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Dear Kate,
In 2015 I bought a Fruit Shoot drink for one of my children and happened to win a contest for £2,000 for a family holiday. The offer was valid for two years, but towards the end of the period, in 2017, I inquired about using the vouchers to Book a trip to Disneyland.
I almost got to the point of booking, but then my wife was suddenly diagnosed with stage four breast cancer and tragically died just 11 months later. Going on vacation was of course the last thing on our minds.
Then, about a year after my wife’s death, the pandemic hit. It was such a difficult time for our family, which was still deeply grieved for my wife. And any postponed plans for a vacation wouldn’t happen then, due to all the various travel restrictions.
Now, finally, I’m finally ready to rebook the trip to Disneyland with my kids, so I asked Britvic, owner of the Fruit Shoot brand, whether it would be willing to let me claim the prize even though I’m out of time. But there doesn’t seem to be anyone who can help and I’m just being shown around.
I would appreciate it if you could reach Britvic and get me an answer? If it says I’m out of time, I accept it and move and book the vacation. It’s just that the £2,000 would make such a huge difference to me as I am now supporting three children on one income. I just want to know.
– DM, via email
Dear reader,
You have had a very hard time over the past few years, first losing your beloved wife and then having to stay strong through the pandemic for your three children. If anyone deserved a vacation, it was you, so I was eager to see if I could help.
You won this contest some eight years ago in 2015 and it expired six years ago in 2017. This is a significant lapse of time and under normal circumstances you wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. But there was nothing much ordinary about this series of tragic circumstances.
At the end of the day, consumer brands like Fruit Shoot run contests to boost sales, so if you didn’t claim the prize (through no fault of your own), Britvic may have inadvertently profited at your expense. I was sure that if the bosses heard about this, they would want to make amends.
You sent me your wife’s death certificate, which I passed on to Britvic. I also found an online tribute about her by the former employer, which confirmed the date of her diagnosis. I also sent this to Britvic, as it couldn’t hurt to prove the facts of the case.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long for Britvic to do the right thing. When I called to let you know it had decided to honor the £2,000 holiday vouchers you got emotional. This was a drop in the ocean for Britvic, but it meant so much to you.
You said you were comforted by reading her ex-colleague’s wonderful tribute, which you hadn’t thought of in a while until I thought about showing it to Britvic. In it a colleague mentioned how your wife had told her how lucky she felt to have a husband and children whom she loved and a career in which she was thriving and enjoying.
A spokesperson for Britvic said: “We were very saddened to learn of the tragic passing of the client’s wife and the difficult circumstances he and his family have endured. Britvic’s consumer care team has recently been in contact with the customer and will receive the award in full. We wish the family all the best for the future and hope they enjoy their holiday.”