Mum's pride in kind-hearted son's Chesterfield FC donation to comfort Turkey-Syria quake victims

Shaun Gratton, who has Down’s Syndrome, is an ardent fan of the Spireites who he has followed for half a century. He is also a Liverpool supporter and his bedroom at Spitewinter, is a shrine to The Reds.

His mum, Olga Burrows, said that following the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, she told Shaun: “These people are in the snow, they’ve got no scarves or anything to keep them warm,” to which Shaun replied: “Mum, they can have my scarves.”

Olga has bagged up 22 scarves, six hats and a couple of pairs of gloves for a collection organised by Chesterfield Inner Wheel. Shaun’s large haul of football-themed clothing has been amassed over more than 20 years. Olga said: “The scarves and hats are new and are what people have bought Shaun every year for presents. It’s lovely to think of his donations going to someone who needs them. Shaun is just so happy to help as he has never wanted for anything.”

Shaun, 55, has kept two sets of Chesterfield and Liverpool FC hats and scarves, even though he is no longer able to watch his beloved Spireites in person at matches that he first attended as a four-year-old. Olga said: “He is very poorly and just watches telly.”

Her kind-hearted son has defied medical prognosis several times. Olga said: “Shaun is a fighter; they told me five times that he would die. Ten years ago he had cancer and had to have his testicles and a kidney removed. He has had eight DVTs in his leg. In 2020 we were told he’d never walk again – he walks with a zimmer and last week he had a brace to help him walk further.

"I am so proud of Shaun because he is so kind. He colours and sells pictures and sent over £700 to Ashgate Hospice in 2022 as he attends their day centre every Wednesday.

"Carers come in twice a day to look after him at home and he always shares the chocolates he has been given for Christmas and his birthday in January with them.”