A TAVISTOCK family have received a special Christmas present of £750, thanks to the sale of one brand of tyres from a local business. Tavistock Tyres has raised the amount to help pay for the specialist therapy needed by six-year old Paul Lewis, who has autism. The Plymouth Road Industrial Estate-based company has donated £1 for every TOYO tyre it has sold in the past few months to help fund a place for Paul on the Son-Rise Programme. Branch manager Tim Schmid said: ?Paul is autistic, which means he has problems communicating and relating to the world around him. ?Since starting the Son-Rise Programme of America nearly three years ago, he has gone from being mute to having the ability to speak, which is unbelievable. ?We are keen on supporting the local community as much as possible and it is a pleasure to have the opportunity to sponsor Paul. We hope this will be the first of many occasions when we can help him.? Allen, Paul?s father, said: ?I am so pleased that our cause is reaching new heights and I am very confident we are on a roll now and people are becoming aware and listening. We are very excited about the promotion of autism awareness and the support of Tavistock Tyres. ?Once again I thank everyone at Tavistock Tyres for their on-going support and their passionate commitment with regards to helping local charities.?
