Jessica Smith, second from left, took home $5000 cash as the winner of the Shop Nelson & Win competition. Next to her is Bridget McCormick from Bodywise, the store that Jessica shopped at. At far left is Nelson Weekly managing director Andrew Board and far right is Uniquely Nelson manager Simon Duffy. Photo: Brittany Spencer.

Nelson shopper wins $5000 cash

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“Oh my gosh, can you please say that again?”

It was part disbelief and part shock that prompted the winner of the Shop Nelson & Win competition to ask to hear the news again.

“Sure,” said Nelson Weekly’s managing director Andrew Board. “Jessica Smith of Russell St?” “Yes, that’s me.” “You have won $5000 cash.”

The 26-year-old factory worker at Sealord and mother of TJ, 7, and Tia, 4, had just a week earlier shopped at Bodywise on Bridge St, one of 50 retailers taking part in the Shop Nelson & Win promotion. There she filled in the entry form that was plucked out of 60,000 entries by Nelson Bays police area commander Mat Arnold-Kelly last week.

Jessica says the prize is “a lot of money for us” and will be used to help pay for a family holiday to Melbourne that is planned for next month.

“I’ve got two younger kids and a partner and we’ve been working our bums off to get a bit of extra money for our holiday and for Christmas.”

Andrew says Jessica was the perfect winner.

“Listening to her reaction on the phone and talking to her the next day to hand over the cash, it is obvious this prize was greatly appreciated. I’m delighted for her and I think it’s fantastic that the retailers of Nelson have got behind this competition to make this a reality. Without them we wouldn’t have had a competition and Jessica wouldn’t be $5000 richer today.”

Shop Nelson & Win was held over six weeks from late August until the end of September. To enter people simply needed to shop an any participating store and correctly fill in the entry form. The competition was run by Nelson Weekly in conjunction with Uniquely Nelson.

Uniquely Nelson manager Simon Duffy says he was proud to be a part of it.

“What a great winner and what a great competition. It’s amazing the we had so many entries, I mean, 60,000 is incredible.”

And Jessica wasn’t the only winner. Bodywise, the retailer where the winning entry came from, also picked up $1000 cash. Bridget McCormick from Bodywise says they were thrilled that it was one of their customers who won the money.

“It’s amazing, so great for her and great for us, too. It was a wonderful competition and we’re really happy to have been a part of it.”

Jessica says she couldn’t sleep after she got the news of her win. “I’ve been too excited to sleep. Thank you so much, you’ve made my life.”