A grieving son plans to put on a big celebration of his dad’s life after scooping £20,000 on a Bingo game.
George Powell died aged 97 after a very full life, becoming known as the ‘Ginger Beer man’ for selling a homemade version from his bike in Manchester in the 1960s and 1970s.
Five hundred people are expected at his funeral on September 26, and hosting and catering for them all was going to be a challenge for the family.
His son Glen, 59, says his winnings will now remove the stress and give him a ‘brilliant send off’.
Glen, himself a father of six with eight grandchildren, said he ‘did a little jig’ when his six numbers were drawn at a Betfred shop in Stretford.
He booked himself a trip to his father’s home country Jamaica, from where he travelled to start a new life in Moss Side and Old Trafford as part of the Windrush Generation.
But much of his winnings will be spent on the funeral at the Church of God of Prophecy in Moss Side, burial at Southern Cemetery and the wake at Bowden Rugby Club.
Glen said: ‘George was a father of five with 17 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren, so you can imagine the funeral will be quite an event – and that’s not to mention all his old customers on his homemade ginger beer round that he operated for more than 10 years from a bag on his bike.
‘There’s 500 people from all over, including Jamaica and the United States, all coming on September 26 to pay their respects.
‘I hope to give him a brilliant send off and a wake with plenty of food which will be a special celebration of his life.’
After hearing about Glen’s plans for his winnings, Betfred boss Fred Done offered another £1,000, saying: ‘They can put the money behind the bar at the rugby club and sort out a toast to George on me. Never mind rum, I think a glass of ginger beer for everyone would be most appropriate!
‘This story has brought a tear to my eye and I feel so privileged to help remember a Manchester character who lived a long and rewarding life. RIP the Ginger Beer Man.’
The Windrush Generation were Caribbean migrants invited to help rebuild Britain after World War Two, typically referring to those arriving between 1948 and 1971.
Last year, the 75th anniversary of the first ship to disembark was commemorated with exhibitions and celebrations.
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