"It's completely free of charge." These words aren't usually connected to fixing a broken boiler.
This unique situation happened in Burnley, a town in Britain, where plumber James Anderson gained online fame due to a viral receipt from one of his jobs.
Originally from Liverpool, Anderson is being praised for sending a bill of £0 to a 91-year-old woman dealing with leukemia. The touching receipt, initially shared on Facebook by the woman's daughter, Christine Rowlands, came with a compassionate message: "No charge for this lady under any circumstances. We will be available 24 hours to help her and keep her as comfortable as possible."
Anderson takes it a step further, promising "free plumbing for life" for the elderly woman.
This act of kindness isn't a one-time thing for Anderson. Since turning his plumbing business into a community project for vulnerable people, he claims to have assisted thousands—precisely 2,389 since March 2017, according to his statement to CNN.
The idea for setting up his company, DEPHER, came when he saw another elderly man being taken advantage of by an engineer in the area. Reflecting on this, Anderson said, "It got me thinking about other elderly and vulnerable people — we need to do something more to help the people who need it most."
DEPHER focuses on providing affordable plumbing services for those in need, aiming to ease the worries of elderly and disabled individuals who may hesitate to seek assistance due to financial constraints.
While acknowledging that offering free services depends on available funding, Anderson is determined to make a positive impact. DEPHER relies on donations and crowdfunding to sustain its operations, receiving support from organizations like the Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund, the Queen's charity.
Despite accumulating debts of approximately £8,000, Anderson remains hopeful, managing monthly payments to the bank and continuing to offer a 25% discount even during lean periods.
"As long as I have enough money to fill up the tank in my car, I will be there to try and help the people who need it."