When Frances Connolly, who hails from the North East region of England, won the National Lottery in 2019, her first instinct was to use the £115 million jackpot — roughly $155 million — to take care of her family.
But after that, she and her husband, Paddy, decided to create a charity trust to give the rest away to charity. Since then, the PFC Trust has shared roughly half of those lottery winnings with a wide range of nonprofit organizations in the United Kingdom.
Frances and Patrick “Paddy” Connelly. @thepfctrust/Instagram
The group distributes grants to support scholarship funds, emergency food deliveries, projects aimed at combatting loneliness, and adding more defibrillators to local sports clubs, among many others.
Recently, Frances said this drive to give back is as inherent as her love of country music. Her father, specifically, was a big fan of the late Dolly Parton, who Frances described as “an inspiration” for her philanthropy.
“I think it’s in mankind to share when you get to a level where you’ve got enough,” Frances told the BBC.
While she conceded that having “enough” is a different measure for everyone, and that she perhaps would have kept more of the money for herself if she were younger, sharing the winnings was more important to her now.
“As long as the kids are sorted and they had enough to live comfortable, nice lives, I didn’t see the point,” she told the BBC about hanging on to more money.
The couple said they have enjoyed “good holidays,” and have a large house, but have still purchased things like luxury watches and cars secondhand.
The PCF Trust funded a community grocery project, helping to purchase the initial food stock. The PCF Trust/Facebook
The BBC reported that Frances worked as a social worker and teacher prior to winning the big prize, and her husband still works for a plastics business. They were originally from Northern Ireland but moved to Hartlepool in England for work in 1990, planning to only stay for a few years. They ended up staying for 25.
“The town opened its doors and its hearts to the couple, and they retain a very strong friendship network among its citizens,” a page on the PFC Trust’s website reads.
“Therefore, when the couple had the good luck to win the lottery … one of their first acts was to set up this charity to give something back.”
The website went on to say that the goals of the trust are to “improve the lives and life chances of people across the North East by highlighting and appreciating the good in the region and helping those who need it.”
Frances at a cold plunge fundraising challenge. The PCF Trust/Facebook
In addition to the large sum from the lottery winnings, the PCF Trust still fundraises to expand the capacity for grant funding and the Trust as a whole. A board of trustees also supports Frances and her daughter Fiona’s leadership at the trust.
For Frances’ 60th birthday, seven athletes who appreciate her support for young athletes will run, swim, or cycle a total of 60 miles to raise more funds for the PFC Trust.
“They wanted to put something back into the community,” Frances said about the event. “I’m delighted; I couldn’t have been given a better present.”
Despite all the good the Connelly family has done with their money, Frances knows all of the good fortune comes from doing important work with members of the community.
“I am at pains to explain to people that despite being a millionaire, I can’t cure poverty, and I certainly can’t do everything that’s needed to be done on my own,” she told the BBC.
“We have a lovely life. I always tell people, we have the same life, we just live it bigger.”
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Featured Images: @thepfctrust/Instagram and Dolly Parton/Facebook
