Kind strangers replace birthday barbecue food stolen from Jon’s wheelchair
DISABLED MAN’S CELEBRATION SAVED AFTER SHOPPING THEFT IN LOUGHBOROUGH
A DISABLED man’s birthday barbecue has been saved thanks to generous strangers who came to his aid after his shopping was stolen from the back of his electric wheelchair.
Jon Yates was getting on the bus home from his shopping trip to Loughborough town centre when he discovered that someone had taken the bag of items.
The theft took place between 3pm and 3.45pm on Thursday, after he had bought the items from Tesco, in The Rushes.
He put the items, worth around £30, in
a rucksack-type bag, which was securely attached to the back of his wheelchair.
He also visited Poundland before getting on the bus.
The bag contained burgers, sausages and other barbecue items that Jon had purchased for a small get-together for his 56th birthday.
Jon lives in Sutton Bonington and has cerebellar ataxia, a neurological condition which affects the muscles and his ability to walk and move.
Of the theft, he said: “It was dreadful. I’m disabled, in a wheelchair and money is very tight.
“Although I get my benefits, much of it goes on my care package, which isn’t cheap. I was devastated.”
However, when he posted about the incident on Facebook, it prompting several people in Loughborough to club together to replace the stolen items.
They arranged for 80 burgers and 80 sausages to be sent out to him, along with a stack of burger buns and a bottle of sparkling wine.
Jon said he was hugely touched by the kind gesture.
He said: “I was crying. It restores your faith in humanity.”
Jon said he had since been back to Loughborough town centre to meet some friends, and his experience made him see some things in new light.
He said: “Going around, being aware of people in powered wheelchairs, you realise how vulnerable people like us are.”
If you have any information about the incident, contact police on the non-emergency number, 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.