Oldham businessman raffling vintage VW camper van at just £2.50 a ticket

Ben's beloved 1979 VW camper van

An Oldham entrepreneur who runs a magical Father Christmas experience for children at Christmas is raffling his beloved VW camper van to help keep his business afloat.

Ben Brogan of Shaw says the effects of Covid have decimated his business which relied on visits from families, and social mixing.

Ben says he came up with the idea after taking part in a similar raffle last year:  "I entered a raffle for a luxury house in Cheshire, and paid just a few pounds for a ticket.  I wasn't the lucky winner, but the idea got me thinking about how to raise funds to save my children's entertainment business."

"It sounds unusual, but these are genuine raffle sites, where for the price of a ticket, you can win a high-end item"

Ben is raffling the campervan on raffall.com which hosts thousands of raffles, and is regulated by the Gambling Commission.

After losing his premises in Saddleworth, Ben now needs to re-build his business and aims to put on his annual Christmas event towards the end of this year.

"We really made an effort to make this a quality Santa Claus experience.  We've invested tens of thousands of pounds in the business, and we hope the money raised from the raffle will go some way to getting back on our feet"

Ben and his partner Amelia welcomed a new baby girl at the beginning of lockdown and he says it's changed his priorities:  "It's such a life changing experience having children of your own, and it makes me all the more determined to get the business back to where we were so I can support my family in the future."

The 1979 VW camper van is Ben's prized possesion.  He bought the vehicle six years ago, and has spent 4 years restoring it to it's former glory.

"It's in perfect condition", he says. "It would be perfect for VW enthusiasts, or someone who wants to go camping in an iconic and practical vehicle."

"Essentially, you could win the van for just £2.50 and help a family business to survive"

You can view Ben's raffle here
 

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