Sean does a stirling job for the Trussell Trust (From Salisbury Journal)

Sean does a stirling job for the Trussell Trust

7:30am Saturday 11th April 2009 in Search By Annie Riddle

TWELVE years ago, a moment of senseless violence left Sean Tyrrell’s life in ruins.

He was working as a DJ in a bar in Lanzarote when a drunk pushed him from behind and then jumped on his head as he lay on the floor.

The attack put him in hospital for 20 months and robbed him of the ability to stand or speak.

But Sean, whose attacker was never caught, has found a new purpose in life as a volunteer helping the Trussell Trust.

He can talk again, and even walk a little with the aid of sticks.

And he is doing an invaluable job for the charity, selling second-hand books on Amazon.

“I look at the barcode, punch it into the computer, and it comes up on the screen,” he explained. “It tells you how many other people have listed that book, and gives the prices. Then I choose how much to sell it for.”

So far this year Sean and his fellow volunteers have raised about £3,000 through projects, including the Amazon sales, for the trust, which runs various projects to combat poverty both locally and overseas.

Volunteer co-ordinator Lizzie Abnett explained that some of the books given to the charity are sold in its shop, ReStore, but others that are more collectable or of specialised interest fetch better prices online.

For Sean, 42, who lives with his widowed mother in Amesbury, his weekly trips to the project, based at St Michael’s Church, Bemerton Heath, have been “a life-saver”.

He said: “I don’t really get out much. Two years ago you would never have got a word out of me.

“My social worker contacted the trust about me. She’s an absolute star, and she has been my rock.

“I think I just progress every time I come out, because I love company. I have made lots of friends. The more I am around normal people, the better it is for me, and I hope to do more here eventually.”

Trust spokesman Molly Hodson said: “We love having Sean here. He does a really important job, and we literally couldn’t run this project without people like him.”