A couple who scooped a £58 million lottery win are to set up their own charitable trust.
Fred and Lesley Higgins from Laurencekirk took 14th place on the National Lottery’s UK rich list following the life-changing EuroMillions jackpot on July 10.
Mrs Higgins said the couple have got meetings with lawyers in coming weeks about setting up a charitable trust.
“We don’t want to be too prescriptive about it,” she said. “It would be local charities or smaller charities.
“We’ve helped a few causes out in Laurencekirk and we’ve got our eye on a couple more there so we’ll just have to see.”
Mr Higgins is also keen for a donation to be made to support the Air Ambulance Service and to focus on helping younger people.
He said: “There’s a lot of people who wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the Air Ambulance Service.
“My preference would also be towards helping young and younger people. I don’t mean just kids but anything between five and 25. It’s a difficult time of life.”
At the time of their win the pair had spoken about buying property abroad with far-flung locations including Barbados under consideration.
But the down-to-earth couple have so far remained committed to Scotland and continue to own their home in Laurencekirk.
They have also bought a penthouse flat overlooking the River Tay in Dundee and are to buy a five-bedroom home in the city, where they will eventually spend most of their time.
The couple said they refuse to let the huge windfall go to their heads and still use their Tesco Clubcard and discount shopping vouchers.
Retired motor trade worker Mr Higgins had already retired from his job when they scooped the jackpot, while Mrs Higgins wasted no time in handing in her notice from her role as account manager at Montrose Port Authority.
The couple very nearly lost their winning ticket when a teenage shop worker mistakenly ripped up the winning ticket and tossed it in a bin.
The machine then told former Mearns Academy pupil Sean Grant to contact Camelot because the winning sum was more than the Scotmid store in Laurencekirk could pay out so he quickly retrieved it from the bin.
