Delivery driver banned from route after 'taking wife to hospital' | United Kingdom

Keith Welsh, 61, was devastated when the delivery company told him he would no longer be able to cover Walderslade, Wigmore and Boxley in Kent.

He claims he was diverted from his route because he took his wife Sharon, 65, to hospital when he was supposed to be working.

Evri told him earlier this month that he could no longer work in his old area – and that he would instead be reduced to covering general shifts as they came up.

It was then that the community Keith served in Kent came together and launched a petition calling for his reinstatement – which attracted more than 58,000 signatures.

Yesterday (Tuesday) Evri said he spoke to the driver and that he would offer him a new route – which is closer to his home.

Reacting to the news, Keith, from Leysdown, Kent, said: “It’s really amazing. I’ve been doing this work for nine years, so I know a lot of people – but now they’re coming from everywhere.

“I’ve been reading all the comments and they’re really nice.

“My clients have been very good to me.

“It’s because of all of you that I got my job back. This happened 110 percent because of the petition and all the support.”

Keith is a freelance courier for Evri, which means he can set his own hours but needs to ensure a certain area is covered.

His wife Sharon had two strokes in November last year and had to attend a series of follow-up appointments at St Thomas’ Hospital in London – where he took her.

But he says after arriving at work earlier this month following a hospital visit, he was told his rounds were being withdrawn for him.

He said: “I spoke to two big managers three weeks ago and they said it would be fine if I took it off.

“After my wife had a stroke last year, I told them I would need to take time off to take her to appointments which they said would be fine.

“But when I went there the next day, they told me they were taking my rounds because I had gone to the hospital.

“My wife, because she had a stroke, her brain doesn’t work enough and she doesn’t register everything.

“If I hadn’t been with her, she wouldn’t have been able to get to the hospital. I’m her caregiver and she needs someone with her.”

Evri told the employee that they would offer him roofing work instead – but Keith said in the three weeks since he hasn’t heard back.

A petition was then launched on October 4 on Change.org, which said that the “trustworthy and friendly” Keith was “unfairly terminated from his job for a compassionate act of taking his wife to the hospital.”

Now, almost three weeks later, he has been offered a whole new set of rounds – which are closer to home.

Welsh is not sure exactly where the new route will cover, but has been told it is in Sittingbourne, Kent.

The delivery driver says he believes this call was due to “hundreds” of messages of support from people in Medway he has met over the years.

Neil Relf, who has had his packages delivered by Keith for eight years, said: “There has been a lot of protest since everyone found out what happened.

“After spending so much time delivering their packages you get to know them and then I found out that his wife was unwell and that he needed to take her for an appointment.

“I don’t know him personally, but he works in all kinds of conditions – wind and rain. He’s part of the community and a brilliant guy.”

Keith says he has no regrets and is extremely grateful to his clients for all their love and support.

He added: “I have absolutely brilliant clients and have known them for years.”

“The clients did all this for me. One of them made the petition to me.

“I would do the same again. This is my wife, if she needs to go to the hospital I will be there.”

The driver reluctantly accepted the new rounds to support his family and hopes sharing his story will prevent the same from happening to others.

He said: “I didn’t really want to go back to Evri, but it’s a job, isn’t it?

“They could do it again. I need to share my story or they will do the same next week.”

Evri, on the other hand, claims he was flexible with Keith “on several occasions” over the last year and a half, which led to them delivering his round to a “trusted courier.”

An Evri spokesperson said: “We will always support the Post Office in balancing family life and work commitments and we support Mr Welsh by offering flexibility over an 18-month period.

“We deliver 99 percent of orders on time and the reliability of our carriers is essential to maintaining this level of service and building trust in the communities we serve.

“Our rounding requirements change according to service needs and we offer Mr Welsh a choice of rounds in the local area.

“We are delighted he has agreed to this and we salute his continued service.”