Liverpool City Council’s refuse team has been on a very special mission to bring joy to a 10-year-old Alder Hey patient by handing him his very own purple bins.
Young David Geelan hails from Middlesbrough but he and his family have been frequent visitors to the city because he’s under the care of Alder Hey.
At birth, David had the condition Craniosynostosis, meaning his skull had joined together too early. He’s been making the 100-mile trip to the hospital for reconstruction surgery and regular check-ups ever since.
David’s dad Andrew says the family has fallen in love with Liverpool and return as often as they can. The family has also become fundraising ambassadors for Alder Hey.
And on each journey they make, the family know they have arrived in Liverpool when they see the city’s iconic purple wheelie bins.
This week, officers at Liverpool Streetscene Services Ltd (LSSL) received a request from Andrew who wanted to know if he could buy a purple bin for David and the family.
The big-hearted LSSL team jumped at the chance to make a dream come true for brave David so they loaded up a couple of the famous purple bins and headed for the North East.
The plan was to surprise David on the doorstep by presenting him with his own little piece of Liverpool.
LSSL gave him a full-sized wheelie for the garden and a smaller one so David can store his toys in it.
And it’s fair to say that David and the whole family were ‘wheelie’ delighted when their brand new bins arrived.
David instantly took possession of the new bins and promptly named them Bella and Bertie – after Liverpool’s famous Liver Birds!
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: “David is an amazing young man and we are really thrilled that he and his family love our city so much. It is clear that the family have done a tremendous amount of great work for Alder Hey, so it really was the least we could do to present them with their very own purple bins.
“We’re proud to call David and his family honorary Scousers. I have asked them to come and see me next time they’re in Liverpool and we’ll make their stay a really memorable one.”
Andrew Geelan said: “Liverpool is our second home and we try and get back there as often as we can. We always know we are in Liverpool when we see the purple bins, so I thought I would email to see if we could get one. I never dreamt the council would bring two up for me. David is thrilled and it just goes to show the kindness and generosity of the people of Liverpool, they are willing to go the extra mile for anyone.”
Irene Axom from Alder Hey Children’s Charity added: “We know how much David loves the city of Liverpool and it’s wonderful that the council has been able to gift him two wheelie bins. The Geelan family are great ambassadors for our hospital and we’d like to thank them for all their continued support. We’ll see you when you’re next in Liverpool.”
