London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Londoners raised £3,000 to send road sweeper Paul Spiers on a holiday, but Veolia, his employer, refused the funds due to contract restrictions. Instead, Veolia will donate the amount to charity.
Why Did Beckenham’s Fundraising Efforts for Paul Spiers Fall Through?
A group of Londoners have lifted more than £3,000 to ship their “dedicated” road sweeper abroad for a holiday only for his leaders to refuse the offer. Hundreds of people in Beckenham chipped in to send 63-year-old Paul Spiers on a summer holiday in Portugal.
Fundraiser Lisa Knight stated: “Paul has been our dedicated Beckenham road sweeper since 2017, bringing joy to residents and keeping our streets immaculate. I first met Paul when he started working here and it has been wonderful to see what a beloved member of the community he has become. His habit of playing music from his speaker while meticulously cleaning our streets lifts everyone’s spirits with his positive presence.”
Why Was Paul Spiers Chosen for a Community-Funded Holiday?
She requested people to help Spiers, who has only been abroad once, to go on holiday but after the money rolled in she stated she was told “Paul is unable to receive the donations due to conditions set by his employer, Veolia, following their contract with Bromley Council”.
She said: “We’re deeply unhappy that this decision prevents Paul from appreciating this well-deserved holiday as a credit for all of his hard work for the Beckenham community. We have expressed our dissatisfaction to both the council and Veolia and intend to continue to push on this”.
How Does Veolia’s Policy Affect Employee Incentives and Donations?
A Veolia spokesperson stated: “We are truly grateful for the backing and recognition shown by the community to Paul, who alongside a hard-working road cleansing team, does a fantastic job supporting Bromley’s streets clean.” They said the company’s agreement with Bromley council “does not permit our staff to receive any monies or incentives outside of agreed pay structures”.
Veolia stated it would match the amount of money presented and donate it to a charity nominated by Spiers. “Paul will be the recipient of Bromley’s employee of the quarter – an internal financial compensation to recognise his hard work and dedication,” the spokesperson stated.