"It's a good cause — and you never know!" RAF Veteran Wins £23,500 with Make a Smile Lottery While Supporting Blesma

Michael, 77, a retired Squadron Leader, and his wife Clare, 81, a former RAF officer, have played the Make a Smile Lottery for five years, after first coming across it at a campaign stand in their local supermarket. For two former RAF officers, supporting a charity for injured veterans felt like a natural choice. 

Michael also knew someone who had suffered badly from PTSD following service in Iraq — a reminder, he said, of why organisations like Blesma matter so much. 

"He still has a lot of mental and physical scars from service in Iraq," he shared. 

Michael and Clare’s own story began in Cyprus in 1971, while they were both serving in RAF logistics. Clare had just arrived on the island when she met Michael for the first time, the start of a partnership that would last a lifetime. 

“When I arrived in Cyprus, the first person I met was him,” said Clare. “He met the aircraft as part of his job. Not quite love at first sight — but not far off.”  

Michael retired from the RAF as a Squadron Leader in 1985. Clare served on a short service commission for six years before leaving to become a full-time mother, later founding a gymnastics business for under-sixes. Together, they went on to spend twenty years running a model railway shop in the North Pennines. 

Now they live south, closer to their family, where Michael keeps busy with model railways, church bell ringing and orienteering.  

Their win came through the Make a Smile Lottery, which raises funds for Blesma, The Limbless Veterans and other charities across the UK. In 2025, more than £1 million from ticket sales went directly to its charity partners, supporting the vital work those organisations do year-round. 

As for the £23,500 prize, Michael and Clare have shared some of the money with their family. 

"We gave some money to each of our daughters," said Michael. "We're considering a new car, and the rest we'll put towards holidays or unexpected expenditure. We're not going to rush out and spend it all." 

Asked what he would say to others thinking about joining the lottery, Michael smiled: 

"It's a good cause — and you never know." 

To join the Make a Smile Lottery and support Blesma, visit Blesma, The Limbless Veterans - make a smile lottery You never know – your ticket could be next.