Readers help James avoid pauper's grave
Press Relief helped to bring a happy ending to a sad story featured in the paper.The story reported how there was no money to pay for the funeral of Cambridge homeless man, James Ulysses Bond - and that a city office worker, Mick Lazaurs, had stumped up the money himself to prevent Mr Bond going to a pauper's grave.
Readers of the News came to the rescue and donations flooded in, to the tune of more than £2000 - and Press Relief chipped in too.
In the end, there was enough money to repay Mr Lazarus the £1,600 he had spent on the funeral, and make donations to two Cambridge homelessness charities, Wintercomfort and Jimmy's Nightshelter.
Mr Lazarus, who lives at Milton, said: "I can't thank people enough for all the donations, or thank the News enough either. It's wonderful."
Emma Holbrook, co-ordinator for Press Relief, said: "We were happy to make a donation. This is what the fund was set up for - to help people in the community in need."
Two representatives from Wintercomfort, Katy Dunbar and Emma Harrison, and Bev Williams from Jimmy's, came to the News to receive the cheques.