Lottery winner spends prize money on garden golf course for people with disabilities

A lottery winner has fulfilled his dream of creating a crazy golf course in his back garden, to help support people with disabilities and complex needs.

David Lawrence, 68, from Leatherhead in Surrey won £1 million on the National Lottery last year. But for over 30 years before that, he had been an avid fundraiser.

After winning his prize, he made it his mission to create a golf course, which he named Dave’s Putting Challenge, to host a community event for those with complex needs.

Mr Lawrence has invited multiple local disability organisations to the course, aptly named Dave's Putting Challenge. He hopes that his putting course will inspire people living with disabilities to play golf, drawing on his experience working as a day service officer at Surrey County Council.

“Many years ago I provided support services for a young man who had learning difficulties. He was always very introverted except for the occasions we visited a local couple who had a small putting green in their garden and he would really come out of his shell,” he said.

“That was probably 20 years ago but I still remember the look of sheer joy on his face and if Dave’s Putting Challenge can help and inspire children and adults with learning difficulties and social care needs in the same way, that’s like winning the National Lottery every time.”

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The design of the course partly draws inspiration from Mr Lawrence's fundraising. He has fundraised for national charities, including the BBC's Children In Need, for more than 35 years.

The course has three holes, each with a different theme, including Pudsey Bear as a nod to Children in Need, a jungle-themed putting hole featuring his granddaughter’s favourite animals, and an area known as the “Boccia Stadium” to celebrate the sport of boccia, a ball game introduced into the Paralympic Games in 1984 and which does not have an Olympic equivalent.

Despite his lottery win, Mr Lawrence said he has no plan to slow his fundraising efforts.

“People thought I might take it easier following the win but I am a true believer that it really is better to give than to receive and my fundraising and community work gives me so much joy, why would I stop?”

He has run marathons and hosted several other events to support Children In Need, but hopes to continue raising money for the charity from his back garden.

“While the crazy golf course is a little easier to complete than a marathon, I hope it will be just as rewarding on the occasions we open up for Children In Need fundraising,” he said

In November, the National Lottery will mark 30 years since its creation.

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