LIDL Ireland has surprised a shopper with €25,000 as part of their Make a Lidl Wish Christmas campaign.
Alan Kenny entered the Lidl Wish campaign in November which received more than 2,000 wishes.
The dad-of-two scooped the prize to fulfil their dream of getting married to his partner of 20 years Natasha Quinn.
The loved up couple have been engaged for eight years but unfortunately the trials and tribulations of everyday life have gotten in the way, along with the significant cost of a wedding.
Alan told how his mum called him crying her eyes out on hearing the news.
Her said: “I just want to thank you all so, so much for everything, you have made our Christmas!
“The phones have not stopped going off and my mother rang me balling crying.”
Natasha Quinn added: “I think I’m still in a little shock.
“Our two girls have been asking for years when we’ll get married, and they are over the moon.
“Lidl have truly made our family’s wish come true and we can’t say thank you enough.”
Deputy Store Manager at Lidl Tipperary Town, Katie Crowe, said announcing the winner was “one of those moments you just don’t forget.”
She said: “We’re delighted to be in the position to bring such surprise, joy and a Lidl bit of Christmas magic to Alan, Natasha and the girls this Christmas. Happy Christmas everyone!”
The beaming family were snapped with giant cheque worth €25,000 made out to Alan.
Marketing Director for Lidl Ireland, Fiona Fagan, said: “This year, we wanted to bring our Lidl Wishes campaign to life in a memorable way and Alan and Natasha’s story had such an emotional reaction in us.
“Making a difference in the local communities we operate in is what Lidl is all about and we’re thrilled to help make their Christmas a little bit brighter this year.”
The supermarket’s Christmas Trolley Dash has also raised €314,123 for its new charity partner, Family Carers Ireland.
One winner in every one of Lidl’s 182 stores nationwide completed a two minute supermarket sweep-style dash.
In the Lidl Kildare Trolley Dash, winner Pranas Virvicius took an incredible €1,200 worth of Lidl’s award-winning festive food and treats to enjoy over the Christmas season.
Head of Communications and Policy, Family Carers Ireland, Catherine Cox, said: “We would like to thank Lidl Ireland, its employees and its customers for their unwavering support and this substantial Trolley Dash donation.
“We are blown away by the generosity of those who supported the Trolley Dash campaign, especially in these challenging times.”
Lidl Ireland’s Trolley Dash has raised more than €2.5million for its charity partners, since its launch in 2014.
She added: “This incredible total raised which will be transformative in enabling us to continue delivering our vital services in support of family carers across the country.
“Family Carers Ireland’s mission is to ensure that family carers are properly recognised, supported and empowered so that no one has to care alone, and these funds will go a long way in supporting some of our services and in raising awareness of family carers in our communities, our charity and the work that we do.”
THE HISTORY OF LIDL IN IRELAND
LIDL first opened in Germany in 1973.
Back then, it employed just three people, stocking 500 product lines.
The first Irish store, located just off Molesworth Street in Dublin, was opened in 1999.
This was Lidl’s first entry into the Irish grocery market.
Then, Lidl opened more stores in 2000, in Limerick, Letterkenny, Mullingar, Athlone, Cavan, Ballinasloe and Portlaoise.
Now, the retailer has over 180 stores and three distribution centres, employing over 6,000 people.
They work with a network of more than 260 Irish suppliers from the communities they operate in.