IT COULD BEE YOU!
MULLING over what we would do if we became millionaires is something many of us have done – where to move to, which car to buy, how to spend our time doing nothing?
But for one Welsh couple they’ve remained busy by creating an empire – of bees.
Nine years ago, Jeff and Davinia Pritchard, from Porthyrhyd in Carmarthenshire, were still in work and planning for a retirement that was still a few years away. They already kept bees as a hobby, but were very much still living “9-to-5 lives”.
The plan was to one day sell up and use the proceeds to fund their retirement, leaving their dream home and the bees behind.
Then, one day in June 2015, they were notified about a certain EuroMillions Millionaire Maker draw. If your number then matches a winning code, you instantly win £1m and become a millionaire.
That’s exactly what happened to Jeff, now 60, and Davinina, now 58.
“One of the most important things our win has bought us is time – time for us to pursue a hobby we love and maintain the land to ensure it’s the best environment for our bees, and us!” said Davinia.
“Pottering about at home definitely brings us just as much joy as the new cars and exotic holidays we’ve been able to enjoy. Our bee adventure actually started well before the win, when Jeff decided to build an ornamental beehive for the garden, and then figured if he had the hive he ought to get some bees. We’d never have imagined that 20 years down the line we’d have won on the National Lottery and be living the good life.”
The couple now have more than 10 hives, all producing local honey.
It’s a hobby that’s grown over time and one that keeps them in Porthyrhyd, rather then being tempted by a move to different – perhaps sunnier – climes.
“I’ve always loved being outdoors with my bees, and our win made that easier to do,” said Jeff. “I was able to retire early, giving me more time to spend with the family, but also time for the simple things in life like tending to my bees and improving the land around our home to ensure a truly bee-friendly environment. As a result, the hives are thriving, our home looks amazing and we are producing plenty of lovely local honey.”
Making the most of the great outdoors is so important to a couple who met at school. Jeff is a keen walker and has climbed to the top of several mountains across the UK, while, since her recent retirement, Davinia has finally climbed to the summit of South Wales’ highest peak, Pen y Fan.
“That’s just one of the many bonuses that has come from our lucky win,” she said. “Before the win I couldn’t have dreamt that I would ever have been able to afford the professional help I needed to lose weight and join a lovely gym that is helping me to get fit. Having finally reached the top of Pen y Fan, I’m literally at my peak fitness.
“Before we won, we already felt we’d hit the jackpot having bought our dream cottage with some land for the bees, but there was lots of work still to do and we considered it our retirement plan, sadly not a forever home.
“Then, thanks to that dose of lottery luck, we were able to clear the mortgage and complete the renovation works that we had started sooner than planned so that we had more space for the family and can make the most of the garden, and views across the paddock to the beehives.
“It really is our own slice of heaven.”