Plymouth --
KIND-hearted benefactors have stepped in to help after a Comet store refused to accept a £500 gift card from a disabled boy.
Maria Horton had been given the gift card by the Family Fund charity to buy an iPad for her four-year-old son Samuel, who suffers from cerebral palsy.
But Comet, which went into administration last week, refused to take the gift card.
Last night, after the news appeared online, Mrs Horton was contacted by three would-be benefactors who were touched by the story.
Samuel, who has just started school, has difficulty writing because his hand shakes. He will be able to use a special iPad program to help him with his schoolwork.
Mrs Horton, from Eggbuckland, said yesterday that Samuel had been looking forward to getting the iPad since the summer, when he was shown the program by an outreach worker. But when she tried to use the gift card in the Plympton and Plymouth city centre branches last week, the staff would not accept it.
"He's a bright boy, which is why he is in mainstream education.
"He was quite upset. He won't ever be able to write very well because his hand shakes, so that's where the iPad comes in."
The Herald was contacted yesterday by a Rochdale man, John Alexander, with an offer of £500 for Samuel.
Mr Alexander – the 'Singing Jeweller' – is a successful charity fund-raiser. He said: "I was touched by this story.
"I've had ups and downs in life, like we all have, but God has been good to me, and I have always tried to help along the way."
Mr Alexander, who is 70, only started his singing career two years ago, but has already sold several CDs for charity.
"Every now and then something like this comes along and if I can do anything to help, that's what I do," he said.
At the same time a Bristol businessman emailed Mrs Horton, offering to give Samuel a new iPad, and she was also contacted by the Dartmoor Zoo.
"People's generosity has astounded me," she said. "I am overwhelmed.
"If anyone else does want to help they could give to the Family Fund.
"They are a charity that makes a difference to people's lives."
She said that while she was in Comet last week she met another family, from Launceston, who were trying to use a Family Fund gift card.
She said she told Comet staff, "You already have the money, can't you accept the gift card?" and they said, "We can't do anything for you".
But she said she was not blaming the staff, who were only following orders from the administrator.
She said she would be contacting the Family Fund for advice today when its offices reopen after the weekend.
Comment – Page 11 Reported by This is 9 hours ago.
KIND-hearted benefactors have stepped in to help after a Comet store refused to accept a £500 gift card from a disabled boy.
Maria Horton had been given the gift card by the Family Fund charity to buy an iPad for her four-year-old son Samuel, who suffers from cerebral palsy.
But Comet, which went into administration last week, refused to take the gift card.
Last night, after the news appeared online, Mrs Horton was contacted by three would-be benefactors who were touched by the story.
Samuel, who has just started school, has difficulty writing because his hand shakes. He will be able to use a special iPad program to help him with his schoolwork.
Mrs Horton, from Eggbuckland, said yesterday that Samuel had been looking forward to getting the iPad since the summer, when he was shown the program by an outreach worker. But when she tried to use the gift card in the Plympton and Plymouth city centre branches last week, the staff would not accept it.
"He's a bright boy, which is why he is in mainstream education.
"He was quite upset. He won't ever be able to write very well because his hand shakes, so that's where the iPad comes in."
The Herald was contacted yesterday by a Rochdale man, John Alexander, with an offer of £500 for Samuel.
Mr Alexander – the 'Singing Jeweller' – is a successful charity fund-raiser. He said: "I was touched by this story.
"I've had ups and downs in life, like we all have, but God has been good to me, and I have always tried to help along the way."
Mr Alexander, who is 70, only started his singing career two years ago, but has already sold several CDs for charity.
"Every now and then something like this comes along and if I can do anything to help, that's what I do," he said.
At the same time a Bristol businessman emailed Mrs Horton, offering to give Samuel a new iPad, and she was also contacted by the Dartmoor Zoo.
"People's generosity has astounded me," she said. "I am overwhelmed.
"If anyone else does want to help they could give to the Family Fund.
"They are a charity that makes a difference to people's lives."
She said that while she was in Comet last week she met another family, from Launceston, who were trying to use a Family Fund gift card.
She said she told Comet staff, "You already have the money, can't you accept the gift card?" and they said, "We can't do anything for you".
But she said she was not blaming the staff, who were only following orders from the administrator.
She said she would be contacting the Family Fund for advice today when its offices reopen after the weekend.
Comment – Page 11 Reported by This is 9 hours ago.