Asda banned my Good Samaritan son from taking shelter while selling Remembrance Day poppies during downpour
A JOBSWORTH Asda manager has been slammed as "disgusting" after a schoolboy was refused shelter from the rain whilst collecting for the Poppy Appeal.
James Fitzgerald, 15, said he was "shocked" after being left out in the downpour by the supermarket's callous manager.
The 15-year-old said he was denied cover while he was out fundraising with members of the Coventry Air Cadets on November 5.
After the heavens opened while the young Good Samaritans were outside an Asda superstore in Radford, Nottingham, they asked if they could wait out the storm inside.
But James said he was stunned to then be turned away and left out in the rain in his full cadet uniform.
Alongside leaving the youths in the downpour, the manager added that they also didn't have the proper paperwork to stay on the Asda property.
Read More In The Sun
"It was quite obvious we were there collecting for the Royal British Legion and that we weren't fibbing.
"I didn't have a collection tin at the time, but I was in full uniform and it wasn't in any way covered up.
"I told one of the higher ups about what happened and he said it was 'shocking'.
"Organisations like the Royal British Legion are very important.
"Not only to children involved, but also to help spread awareness of the history of the Armed Forces and hopefully to build a stable future for them.
"They are all very important, all of them."
James' mum Marianne, 49, added that she was furious with the manager's cold-hearted response.
She said: "I think it's disgusting. These children stood outside for six hours without a break.
"They went to shelter, that was all. It made me so angry when I found out.
"I think they should have shown some respect and compassion. That response was not good - very disappointing."
Thankfully, the young air cadets were later saved from the storm by a local business that offered to shelter the kids and gave them free food.
Marianne said despite the jobsworth Asda manager's best efforts, the kids still had a "wonderful day" and are now planning another round of fundraising.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
A spokesperson for Asda said: "Asda is proud to support the Poppy Appeal in our stores across the UK and have been welcoming volunteers from the Royal British Legion into our stores throughout Remembrance.
"Like all businesses, Asda requires collectors to be able to provide the correct paperwork and authorisations and unfortunately the young man wasn’t able to provide this documentation."