A dad from Coulsdon who won more than half a million pounds in a radio competition says it has lifted "years of worry" about his future.
Jim Jenkins, 61, won £553,000 after entering Greatest Hits Radio's Make Me a Winner contest.
He was at home with his wife, Julie, and their 11-year-old son, Jack, when presenter Kate Thornton called to break the life-changing news.
Julie was initially baffled by the call, as Jim had left the room to speak to the unknown female voice.
Jim said: "I could see that Julie was completely nonplussed – I think she thought I was speaking to someone I shouldn’t be."
The Jenkins family's win is particularly welcome due to their challenging circumstances.
Jack, who is blind and has learning difficulties, was born at just 24 weeks alongside his twin brother, Harry, who tragically died after 19 days.
His condition requires significant daily living support.
Jim said: "Every parent worries about their children, but when your child has additional needs, those worries never leave you."
The cash windfall will not only ease day-to-day life but will also help ensure Jack's long-term care without fear or uncertainty.
Jim said: "The win means we can stop worrying so much and enjoy our precious family time more fully.
"Jack doesn’t cope well with crowds, so holidays can be a challenge.
"He loves swimming, so we have to book quite prohibitively expensive accommodation to make sure he can swim in a quieter pool.
"We’ve never taken him on holiday abroad as a result.
"We’re now thinking about booking a villa holiday somewhere nice and warm and now Jack is older, he’ll be able to handle a short flight much more easily."
Kate Thornton, who shared the news with Jim on air, said: "It was an absolute privilege to hear the joy and relief in Jim’s voice.
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"This is exactly why we run these competitions—to change lives."
The competition is one of several run by Bauer Media UK.
They reach more than 27 million UK consumers through brands like KISS, Grazia, and Absolute Radio.
Their competition site, Win Happy, offers exclusive online competitions every week, including the Make Me a Winner contest, and has paid out £30 million in prizes for the 2024-2025 period so far.
