Readers win festive goodies in Standard competitions

A WOMAN from Henley won a £90 Tesco Christmas food hamper in a Henley Standard competition published on December 15.

Christine Brown, of Clements Road, correctly answered that the tin of chocolates with the “green triangle” was from Quality Street and her name was drawn at random.

Mrs Brown, who buys the paper every week, said: “I entered the competition because it was flagged on the front cover and I thought, ‘Why not?’

“I had a few postcards in my house, so I sent off my entry and then forgot about it.

“I couldn’t believe it when I won — I have never won anything before. When I found out I called my kids and they were so surprised too.”

Mrs Brown was born in Henley and worked at W H Smith and Woolworths before she retired.

She lives alone with her cat, Belle, as her husband passed away with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease three years ago.

Mrs Brown added: “My son, Steve, comes around every Sunday to have a meal and usually brings some wine for us to enjoy. The Henley Standard must know I enjoy a drink with the bottles in the hamper! My children always ask me if I have bought the Standard each week and the answer is always ‘yes’.”

Meanwhile, fellow reader Iain Phillips, from Watlington, won the £125 gin hamper provided by the Henley Distillery in the Henley Standard competition published on December 1.

He correctly answered that you should take your Christmas decorations down by January 5 (12 days) and his name was drawn at random.

Mr Phillips, 71, walks to his local corner shop every week to buy his local paper along with the Sunday Times and Financial Times.

He said: “I saw the competition in the paper and I knew the answer, so I thought, ‘Well, why not for the cost of a stamp?’ Gin isn’t my favourite spirit funnily enough but I do like my alcohol.”

Mr Phillips, who has lived in Watlington for four years, shared his prize with a friend with whom he spent Christmas Day in Cornwall.