Norfolk boy granted shopping spree wish
An 8 year-old boy has had his wish of a shopping spree made possible thanks to a charity and local shopping centre.
Last updated 11th Nov 2020
Alfie Burst, who's 8 and from Thetford, was born with a heart condition, and had made a wish with charity Make-A-Wish UK for a shopping spree.
The charity, and Chantry Place in Norwich, pulled out all the stops to make Alfie's dreams come true, in a Covid-secure way, just before the second lockdown in England.
Alfie was picked up along with his parents and siblings from their home by a chaffuer-driven red Hummer limousine.
On the drive to Norwich, he chose the music and helped himself to sweets and to his favourite soft drink.
Once at the shopping centre he was given the full rock start experience, with a roped off red carpet laid out especially for him, and VIP access to two of his favourite shops which were temporarily closed to other customers.
At Build-A-Bear, Alfie created a baby Yoda-style toy backpack and asked each member of his family to 'make a wish' on kiss each of the hearts he put inside. Then he was given lots of extra goodies to take home, including a bear advent calendar.
At the Disney store, Alfie bought a Pluto jumper for his dog and some character-themed Christmas decorations. He and his family also got a sneak peak of the new Christmas Disney advert.
He spent the day spending vouchers and getting treats from a whole range of stores in the centre, making sure his siblings bought something for themselves too.
He also bought flowers and chocolates for the shopping centre's customer service manager to say thank you, and gave ÂŁ10 to a homeless person outside so they could buy a hot meal.
Alfie's Mum, Gina, said: "It was like Christmas Day for Alfie, only on a better scale because he could choose all the presents he wanted.
"It was more memorable than the holiday he had wished for originally because this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
"We could never have organised it.
"The red limo was particularly special. We definitely started lockdown with a bang!
"It's a date we'll always remember."