A former bus driver and funeral director who became a multi-millionaire after winning the Lotto jackpot has found a new calling in life as a wedding chauffeur.
Peter Congdon, 76, who picked up £13.5million in 2015 found his calling after coming to the rescue of a bride during the pandemic.
After the bride’s wedding was cancelled four times and she could not get a car in time, Congdon stepped in with one of his own luxury motors.
Now, the grandad from Truro, Cornwall uses his own fleet of cars to help those who need them.
He told The Mirror: “I think I’ve taken more than 25 Cornish brides to say ‘I do’. I always turn up in my best suit to help make it the happiest day of her life, and the only payment I need is to see the joy on their faces.”
After winning big, Congdon treated himself to a selection of luxury cars, including a BMW i8 and a Bentley Continental, when his numbers came up in May 2015.
He said: “I was driving a Ford Kuga at the time of my win, funnily enough nobody asked me to chauffeur them anywhere. But soon after I bought the BMW, a lad came up to me and asked if I’d take him to his prom. Iagreed and from then on, it snowballed with other pupils asking me to take them so they could arrive in style.
“One teenage girl sat in the car and actually cried, because it was her dream car.”
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He added he has been giving nearby residents memorable experiences in his motors, including taking patients from a local hospice on days out.
Congdon said: “The local hospice rang me, and explained a young lady was terminally ill with cancer, could I help make her princess dream come true?
“When I turned up she was in a stunning white princess dress, with her hair and make-up done. The sight of her brought tears to my eyes.
“A few months ago, I heard of a woman who couldn’t afford to get to her brother’s funeral. I picked her up in my Bentley and drove her there for free. I couldn’t ease her grief but I could at least make sure she didn’t have to catch a bus.”
It’s not just vehicles where Congdon shows his generosity. He added: “Since winning, I’ve bought a few homes which I rent out at a reduced rent to deserving local young people. Getting on the property ladder is so tough for young people in Cornwall, so I give those who help themselves a little help too.
“The first couple I helped in this way were able to save for their own home and get married, they now have two children and are well set up. I like to think that they, like me, were a National Lottery winner too.”
Peter also gave £1.2million to fund an anti-gravity hydro pool at the Merlin Centre in St Austell in memory of his late wife, Rosemary, who battled multiple sclerosis for more than 30 years.
