Spalding Flower Parade volunteer ‘utterly’ shocked by free laptop gifted by Buy It Sell It business owners

A volunteer who does the financial accounts for Spalding Flower Parade was ‘utterly’ shocked when a business couple gave her a free laptop.

Diane Mayes had popped into Buy It Sell It on Victoria Street in Spalding when she was encountering problems with her computer.

As treasurer and committee member of the Spalding Flower Parade, Mrs Mayes uses a laptop for accounting spreadsheets and when she mentioned it, the shop’s owners Shane and Diane Graves they donated a laptop free of charge.

Mrs Mayes said: “I went to try and use the laptop I have had for years but felt I had forgotten how to use spreadsheets.

“I explained to them about the laptop and that I needed it now that I had taken the treasurer’s job for the parade.

“I feel so out of it with everyone being so computer savvy but Shane reassured me that my laptop was old and was also overheating - so it wasn’t just me which is a good thing.”

Mrs Graves is reassured that it is not her knowledge of how to use spreadsheets that was holding her back but an old Windows system installed on the laptop.

The couple then went onto make a very generous gesture by donating a replacement.

Mrs Mayes said: “I was like, I can’t believe it.

“I was utterly shocked and said ’you can’t do that.’

“They said they wanted to give back to the community.”

Mr and Mrs Graves have run the business that buys and recycles electronic goods for ten and half years having moved from Boston

They often donate laptops to families who may not be able to buy one so their children can complete homework.

Mrs Graves said: “We want to support Spalding in everything we do.

“The flower parade is such a good thing for the town.

“There were definitely tears welling in her eyes when we said we’ll sort something out for her.”

In return for their generosity Mrs Mayes has shared her experience on Facebook to boost awareness about the shop and it has already collected 245 likes online.

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