Firm steps in to donate new buggy

A DROITWICH mum has paid tribute to a kind-hearted company who donated a double pushchair to replace one stolen from outside her home before Christmas.

Lydia Knight was left heartbroken and virtually housebound in December after a cold-hearted raid saw thieves take the £700 pushchair, a Baby Jogger City Select tandem model, from her Westlands home.

But the 31-year-old has been handed a lifeline thanks to the generosity of Kooltrade Ltd, a Manchester firm which imports Baby Jogger products to the UK.

After hearing of her plight, the firm donated a new Baby Jogger City Select tandem to help the single mum and her two children, Ruby, who will be three next month, and Indi who is one.

“It was a massive surprise because all I was hoping for was perhaps a second hand buggy if I was really lucky,” Lydia told The Standard.

“It was a big shock but a lovely shock all the same. To be honest the whole situation has been very difficult to deal with, but this gesture has made it all worthwhile,” she added.

The pushchair is vital to Lydia and her children because Ruby has been registered disabled after being diagnosed with significant behavioural and learning difficulties.

Without the pushchair, Lydia said she would be trapped in her own home because of Ruby’s learning difficulties.

“I can’t take her for a walk, because she would just run off.

“She’s got limited understanding and she just doesn’t realise the danger of running out into the road or running off,” she added.

The single mum uses the pushchair to take Ruby to a specialist nursery in Worcester four times a week and to speech therapy sessions.

“We can now go out again, which is vital for my daughter because you cannot keep her indoors for 24-hours-a-day, she needs to go out to help her development and having this pushchair has made everything possible again.

“I am so incredibly grateful to the company, I just want to thank them over and over again for giving me my lifeline back.

“I also want to thank Community Support Officer Alun Jones, who dealt with the theft when I first reported it.

“He came to check we were okay and has been really friendly, supportive and lovely,” she added.