Generous Mail readers help raise £40, 000 for victims
GENEROUS Mail readers have so far donated more than 4,000 phones to our Mobiles for Manchester appeal.
Many of you have also sent money in support of those affected by the terrorist bombing, helping us to reach a running total of £40,000.
Survivors and community leaders have rallied behind the campaign since its launch seven days ago. They include Manchester United legend Bryan Robson and injured survivor Caroline Davis, whose best friend was among the 22 killed.
The Mail has asked readers to donate unwanted mobile phones to be re-used or recycled to raise money for those left injured and bereaved. All the money raised will go to charity, with the bulk going to the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund and a portion to be sent to inter-faith groups to help communities unite against terror and tackle prejudice and hatred.
The Mail has teamed up with Carphone Warehouse, which has agreed to accept mobiles in its 1,000 stores across the country. Any phone can be donated, no matter how old or damaged, although its value will vary depending on age and condition. The firm has generously donated 1,000 phones worth £25,000, and all money generated from donated handsets will go to the Mail’s appeal.
Hundreds of readers have also sent cheques, with more arriving every day. By 9pm on Thursday the cheques amounted to £15,000, swelling our appeal to at least £40,000. The value of the donated phones is not yet known.
It’s not too late to get involved. Research has found that more than a third of UK homes 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 some of the more recent smartphones. All you have to do is take the handset to any branch of Carphone Warehouse – you can find your nearest store using the web address on the coupon, left.
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 – ask for help.
Manchester bomb survivor Caroline Davis, whose best friend Wendy Fawell was killed in the atrocity, urged Mail readers to show their support.
The 39-year-old faces years of recovery following serious injuries but has vowed to act as a second mother to Mrs Fawell’s 15-year-old daughter Charlotte, who was at the concert.
The mother of three said: ‘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.’
The Bishop of Manchester, David Walker, said: ‘If this appeal can get people to dig out their old phones to donate to support those people then it is an imaginative idea which could help to make a difference.’
Carphone Warehouse managing director Jeremy Fennell said: ‘The response so far to Mobiles for Manchester has been very encouraging and this is only the start.’
The public have also donated £7million to the We Love Manchester fund, run by Manchester City Council and the British Red Cross.