A STALYBRIDGE car salesman has a simple message to people who helped him break all records with his Christmas charity push – thank you.
Steve Pearson, who runs Steve Pearson Car Sales on Acres Lane, says he was ‘overwhelmed’ with the response to his appeal as he collected gifts for Mission Christmas.
Eventually, more than 500 items – a huge record haul – were taken to the cause’s depot close to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium and a simple sign left him and son Jack blown away.
It read: “16,038 children helped, 20,757 still to help.”
That and the sight of the total haul donated by people across the area rammed home why he does it every year.
And the generosity of people after telling The Correspondent of his Mission bowled him over.
Steve said: “I was overwhelmed. I couldn’t believe the nice people that came because it’s tough out there.
“However, people came and said, ‘I’ve just got a little gift.’ People were coming through the door. I asked where they were coming from and they replied, ‘We’d seen the article.’
“We weren’t bothered about whether we sold a car or not. In December, we say, ‘Get toys to kids.’
“My mum had a tough time when I was a kid, so this is something that’s close to my heart.
“Now I’m in the fortunate position where I can give a little bit back and it’s about that, that’s how I feel about it.
“It’s an opportunity to give something back. When I get an opportunity to do something good, I take it.
“If I can do a good turn, I do a good turn. You hear a lot about negative things but there are a lot of good people.
“We had people from Tameside and Glossop contribute to our appeal and this year, we smashed our previous record.
“Thank you so much.”
The collection at Steve Pearson Car Sales has contributed to an almighty effort to make sure as many children as possible at least get something for Christmas.
But there is no sitting back, next year’s Mission is already in the diary along with others, especially after seeing the huge overall result.
Steve added: “When we took our collection to the depot, there was absolutely loads of stuff there. It was very humbling.
“And it’s all run by volunteers, people doing it out of the goodness of their heart – that gets you.
“We help kids at Christmas but in the summer we help send them to the circus through Circus Star. We help the NSPCC and Willow Wood Hospice too.
“And it will be the same thing next year, definitely.”