Kindness is “all in a day’s work” for The Athlete’s Foot Liverpool team

WHAT Nick Carrasco thinks is “all in a day’s work”, a customer has been blown away by, when she visited the shoe store with her autistic son.

The Athlete’s Foot Liverpool owner Neil Carrasco. Picture: Tim Clapin

• Take a seat to find a friend
• Parishioners want baby Jesus statue returned
• Motorcycle riders help fight drug problem

A MOTHER of a child with special needs has written to a Liverpool shoe store following her shoe fitting experience as she prepares for back to school.

It has sparked The Athlete’s Foot team to go above and beyond for every family with a special-needs child, who said it’s all in a day’s work.

They will open outside normal hours to accommodate the needs of children with special needs to alleviate anxiety and stress for the family.

Sharon Paine shopped at The Athlete’s Foot Liverpool with her two school-aged children, one who has autism.

“He has trouble waiting and has sensory processing issues. This is the first time I have had his foot properly measured and fitted for a school shoe,” she said in her letter to the store.

The Athlete’s Foot staff member Maddie Stone fits Dean Tsogas from Lansvale for a pair of shoes. Picture: Tim Clapin

“On advising the sales assistant, he accommodated me and my son Bradley in every way, to make the process run smoothly,” she said.

“Thank you for making this process so easy and stress free. Will definitely be returning.”

Back to school is a nightmare. It’s school holidays. The shops are teaming with more shoppers than usual and tensions can run high.

Add to that a child with special needs and many families will not even attempt to brave it.

“Just like Sharon’s son Bradley, we want to offer any parent with special needs children to contact us so we can organise the time and care for a great shoe fitting experience,” store owner Neil Carrasco said.

Mr Carrasco, who owns the store with his wife Katie, said he saw how successful the sensory Santa photo sessions were at Christmas for families with children that have special needs.

“People need someone they can trust and kids should be treated like any other person,” he said.

“I don’t want people to feel judged and I don’t want them to feel uncomfortable.

“And whenever our staff think about working with us and here in Liverpool, community is what we all think about.”

Mr Carrasco is encouraging families to get in touch to scheduled a time that suits them.

“Even if it’s outside store hours — if we have to stay back for an extra half-hour or get here early,” he said.

“And there’s no obligation to buy. While sales help pay the bills, we’re not driven by the transaction.”

For more information call 9602 1391 or contact them through the The Athlete’s Foot Liverpool Facebook page.

SHOES PLEASE

● Shoes make up 21.7 per cent of the $105 billion retail sales in 2015/16

● Details obtained from the Roy Morgan Research State of the National Retail Spotlight