Wigan woman gets 286 cards to mark milestone birthday

Christine, who has Down’s Syndrome, had been looking forward to hiring a venue and bringing together all her family and friends to celebrate the big 4-0 for several years.

After the novel coronavirus put paid to that her kind-hearted cousin Julie Lavin turned to social media to see if generous residents could help to make her day as special as possible by sending her birthday cards.

And the public responded in kind, with a deluge of 286 cards and some special presents which left Christine both amazed and delighted.

Julie said: “Christine rang me in the morning asking for help opening her birthday cards as she had so many.

“She was overwhelmed and there were a couple of tears.

“She also had three deliveries of flowers and we don’t know who two of them are from.

“She had lots of presents, balloons at the door, a birthday T-shirt and sash and a little tiara.

“She had a lovely day and wanted to thank each and every person who sent her a card. She was very grateful and it meant so much to her. It was great to see her smiling.”

Christine’s birthday gifts included an afternoon tea delivered from Swinley business Poets Corner.

Julie says she is hoping to use some of the money she got for her birthday to take her parents Evelyn and Frank on holiday later this year, with the Channel island of Jersey being mentioned as a possible destination.

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