A plumber has received praise from around the world after he fixed a 91-year-old woman’s boiler and did not charge her a cent for his efforts.
James Anderson, a plumber from Burnley in the UK, issued an invoice after completing the work which reads, “Lady is 91 years of age, acute leukaemia, and end-of-life care.
“No charge for this lady under any circumstances. We will be available 24 hours to help her and keep her as comfortable as possible.”
The invoice, which shows an amount owing of £0.00, was originally posted by the woman’s daughter, Christine Rowlands, on social media.
The post has shared and reposted more than one hundred thousand times, and has been covered in news stories all around the world.
https://twitter.com/PDevonian/status/1173273427874070529
Mr Anderson, who is 52, started not-for-profit Disabled and Elderly Plumbing and Heating Emergency Repair (DEPHR) in March 2017.
Since then, he has helped nearly 2,500 elderly and disabled people.
“I do it because it needs doing,” he told news.com.au.
He said the elderly and disabled “don’t like asking for help. They don’t like asking for support. If there’s a company that can offer the support and can take away the stigma and the feeling they are a burden, that will save a lot of suffering,” he said.
Mr Anderson was inspired to set up DEPHER after he saw an elderly man being “manipulated” by a local engineer, he told CNN.
“It got me thinking about other elderly and vulnerable people — we need to do something more to help the people who need it most.”
Ms Rowlands described Mr Anderson an “angel dressed up as a plumber”.
Mr Anderson’s not-for-profit relies heavily on donations. In the past, he received £2,000 from the Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund, one of the Queen’s charities, but since then has racked up some debts, though he says the organisation’s finances are under control.
“As long as I have enough money to fill up the tank in my car, I will be there to try and help the people who need it,” he said. Mr Anderson said he would like to see the concept expanded upon more broadly throughout the United Kingdom.
You can make a donation through DEPHR’s crowdfunding page, which contains a video of one of Mr Anderson’s satisfied clients.
“To have someone like James who comes out and fixes it and tells you there’s no charge. I can’t tell you how much it means,” she the woman says.
“I can’t get over how kind James is. He gives up his time to come out and do this for us, when there’s no one else who is willing to help us.”
“There should be more people like James.”
Hear, hear – we agree with her. With his selfless work, Mr Anderson is an example to us all and we wish him all the very best with his vital work.
If you would like to donate, please visit Mr Anderson’s DEPHR crowdfunding page.
