Internet celebrities Geoffrey and Pauline Walker are using their 360,000-strong Instagram following to help raise £15,000 towards the installation of a mobility lift for their community centre in Thringstone.

The couple became famous in February when they made an emotional online appeal to try and find Pauline's purse which had been stolen on a shopping trip Internet purse theft couple win £1,000 on national TV

That earned them nationwide support and an army of new fans for their regular Instagram updates.

But they have used those followers to help the Charles Booth Centre boost a fundraiser Charles Booth Centre Fundraiserfor their project to install the lift for the benefit of their less able visitors.

The centre's business manager Tom Walters said that they would not be able to get close to their target so quickly without the couple.

And he revealed there have been donations from Australia, USA and New Zealand after Geoff mentioned the appeal on Instagram

Tom described the couple as 'utterly wonderful' and their followers as 'lovely and generous' and 'they have totally transformed our bid to raise the funds needed to start our lift installation process' on the Friends of Thringstone Facebook site.

And he told Coalville Nub News that the centre, based at The Green, is directly benefiting from Geoffrey and Pauline's popularity.

"It's fair to say that we wouldn't be where we are without them to be honest," he said.

"Some donations are local, some are from the UK, and some are from Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

"But they have been phenomenally generous. The couple have always been users of the centre - but it's traditionally been a bit of a pipe dream to get a lift.

"It's been so catastrophically expensive that no-one really looked until now.

"But we have looked at a mobility lift to get people with limited mobility up, even though it's slow.

"However, a passenger lift is around £100,000 whereas this one is in the region of £35,000.

"And we thought we'd try to kickstart it with our Aviva fundraising campaign to get us off for a flyer.

"But Geoff has more than done that for us - in spades."

Now the aim is raise the full amount and get Geoff and Pauline to officially open it next year and be the first people to use it.

POT SWELLED BY A COUPLE OF THOUSAND

Tom added: "The actual fundraising started maybe three weeks before the Coronavirus lockdown.

"We were accepted to fundraise as a charity on the Aviva Community Fund platform and thought we'd give it a go.

"Then Coronavirus struck and it was literally three days before that Geoff did his first video of him walking up the stairs.

"Almost overnight, our pot swelled by a couple of thousand.

"The decline was extended but Geoff did not know and he put out a post saying the deadline was due to end on April 21. And with crowdfunding, you get all or nothing, if we hit £15,000 we get all of it - but if you get £14,999, you get nothing.

"So Geoff made an appeal to all his followers to give what they could.

"That was two or three days ago and the response was utterly overwhelming.

"That's the power of a very sweet man and his wife who put on the loveliest, most non-offensive, almost at times, quite normal posts about living life and being good people."

Tom added: "We've benefited hugely from Geoff and Pauline's Instagram following which is why we want them to come along and formally open the lift, dedicate it and ride in it. I don't think that will happen now this year even if we raise the full amount, so we're hoping to get it done by 2021."

Tom's Facebook post read: "To all of the amazing people who have donated so far and particularly, the utterly wonderful Geoffrey and Pauline Walker and their loyal, lovely and generous followers on Instagram who have totally transformed our bid to raise the funds needed to start our Lift installation process.

"We are so grateful to you all. Once all of this settles down, and people can be safely out in public once again, we will ask Geoff & Pauline if in 2021 (if it's in then!) they will officially open our Lift for us and have the first ride in it! That will definitely be a post to watch!!

"Please accept my apologies for our delay in thanking you all. As I'm sure you're aware, life has gone a little nuts of late and here at the Centre, we are Thringstone's local Community Response Unit, leading our village's response to the Coronavirus and just trying to help as many people as we can with our wonderful volunteers.

"In the meantime, we have received an update from the lovely lot at Aviva that due to the current circumstances, all Crowdfunding opportunities will stay open for a further six months, so this is what we shall do. If with your help, we are fortunate enough to secure the £15,000 we have set as our target it will ensure we can put the lift in. What we would love is to overshoot our target as the actual cost of the Lift is around twice this!!

"With all of your help, we know that we can get there!!!!!!

"Thank you from all at the Charles Booth Centre, we are deeply moved by your generosity. Stay safe everyone."