Daily Mail

Robson backs our mobile phones appeal

- By Ian Drury Home Affairs Editor

FORMER England captain Bryan Robson last night threw his weight behind the Daily Mail’s Mobiles for Manchester campaign to raise money for the terror attack victims.

A week after the world was stunned by the suicide bombing, the Manchester United legend – nicknamed ‘Captain Marvel’ – rallied behind the appeal.

Robson, the longest-serving captain in the club’s history and an inspiratio­n for a generation of fans, urged readers to help those affected by donating unwanted mobile phones to be reused or recycled.

Twenty-two innocent people were killed in the blast, which targeted children as they left a pop concert by Ariana Grande.

Robson, 60, said: ‘The victims of the Manchester bombing will need help for

years to come, with life-changing injuries, the psychologi­cal scars and bereavemen­t.

‘The Mail’s appeal is a good way for everyone to get involved and show solidarity with the victims. I am happy to lend my support to the cause and I am urging others to get behind the appeal and donate your old phones to help all of those affected.’

A survivor of the atrocity has also backed the Mobiles for Manchester appeal.

Caroline Davis was seriously injured and her best friend Wendy Fawell was killed as they waited to collect their children after the concert. Mrs Davis, 39, has vowed to act as a second mother to Mrs Fawell’s 15-year-old daughter Charlotte.

She said: ‘I’m happy to back the Daily Mail’s Mobiles for Manchester appeal. Victims and their families will need a lot of help in the coming days and months, and if you have an old phone not being used, then donating that can help.’ Research has found that more than a third of UK households have at least one unwanted phone gathering dust in a drawer or cupboard. They are almost all worth money, from a few pounds to hundreds for more up-to-date smartphone­s. The Mail has teamed up with Carphone Warehouse, which has agreed to accept mobiles in its 1,000 stores and to donate all the money raised to the Mail’s appeal. The bulk of the money raised by Mail readers will go to the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund to support those injured or bereaved by the attack. A portion will also be sent to inter-faith charities to help communitie­s unite against terror and tackle prejudice and hatred. Anyone who wants to donate their mobile phone can take it to any branch of Carphone Warehouse.

You should tell staff you want to donate it to the Mobiles for Manchester appeal and – if you have not cleared the data from it at home, then you should ask them for help.

Carphone Warehouse has generously donated 1,000 phones, with a value of £25,000, and all money generated from donated phones will go to the Mail’s appeal.

Thanks to public support, more than £5.5million has already been donated to the We Love Manchester fund, run by Manchester City Council in conjunctio­n with the British Red Cross.

 ??  ?? Captain Marvel: Manchester United star Bryan Robson
Captain Marvel: Manchester United star Bryan Robson

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