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TAXI COMPANY'S GIFT TO MICHAEL

12:00 - 26 July 2005
A taxi company has picked up the £2,500 bill for a special mattress which will ease the discomfort suffered by disabled Plymouth lad Michael Bowrey. Taxifast has paid for the Eggbuckland teenager's mattress, which will reduce pain and help avoid bed sores and leg ulcers.

The Herald last week reported Michael's plight, as the 14-year-old was due to give the mattress back to the NHS unless he could pay for it.

Taxifast boss John Preece read the article and decided some of the firm's budget should go to help Michael.

The teenager has already stunned doctors after he was given just days to live in January 2004. He has battled on, despite having nearly a dozen life-threatening conditions.

Mum Beverley is delighted at Taxifast's generosity. "It's fantastic," she said. "He's much more comfortable on the special mattress - but I didn't expect a company to pay for it. It's wonderful news, and I thank John Preece and his colleagues."

Ms Bowrey said kind-hearted people all over the city had been donating since the article and she would use the surplus cash for items Michael needed.

She said: "It's overwhelming. You hear about people not caring in this world, but there are plenty out there who want to help. I also think the taxi drivers in this city are very kind!"

The special mattress should give Michael a good night's sleep and could help extend his life expectancy.

Michael has microcephaly - which means his head is smaller than normal - and cerebral palsy. He also suffers fits, has severe learning difficulties, two dislocated hips, breathing problems, scoliosis of the spine, cortical blindness and must be fed via a tube. Mr Preece said: "Taxifast is right at the heart of the community and we have an ethos of supporting the people. Michael has limited time, so we wanted to help him as quickly as we could."

The charity Plymouth Heartbeat is championing Michael's cause and asking anyone who can help fund special equipment to contact David Luckham on 568083 or 789508.

I knew that one day someone would post some good news on here that we can all agree on.

It took two years, and nearly 30,000 posts, but well done to those down there that showed our trade in a far better light than we are use too.

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IDFIMH

many drivers all over the UK seem to forget who we all rely on for our business.

a few may disregard this as a PR stunt, but helping out the people who pay our wages (the public) can surely be a good thing.

oh, and nice PR to boot

Whether a PR stunt or not, it certainly puts some of our own problems into perspective

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