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AMNESTY PUTS AUSSIE IN TOUCH WITH HIS MUM!

"Marshall Frieze from Pioneer Communications Solutions, Richard Pate and friend discuss the changes to mobile phones."

A chance discovery in a dusty travel case has just won an Aussie businessman a valuable prize that will keep him in close touch with his 70 year old mum Down Under.

Richard Pate,38, originally hails from Perth but now lives in Denby Dale near Huddersfield, working between the UK and his home country as a top flight trainer for banks and financial institutions.

But when he decided to carry out a belated Spring clean he didn't expect to turn up a modern 'antique' that would net him a valuable prize.

"I read in the media about a mobile phone amnesty being run by Pioneer Communication Solutions of Leeds, as part of their drive to raise cash for charity.

"I thought no more of it until I was clearing out a packing case which I first brought to the UK in 1998, and picked up what looked like a rather cumbersome mobile handset I bought many years ago.

"I knew it wasn't 'modern' in mobile terms and contacted Marshall Frieze at Pioneer off York Road. He later told me that it was an analogue Marconi handset originally made by NEC but it was absolutely useless in the current digital age.

"I simply wanted to give it to him as part of his charity drive but was surprised to learn that he was also planning to donate a state-of-the art Blackberry to the person who handed in the oldest handset."

Richard, who frequently travels back to Australia, was later informed that he had won the coveted prize. "I was delighted because I had been meaning to invest in a Blackberry for some time. Not only is it great for business but, in my case, it's a rather handy link back to my 'silver surfer' mum, Glenys, who lives in Oz and regularly sends me e-mails. Now I can answer her while I'm out of the office."

Pioneer's Leeds phone amnesty was raising money for Physcap, a West Yorkshire based charity dedicated to improving the quality of life of severely disabled children. Around 50 old handsets were collected at Pioneer and in boxes located at various businesses round the city. They will be re-conditioned for onward use by people in the third world – with proceeds from the sale of the handsets being donated to Physcap.

Marshall Frieze, who is Managing Director of Pioneer, has been supplying the UK business community with telecommunications systems since the mid 1990's.

He said:"I was delighted that someone from as far away as Australia won the prize. Richard will really benefit.

"We were delighted with the response and, as well as cash, I will also be donating a couple of high end phones to Physcap as raffle prizes for their annual 5-a-side football tournament being held in July".