7:10am Friday 13th June 2008
By Lucy Tatchell
A TEENAGE mother whose family is struggling to survive on £115 a week has spoken of her delight at receiving a £1,000 donation after her story was featured in your Worcester News.
Claire Williams said she was "overwhelmed" by the generosity of an anonymous Worcester News reader who came to her aid.
She said: "I am so overwhelmed, my first thought was I cannot take it. It means everything to us, I can now pay the bills, get the kids some new clothes and we can live until the benefits have come through. "Whoever he is he is a lifesaver."
On Tuesday, your Worcester News reported how the mother-of-two's benefits had been stopped in March after her partner moved in with her.
On the same day we received a phone call from a man wishing to donate money to the 18-year-old.
The man, who did not wish to give his name, age, address or profession, said he felt moved to give the mother money when he read the story.
He said: "I felt outraged with the Department of Works and Pensions for allowing a young family to suffer because of their bureaucracy and not afford them the means to live,"
he said.
"They have two young children and I just feel saddened by their story and I hope they will be happy with the money."
After he delivered £1,000 in postal orders to the office in Hylton Road, Worcester, we handed the money over to Miss Williams.
She said that if there was any money left, after paying the bills and feeding and clothing her children, she would redecorate her flat in Cranham Drive, Warndon, Worcester.
Miss Williams and her 21-year-old partner Ashley Gormley have made fresh claims with the Department for Works and Pensions but until all the information has been received, the benefits cannot be started.
As a result the mum, who has a three-year-old son called Camron and six-month-old baby called Jacob, has been living off the child benefits and child tax credits.
She said that because her children were lactose intolerant, a vast chunk of the money was spent on soya milk and lactose-free products, and after bills had been paid she was left with £15 a week for food.
The teenager does not work because she has been signed off due to long-term depression, and Mr Gormley is looking for a job.
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