Chart-topping band honoured with Believe Star at Town Hall ceremony

Chart-topping band honoured with Believe Star at Town Hall ceremony

Lottery Winners with their Believe Star at Leigh Town Hall

The chart-topping Lottery Winners have been honoured with a Believe Star outside Leigh Town Hall, creating a permanent legacy of the band’s outstanding success.

Launched in 2012, Wigan Council’s Believe Star scheme recognises residents who have made outstanding contributions, and earlier this year it was announced that the Lottery Winners would receive the accolade, along with The Lathums and Mike Sharkey in Wigan’s Billy Boston Square.

Formed in Leigh in 2008, Lottery Winners have worked relentlessly to reach the top of their game, with the four-piece achieving two number one albums, headlining a hometown show at Leigh Sports Village, and supporting huge artists such as Noel Gallagher, Robbie Williams, and Richard Ashcroft.

Attending the Leigh Town Hall unveiling between their busy schedule, the band were joined by family, friends, local councillors, and Wigan Council representatives to mark the occasion on Tuesday 3rd November.

Councillor Nazia Rehman, Leader of Wigan Council, said: “It was a real privilege to present the Believe Star to Thom, Robert, Katie and Joe - otherwise known as The Lottery Winners.

“Believe Stars are the highest honour we can bestow in Wigan Borough, recognising individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to our communities.

“The band represent our borough with immense pride, and their talent, determination and enthusiasm serve as an inspiration to so many people, not just here in Wigan Borough, but across the UK.

“So we were incredibly proud to host this special occasion, formally recognising the remarkable success of the Lottery Winners and celebrating an outstanding career that continues to go from strength to strength.”

With the Lottery Winners’ previous two albums, ‘Anxiety Replacement Therapy’ and ‘KOKO’, both hitting the top spot on the UK Album Charts, the band’s sold-out show at Leigh Sports Village was a career defining moment in May 2026.

Fiercely proud of their local roots, the four-piece have also been keen supporters of the borough’s art and cultural initiatives, including a project led by Northern Heart Film and supported by Wigan Council, which allowed 22 young people to create a feature-length documentary about the band in the lead up to their stadium gig in Leigh.

Lead singer Thom has also spoken candidly about his ADHD diagnosis and said that he hopes his band’s achievements can inspire those who have had similar experiences with the condition, as well as other young musicians and creatives.

Thom said: “It’s crazy to think that the songs that we’ve made, written and rehearsed in Leigh, have taken us around the world, and to get to come home to this Believe Star is overwhelming.

“This means the world to us, and it proves that music matters to the community. I think this proves that if you find your people and find the thing that you’re really good at, and you work hard and you’re passionate about it, then you can achieve amazing things.

“I hope that this inspires another generation of musicians, working class creatives, or kids who might not know what they want to be, to know that what they’re doing is important.

“We’re so proud of where we’re from, and to have our star alongside those that mean a lot to so many people, is a real honour.”