THE SCOTTISH ISLAND THAT WON THE LOTTERY
06 June 2021
THE SCOTTISH ISLAND THAT WON THE LOTTERY
There are few places as remote as the Isle of North Uist. Part of Scotland's Outer Hebrides, it is the rugged north-western edge of Britain. Almost as close to Iceland as London, North Uist's one and a half thousand islanders are famed for self-sufficiency and resourcefulness. It’s a community that’s not cash-rich, but is wealthy in traditions and language stretching back centuries. Not much changes here. That is, until last year, when these islanders lucked out, winning a three-million-pound lottery windfall. This film follows fisherman Donald, crofter Attar, postmistress Pamela, peat cutter Duncan and whisky distillery entrepreneurs Kate and Jonny as they deal with their bonanza. In a rural idyll, where you already have everything you need, what happens when the lottery comes to town? This is the tale of the island that wins the jackpot…. but doesn’t know how to spend it.
Heartwarming
The Times
Pick of the Day.... Playing like a real-life, less scandalous version of Kay Mellor’s The Syndicate, this charming documentary traces the changed fortunes of the inhabitants of the Outer Hebridean Isle of North Uist after they won a £3m windfall. We follow fisherman Donald, crofter Attar, postal worker Pamela, peat cutter Duncan and whisky distillery entrepreneurs Kate and Jonny, as they plan what to do with their winnings and see how it might – or might not – affect their rural lifestyles.
The Guardian
A charming documentary about North Uist, a remote island in the Outer Hebrides, which won £3m on the Postcode Lottery in February 2020. But did it change the islanders' lives beyond recognition? The truth is more than a little surprising.
The Sun
