and has also conquered an ultra-marathon since. The small matter of a 60k run around the Wirral peninsula which he did in around 7 hours. Very Good.

He’s repeating the Wirral feat in November this year but, only as a training run in preparation for, as Carl turns 60 in March 2027, the Manchester to Liverpool ultra marathon which is, only, 50 miles. A birthday ‘treat’ to himself and to raise funds for the hospice. Respect!

One of his other great loves is rock and blues music. “Music is life.” Carl says.

From Running with the Devil, Van Halen to Rip it Up, Orange Juice, and going to gigs to watch up and coming bands, Carl is the ultimate office music aficionado.

Also, as a big movie buff, Carl, concludes our chat by telling us his favourite film is The Godfather.

He urges people to watch that and while encouraging people to play the Wirral Hospice weekly lottery.

Now there’s ‘an offer you can’t refuse.’

Thank you Carl, keep those numbers rolling.

If you’d like one or more numbers to become a member of our weekly lottery please call the team on 0151 334 0348. or email, lottery@wirralhospice.org

Follow the links at www.wirralhospice.org/lottery for how to enter and all the terms and conditions