Boss who stopped cleaner accepting £3,000 holiday paid for by community enjoys holiday in Barbados
Paul Spiers has been cleaning the streets of Beckenham, south London, for years and is a much-loved figure. Locals donated £3,000 so he could have a holiday to Portugal
The boss of a street cleaner who stopped him taking a £3,000 gift to pay for a once-in-a-lifetime trip, jets off to Barbados for his holidays.
Residents pitched in to pay for Paul Spiers to go on a break to Portugal. The 63-year-old has been cleaning the streets of Beckenham, south London, for years and is a much-loved figure who is often out playing music, especially Elvis Presley.
Lisa Knight, the manager of a local estate agent, decided to start up a fundraising campaign after Paul told her that it was his birthday and he was saving for a holiday in Portugal. She called him "an integral part of our Beckenham village, adored by all”.
She told how she was shocked by the number of donations as the Gofundme page she started quickly went past the £2,000 target and hit £3,000. "Despite his hard work and dedication, he has only travelled abroad once, to Portugal. Paul dreams of visiting again, and I would love to help make this dream a reality for him," she wrote on the fundraiser.
Ms Knight, who is also a fan of Elvis Presley and was named after his daughter Lisa Marie, met Paul after hearing him playing Elvis songs. She told how Paul had been “blown away by how kind people are”. She added: “When I told him about the first £200 he cried.
"When I told him about the rest, he cried again. He’s the sweetest man. Someone contacted him recently and said: ‘Hi Paul. You don’t know me, but I’m from Portugal, and Portugal can’t wait to see you, so I’ve just sent some more money to the fund.’ And he’s, like, blown away by how kind everybody has been, and I am as well.”
But problems began when his employers, global waste management corporation Veolia, said he cannot have the money. A Veolia spokesman said: "We are truly grateful for the support and recognition shown by the community to Paul, who alongside a hardworking street cleansing team, does a fantastic job keeping Bromley’s streets clean. Unfortunately... our contract with Bromley Council does not permit our staff to accept any monies or incentives outside of agreed pay structures.
( Image: GoFundMe)
"We have agreed with Paul that we will match the amount raised as of Friday, August 9, to be donated to a charity of his choice. Veolia has a number of recognition schemes across the UK that reward our colleagues for exceptional services to the community and Paul will be the recipient of Bromley’s Employee of the Quarter - an internal financial reward to recognise his hard work and dedication.”
The decision comes as it was revealed Paul’s ultimate boss Pascal Hauret - who is Veolia’s managing director of municipal waste and street cleansing - earns an estimated £135,958 a year, according to recruitment firm Glassdoor. Mr Hauret spends his spare time playing golf and has travelled to the Caribbean for a holiday.
This week Lisa wrote on the fundraiser page: "Unfortunately, we have received news that Paul is unable to accept the donations due to restrictions set by his employer, Veolia, in accordance with their contract with Bromley Council. These rules prohibit staff from accepting any monetary gifts or incentives beyond their regular salary.
"We’re deeply disappointed that this decision prevents Paul from enjoying this well-deserved holiday as a recognition for all of his hard work for the Beckenham community. We have expressed our disappointment to both the council and Veolia and intend to continue to push on this, but please be rest assured, if we are unsuccessful in doing so you will all be refunded. Once again, thank you for your incredible support and for being part of this fundraiser."