Cian going from strength to strength

Ever wonder why the plants in Marks & Spencer on Pana look so good? Well it’s all down to one man called Cian Philpott!

The 21 year old from Mayfield, who has severe autism and other learning disabilities, works for an hour in the store watering the plants every Sunday.

His mother Natalie hails his job and his dog Dora Doodle for how much he has improved socially and mentally in the past few years.

She said: “It’s unbelievable how well he has come on. It was hard for me when I used to see him beat his own face. It looked like went a few rounds with Mike Tyson at times, that was how hard and severe he used to hit himself.

“But he has improved so much. He goes in every Sunday to water the plants and then goes upstairs to the café where he will ask and pay for a juice all by himself. This is the same man that only a few years ago wouldn’t leave home - he was confined to the house.”

Cian also has dog Dora Doodle, from Canine Companion, who has been with him for six years and she has also been a great help.

Natalie said he had been on medication but Dora Doodle has been such a safety net to him mentally that he no longer needs to take it.

“Between the dog, people accepting him and his job, it’s meant that he is medication free,” she said.

She added: “I am in there with him and he loves his job in M&S. He will tell you the night before that he’s heading to work tomorrow. It has really given him confidence. His verbal language wouldn’t be the best but it has improved since he started in there. When he started first, he wouldn’t go upstairs and now he’s able to get his juice in the café.”

Natalie said that Cian feels very comfortable in the store, because if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t go in there.

M&S run a sensory shopping experience which allows customers with sensory issues to shop in a calm, quiet environment with lower lighting. The service sees the lights dimmed, the tills quiet and assistance dogs welcomed into all M&S stores. During the dedicated sensory shopping hour, staff are aware of customers' extra needs and shelves will not be re-filled during the service.

Sensory shopping takes place in M&S every Sunday from 10-11am.