Bromsgrove teacher retires after £2 million National Lottery win
52 year-old Mike Law won't be returning to the classroom this week
After shouting down corridors, writing teaching plans and marking homework for over 20 years Mike Law, 52, from Bromsgrove, who won £2 million on The National Lottery back in October 2021, won’t be returning to the classroom this week. Instead, he has followed his passion thanks to his life-changing win and started to write historical adventure novels with hopes to get his stories published.
The arts and photography teacher said, “How many people have wanted to change careers but found themselves in a rut and unable to take a leap of faith. To me, winning the National Lottery isn’t about fast cars and speed boats, it’s about opportunity and making memories. I have been given this chance and I’m very lucky to be able to have a go at making a long-standing passion, my job.
“Having been through a tough few years, like many, and losing close family members just before the win, including my Mum, I realised life is very short and I had been given an unexpected opportunity.”
Mike decided to change his career over a year ago but wanted to make sure he finished teaching his GCSE students who took their exams this year. He said, “ I know plenty of people dream of winning the lottery and handing in their notice, but I was very conscious of my responsibility to my students, many of whom I had taught and known for many years. I wanted to be with them on their journey, see them through their coursework, and make sure they were ready for their exams.
“Am I going to miss teaching? Of course. I have been a teacher for 23 years – it’s part of you. It’s not a job but a vocation and I have always had a passion for the subjects that I taught.”
Talking about his love of history, Mike said, “I didn’t read much at school, I wasn’t a very good pupil. Then my teacher gave me a book about the medieval site of Sutton Hoo, and I have been hooked on history ever since.
“I’ve always had a passion for writing - and together with a love of all things Roman Britain, I just thought I had to take that leap as I’m still young enough to do it.
“I had some interest in my writing back in 2011 but it didn’t come to fruition. Losing out really knocked my confidence at the time, and I didn’t write for a while, but the win has been a catalyst to have another go.”
Mike doesn’t want to give away too much of his plot but said, “It’s set in Roman Britain in AD199 and is based around a group of legionaries and their adventures in and around Wroxeter in Shropshire; it is an historical adventure novel with a dark twist. “
Wroxeter was one of the largest cities in Roman Britain and the site remains are managed by English Heritage. Mike has travelled past the site hundreds of times on trips to Wales and thought it was the perfect place to cite his story.
“I really want to be historically correct; I suppose that’s the teacher in me. Ask Andrea how much time I’ve spent researching. I get totally engrossed in my work and I’ve been to Shropshire many times and tried to picture myself in Roman Britain thousands of years ago and it’s helped to have sites like Wroxeter available to visit to help me bring my story to life.
“Fingers crossed this book will capture the imagination of a literary agent.”
Andrea Law (45), a Marketing & Communications Manager in education, said, “It’s great that Mike is able to refocus on his passion for writing, something that would not have been possible without the security of our win behind us. I enjoy my job, so I still work, and that gives us one regular income. I know it sounds silly having won £2M but the win is still relatively new to us and so we are being sensible and taking things slowly.”
The couple have two boys and say their lives haven’t changed too much since the win. Andrea said, “We are very much the same, normal family. We no longer have the worry of a mortgage, which is a huge relief, but we want to remain grounded. Yes, we have had a few treats, we’ve been on a trip to Lapland, a dream of mine since we had the boys, but not a great deal more. The plan was to use the winnings to improve the quality of our lives, make memories and provide for our kids, and Mike changing his career is the first piece of that jigsaw.”
Mike added, “And that’s the beauty of winning. It has given me the freedom to have a go and totally immerse myself in something I enjoy, I am deeply grateful for that opportunity.”
Asked what the future holds for Mike, he said “I would love to find a literary agent and see my writing in print, but if not I may even publish the book myself!”