Teesside girl collects phones to get iPads for other children with autism

Seven year old Lucy-Jo from Teesside has autism and loves her iPad.  Her parents love it too: they've seen how it has helped her with writing, coordination and independence.

So when they heard about the Hearts and Minds mobile phone recycling scheme, they joined up just before Christmas, but to get iPads to help other children with autism.

"We decided we wanted to give something back to the charities that have helped us," says Lucy-Jo's Mum, Jenna. "We set up a group on facebook called DONATE A PHONE  and we had hundreds of people sending us phones and offering phones.  Lucy-Jo's little smile and photographs really helped :)"

Before long, the family had received 185 old phones, enough to swap for an iPad package with a protective case and Grace App.

Lucy-Jo presented the first iPad to local autism charity MAIN, whose services she uses.

But the phones kept arriving, so the family kept collecting and they now plan to present a second iPad to FROGS, another local charity that helps children with a variety of different disabilities.

You can read more about the family's efforts in the local paper:

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2013/02/06/donate-a-phone-to-help-kids-just-like-kind-hemlington-girl-lucy-jo-84229-32755467/2/

Could an iPad help your child too?

If you live in Britain, simply collect 165 old mobile phones and the Manchester-based charity Hearts and Minds will exchange them for a new iPad.

Details here:

Website: : heartsandmindsphones.co.uk/
Facebook: facebook.com/HeartsAndMindsUK