LittleBlueCup
864. Marc Carter
Marc Carter, from North Devon, founded ‘LittleBlueCup,’ an ambitious project that harnesses social media to find lost items for disabled children.
The project began after Marc asked Twitter for help finding a discontinued drinking cup that was the only one his son Ben, who has autism, would drink from. His search went viral and inspired the cup’s manufacturer to send his family a lifetime supply. As it is common for people with autism to become attached to certain objects, Marc decided to launch a global project to help other children with autism, learning difficulties and medical issues, to reconnect with treasured and potentially irreplaceable items. Running the project, whilst still caring full time for his three autistic children, Marc and his team of 50 volunteers have matched over 2,500 precious items with different families, with precious items ranging from a denim hat to a wizard cuddly toy.
In a personal letter to Marc, Prime Minister Theresa May said:
“Through ‘LittleBlueCup’, you are supporting children with autism, special needs and medical issues by reuniting them with the treasured items that mean so much to them. By building on your personal success of finding your son’s special cup through social media, you are bringing comfort to hundreds of families whose children rely on specific personal items for their happiness and wellbeing.”
Marc said: