Lottery winner inspired by Dolly Parton gives away half of £115m winnings

National Lottery winner who gives away £60MILLION of her winnings to charity was inspired by Dolly Parton

A National Lottery winner who donated £60million of her winnings to charity has said she was inspired by the late Dolly Parton. Frances Connolly, who scooped a £115million jackpot alongside her husband Paddy in 2019, estimates that roughly half of that extraordinary sum has already been distributed to charitable causes. The couple established the PFC Trust following their win, channelling funds towards good causes throughout North East England. Before her fortunes changed, Mrs Connolly had spent years working as both a social worker and teacher, having grown up helping others in Northern Ireland from an early age. Now approaching her 60th birthday, the grandmother says that generosity is simply woven into human nature — a philosophy that has guided her approach to one of the largest individual lottery prizes ever awarded in Britain. Her father's passion for country music left a lasting impression, with Dolly Parton holding a special place in the household. Mrs Connolly has described the late singer as an "inspiration" for her own charitable endeavours. Ms Parton passed away last month at the age of 80, prompting widespread reflection on her extraordinary generosity. Commentators noted at the time that the iconic performer could have achieved billionaire status had she not donated such vast portions of her wealth to causes including child literacy. The parallel with Mrs Connolly's own approach to giving is striking — both women chose to part with fortunes that most would cling to. For Mrs Connolly, Ms Parton's example reinforced a conviction she had carried since childhood: that wealth finds its truest purpose when shared with others. Speaking to reporters, Mrs Connolly reflected on why accumulating wealth was never her priority. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: National Lottery winner has race against the clock to scoop incredible £1million prize Mother scoops £300,000 on National Lottery scratchcard — and treats herself to new towels National Lottery winner whos

Lottery winner inspired by Dolly Parton gives away half of £115m winnings

A Lottery winner has given away half of her £115m winnings - citing country legend Dolly Parton as an "inspiration" for her philanthropy.

Lottery winner hails Dolly Parton as an ‘inspiration’ after giving away half of her £115m fortune

Frances Connolly won £115 million through the National Lottery with her husband Paddy back in 2019