Lona's 5-star wins are certainly worth knowing about!

... and incredibly inspiring for any down-in-the-dumps comper!

You may recall, I mentioned receiving an email from Lona back in March about her incredible wins since Christmas. A £600 five-star spa break in Oxford, a £500 spa break voucher and a lunch date with Gordon Ramsay at Claridges in London… to name but a few!

Over to Lona…

“Dear Katie,

At last!! I have the pictures of our day with Gordon Ramsay, which was brilliant. It began with canapés and champagne, followed by a meet and greet with the man himself – then on to a fabulous three-course lunch with lots of wine flowing. 

After coffee we were given a tour of the kitchens at Claridges which were spotless, and of course we had a peep at the wine cellars.  Our party lunch was in one of the private dining rooms off the main Claridges restaurant.  My husband and I were a very contented pair catching the 7pm train home.  Had we booked seats on the 5pm train we would never have made it!

… Gordon Ramsay couldn’t have been more of a gentleman if he tried, we didn’t hear one swear word from him.  He was absolutely charming, had his photo taken with all of us and signed his books plus a copy of the menu for me.

Following on from that we enjoyed a three days spa break at Camden Park, Chester – again an excellent prize.  The food was sumptuous and the full body massage did me the world of good.

And then it was off to the five-star Randolph Hotel in Oxford for two nights.  The service was impeccable and we made the most of our stay by exploring the city with its wonderful colleges and spires. The hotel was of the old-fashioned style; grand and discreet – it was where Inspector Morse had been filmed.

I look forward to keeping in touch with you, hopefully to report more wins!

Good luck to all my fellow MyCompers and your good self.

Kind regards,

Lona”

What can I say – Lona’s a very lucky lady. But she deserves her success; after all she’s worked at it. It just goes to prove what entering comps can do to show you how to live the high life!

On a smaller scale, but just as important, Vicki has finally had a win and just at the point when she was beginning to believe it wouldn’t happen.

So the moral to this prize-winning story is don’t ever give up – YOU HAVE TO BE IN IT TO WIN IT!!

“Hi Katie,

I just thought I would drop you an email to say yippee I have finally won. Which, I’m so pleased about as I only said yesterday to my hubby I’m going to cancel my subscription as I didn't believe I ever would win.

I won through a Bella magazine comp, the prizes were a Barbie T-shirt, a hippo bean bag and some other bits and pieces.

Altogether its £320 worth of stuff!  I now understand what keeps all the other compers hooked!

Yours faithfully,

 Vicki”

How Donna Moore won 98 prizes in 22 months worth £16,000

Donna's story... 

" I started doing competitions in August 2006 and I love it.  In the last eight months I've won three holidays: Ibiza to see the Arctic monkeys, snowboarding in the French Alps with instruction from the UK's number one female snowboarder and recently two weeks in Cyprus with Timesonline worth £7,000. I'm off in September and can't wait. 
 
Yesterday I opened my email to find I'd won a year's supply of contact lenses!
  
I keep a list of all the prizes and a tally of the values of the prizes I've won, which helps me through the lean spells.  It amounts to just under £16,000.00 so far and a total of 98 prizes of all shapes and sizes. I'm still trying for that Ninetendo DS for my daughter. 
 
Thank you for introducing me to this fantastic opportunity to enrich my family's life - with wondrous gifts and new experiences."
 
And then there's Hazel Smith whose Mum and Auntie managed to take advantage of one her great wins...
 
"Dear Katie,
 
I wrote to you last year to tell you I had won a VIP trip to a film Premiere - what a prize! As it turns out I was unable to go on the trip due to work commitments. However, I spoke to the competition organiser, Unmissable, and they agreed to let me transfer the prize over to my Mum.
 
Both my Mum and Auntie then chose one of the alternative prizes of a week in the Bahamas.
 
 The reason I'm writing this email is to say a great big THANK YOU TO MYCOMPS because without your fantastic site this would have just been a dream for my Mum and Aunt.
 
As a result my Mum is now a confirmed comper and as for me I am permanently entering comps and winning on a fairly regular basis.  Keep up the good work.
 
Kind regards,
 
Hazel Smith"
 
 Both Donna and Hazel's stories surely must inspire you; it certainly does me! Now, not all of us have had as much good fortune from our comping experiences as Donna. However, that doesn't mean that your fellow compers like Jo and Donna Dyble aren't just as happy with their win.  We ALL have to start somewhere...
 
"Hi Katie,
 
I started comping and joined My Comps about three weeks ago, I started to enter most of the online comps weekly together with a few postcard entries, and have just also joined Winners Friend!!
 
I have certainly caught the bug! And to my surprise my first win arrived in the post last Saturday, a DVD from the Radio Times which I entered on the 2nd May via your website! I am really excited now and looking forward to lots more wins, a nice holiday win would be lovely, watch this space!!
 
Donna Dyble"
 
"Hi Katie,
 
I just thought I would share with you my winning story. I am a new comper and was a bit dubious at first. However I received my first win just three weeks after entering competitions!!
It was only a small prize of the new Enchanted DVD that is now going to be my little sister's birthday present! But it just goes to show you do really win! Just like to wish good luck to everybody else and I hope the next time you hear from me I will have won a fantastic holiday or cash prize!!
 
Regards,
Jo"

From New Zealand to loyal MyComper - Sue's amazing story!

You might not remember the comp featured in The Sunday Times in spring 2007 - it was some time ago! Well Sue Craft certainly does, since in August last year she took a phone call to say that she had won it - two return tickets from London Heathrow to New Zealand with a luxury holiday on the exotic Bay of Islands.
 
What's so amazing is that it was the first comp Sue had entered and she wasn't a MyComper - yet!
 
Sue and her husband decided to take the prize in February this year when they were guaranteed some warmer weather and plenty of sunshine and at a time of year when it's so miserable here!
 
They flew via Hong Kong and spent a night in the bustling city before arriving in Auckland and being transported to the Bay of Islands which has been described as the finest maritime park in New Zealand with its 144 islands and secluded bays containing the likes of marlin, whales, penguins and dolphins. One of the most tranquil, romantic and adventurous regions you'll probably ever come across in your lifetime.
 
As part of their prize Sue and her husband stayed in a luxury apartment where they were able to fully relax and enjoy the serene surroundings. But they couldn't resist the temptation to hire a car to explore the magnificent islands at their leisure.
 
Knowing that it was unlikely that they'd ever get to New Zealand again, Sue and her husband decided to make the most of their prize and were able to add another nine days touring the North Island.  They stayed in what is known as 'Home Stays' in New Zealand, which are basically bed & breakfast facilities in peoples own homes. Remember, houses in New Zealand have a lot more space than the average UK owner does and their quality of life is something else...
 
"We met some lovely people who made us feel so much part of their family.  We stayed in some fantastic locations and sampled some wonderful food, including kippers caught and smoked by the owners and fruit hand-picked from the orchards in their own grounds!" 
 
Sue's big win has now seriously given her the comping bug. Since Sue's great success she has become a MyComper and loves the thrill of entering comps and waiting for more great news to fall through her letterbox.
 
 "Everybody I meet says 'I have never won ANYTHING' - when I ask if they enter competitions, they say no - so I tell everybody you have to be in it to win it! Three weeks later I won an ice cream maker too."
 
Now, it might take a while for Sue to win another once-in-a-lifetime experience, but then again it might be waiting just around the corner... 
 
Carole and her £1,500 cash PLUS  a holiday!

"Dear Katie,
 
I have had a few small wins so far this year, including an Easter Egg from a local raffle, a bar of Galaxy to send to a 'loved one', a smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm.
 
But this morning I was astonished to receive a letter from the magazine Take A Break telling me that I have won their Big Bonanza from the 10th March issue. From that weeks selection I could choose prizes to the value of £2,500. I opted for £1,500 in cash and a week in a cottage in Cornwall for six people worth £1,000. This is my best ever win so I am delighted. Every prize, no matter how small, keeps the motivation going.
 
What a start to the week.
 
Regards
Carole Dorran"
 
And then it's great to hear that you the success stories I publish are continuing to motivate you...
 
"Dear Katie,
 
It's lovely to hear and read the stories of others who have won competitions using the Mycomps web site. It does give me the incentive to keep trying - maybe one day I will be fortunate enough to be able to submit a winner's story as well.
 
Nicholas"
 

How Jenny found success in dieting and comping without leaving the house! She's an inspiration to us all...

"Hi,
 
I just wanted to tell you that when I got home from work last Friday I had a lovely surprise.  I received a letter from the Trafford centre telling me that I had won their online competition. It was run in conjunction with Beaverbrooks the Jewellers and if I could pop along to the store they told me I could collect my prize.  So straight in the car and off we went. 
 
My prize was a diamond and white gold necklace.  It is absolutely beautiful I couldn't have chosen anything nicer.  The staff in the shop where wonderful and treated me like a celebrity.  They even provided a full warranty and lifetime cleaning guarantee with the necklace.  As I was leaving they asked if I wanted a receipt for insurance purposes - I never thought of that (so was glad she did). It's worth a massive £550! 
 
My family were really pleased for me - I seldom treat myself, preferring to treat the kids, so this was truly amazing.  It may not be a money-can't-buy prize but it is definitely an 'I wouldn't have had the money to buy prize!'
 
The next day I won tickets via What's on TV online magazine to take the whole family to the premier of Spiderwick Chronicles which was a fabulous film and they even let us take Grandma and Grandad too!
 
And today I have found out I have won family tickets to Blackpool Tower Funzone!  So that's a trip to look forward to over Easter.
 
So, having proved comping is for the whole family I have today signed up to the NCA - the current offer is too good to miss!  I have my eyes set on a glamorous occasion or meal at a fancy restaurant so I can wear my new necklace. Oh, and the kids want a Nintendo.  I guess I will be busy and desperately in need of the free postcards that come with NCA membership!
 
Jenny Farragher
 
PS: Did I tell you my dieting tip - since joining My comps a few months ago I have found my diet is going really well.  It's simple, honestly. Each evening, instead of snacking in front of the telly, I am on my laptop and with one hand to type and one on the mouse - no time for chocolate or crisps!"

REMEMBER THE ONLY COMP YOU DID NOT WIN IS THE ONE YOU DID NOT ENTER!

From a book to the BAFTAs - Tony has won it all!

You may recall that last week I mentioned we had YET ANOTHER winner of the annual VIP BAFTA prize, Tony Tanner.  In 2007 it was MyComper Alix Ross who enjoyed the celebrity-spotting prize, and now Tony can tell us about his great experience.  
  
In fact Tony must be one of our most successful MyCompers, as he pre-empts his winning story with:
 
"After winning 10 prizes a month since I retired I had only won eight in two months..."
 
Now, let's be honest if each and every one of us compers won 10 prizes a month we would be continually grinning from ear to ear... perhaps you are?!
 
Over to Tony!
 
"Dear Katie
 
I only started "comping" two-and-a-half years ago when I retired. Naturally I was very sceptical about the possibility of actually becoming a winner - but time has proved differently.
 
 I subscribe to "My Comps", "Winner's Friend" and "Simply Prizes" as they give the widest spectrum of prizes to suit all tastes and methods of entry. I use email (with details set up under signature) and online entry forms using Roboform (which paid for itself with one win). I also enter via postcard, plain paper and entry form.
 
I have won all the standard items such as DVDs, books, tickets for Film Premiers and all sorts of other events, computer items, a diamond watch and the list goes on. They have varied from Ultimate Bug Killer Solution to a £1,500 Sonar for a boat! The most memorable has been for ten of us to spend a fantastic afternoon go-karting at the Raceway in London.
 
I had a lean time winning just eight prizes in two months but then came 'the' phone call saying I had won the VIP prize with a trip to the BAFTAs. And what a fantastic prize it turned out to be. We were given free travel to London and taxi transfer to and from the hotel to avoid struggling on the underground. We arrived the day before the event and stayed for two nights at the four-star Trafalgar Hilton Hotel where we were pampered for the whole duration. Plus, we managed to book tickets to see "Lord of the Rings" at the theatre on the Saturday evening and had fantastic seats.
 
On the day of the BAFTAs we started with a Champagne reception before being whisked away by a VIP London bus to the Opera House. There we walked up the red carpet to our special viewing point and met quite a few celebrities and all were interviewed just across from us! After the event we went to Christopher's in Covent Garden for a superb meal with all sorts of trimmings and extras to finish off our wonderful star-studded event. We found it difficult to sleep that night as the whole experience had been so outstanding, and we were made to feel so special.
 
I'm trying for the Oscars next!!
 
Regards
Tony Tanner"
 
And if that wasn't enough to motivate us in to comping 24/7, then only this morning I received this from Tony:
 
"Dear Katie
 
Without labouring the subject of wins, today I received by gold courier service a box containing two bottles of Champagne and a large box of chocolates. It's my third prize this week and certainly keeps up my thrill in comping. I let my wife open the parcels, which gives her equal excitement!
 
Regards
Tony"
 
On that note, let's get comping!!

REMEMBER THE ONLY COMP YOU CANNOT WIN IS THE ONE YOU DID NOT ENTER! 

Katie

Don't forget if you have a winning story you would like to share with us, you can e-mail katie@oxonpress.com.   Or if you would prefer to send your story in by snail-mail, including any photos please write to Katie at Oxfordshire Press, Unit 1D, Cherwell Business Valley, Southam Road, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 2SD. Any story we publish will receive a cheque for £15.