John Siddle, Southport Visiter, chronicles the tragic tale of Bev and Jim Foggitt of Southport, U.K., who won a luxury weekend in New York, flew all the way across the Atlantic, and ended back in Southport the next day without having seen New York.  

Besides a 20-minute stroll on Broadway, the closest the couple got to the famed New York experience was staring out of the taxi window to and from the airport. For Jim was diagnosed with an embolism. He was advised by hospital staff to return to England. Sky-high medical fees – a bed in hospital would have cost over £500 per day – forced the couple to seek the next available flight home. As walk-on passengers, the couple had to pay a premium of £1,700. Bev added: “We left at 5am on the Thursday and were back in Southport at 3.30pm on the Friday. What was meant to be a luxury freebie has ended up costing us an awful lot of money.

Comment from Abbey, the company which sponsored the luxury weekend in New York contest - Abbey is therefore not responsible for any medical or related costs incurred by Mr Foggitt during his trip.

Oh please! Gimme a break. Those poor people not only had their dreams shattered, suffered excruciating inconvinience, exhaustion and pain, but also had to pay for it? And to rub salt into their wounds, their NYC cabbie happily took the bottle of champagne they offered and still charged them….

This is not just about an old couple from a place you’ve never heard of. This is about New York. About a guest in your home who got socked by fate. Is NYC going to stand by and let an old couple suffer just because they wanted to see the City of their dreams? Is this what happens to people who run out of luck in New York?

Here’s what I’ll do. This is what Abbey writes about their Corporate Social Responsibility. Abbey is committed to being a good corporate citizen and to treating all those who come into contact with us in a fair and ethical manner. We take into account how we deal with our customers and employees, how we manage our ethical and environmental responsibilities, and how we support the communities we work in.So ok, I’m listing contacts for Media Relations at Abbey (they’re a London based bank, part of the Santander Group), and let’s allow them to fulfill their ‘corporate social responsibility’. If you think the Foggitt’s have been treated badly by Abbey, send them an email requesting Abbey to help out the couple. Be nice and polite, if you do send the email.

Media contacts - Abbey