McDonalds provide disabled woman with '˜favourite hot chocolate'

A Littlehampton father has thanked McDonalds for providing his disabled and bed-bound daughter with her favourite brand of hot chocolate free of charge.
Patricia Birch has been given loads of free chocolate drink by McDonalds. Photo by Derek MartinPatricia Birch has been given loads of free chocolate drink by McDonalds. Photo by Derek Martin
Patricia Birch has been given loads of free chocolate drink by McDonalds. Photo by Derek Martin

Patricia Birch, 47, who was left disabled in 1976 after a brain operation, said she absolutely loved their style of hot chocolate.

For months, her father Dave Birch had been trying to replicate the drink to no avail.

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He decided to visit the McDonalds restaurant in Arundel to ask for the recipe but was shocked when he was offered far more.

He said: “Not only did they give me a recipe, they gave me a whole load of their hot chocolate.

“I said I couldn’t take this off them for free but they insisted on it. I just thought it was absolutely wonderful of them.”

Patricia has been disabled since the age of six after she was diagnosed with a brain condition before starting chemotherapy.

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Dave added: “She has been in a bed for six months and she absolutely loves McDonalds hot chocolate.

“When her sister moved out of the family home, Patricia wanted to move out too so we moved her into a bungalow. She was mobile up until recently and is now bed-bound.

“She has always enjoyed her life but I think she has had some rotten luck along the way.”

Dave went back into the McDonalds restaurant, at Crossbush Service Station, in Lyminster Road, to thank the member of staff for the hot chocolate and offer them some money.

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He was served by another member of staff who agreed to supply him with even more – again free of charge.

He added: “The lady who spoke to me this time gave me another load of hot chocolate and was so lovely about it all.

“It sounds like nothing but these things can help my daughter feel so happy and I can’t thank them enough.”

A spokesman for McDonalds said: “One of our Arundel restaurant employees, Ben Dann, had kindly offered Mr Birch a hot chocolate for his daughter, upon learning that she is unwell and how much she loves the drink.

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“We would like to thank Mr Birch for his Ronald McDonald House Charity donation, and are pleased to have been able to offer the drink so that his daughter could enjoy it from the comfort of their home.”

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