It has been a long time coming for Paul Spiers, 63, but he is finally on holiday now (Picture: SWNS for MailOnline)
A street cleaner has said he is ‘having the time of his life’ after finally going on holiday to Portugal after he was snubbed by his employer.
Paul Spiers, 63, is now on holiday in the sun with his brother Dave for only the second time in his life ever in the Algarve.
The community of Beckenham, south east London, fundraised £3,000 for him on GoFundMe for his efforts cleaning up the streets since 2017.
But his employer, Veolia, said rules prevent its workers from accepting gifts and he was denied the money.
But in a lovely twist to the tale though, the lucky man won a £3,000 holiday to his dream destination in Portugal courtesy of On The Beach Holidays.
Speaking from the sunny spot, he told MailOnline: ‘I’m having the time of my life.
‘I can’t thank people enough for their support and for what they’ve done for me.
‘I’m just an ordinary road sweeper doing a job – I can’t believe that people would think that much of me. I can’t express my thanks enough.
Paul now finally gets the opportunity to soak up the sun (Picture: SWNS for Mailonline)
It is Paul’s only time abroad for the second time in his life (Picture: SWNS for Mailonline)
Paul said he is having the time of his life on holiday right now (Picture: SWNS for Mailonline)
‘A normal holiday for me would be Great Yarmouth or Kent. They’re lovely places but it’s a bit nicer in Portugal.
‘I just can’t put it into words what it means to be here and how kind everyone has been.
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‘I never thought that I’d have another foreign holiday in my lifetime.
‘So this beer is for everyone back home who’s helped make this happen – and the next one, too!’
Since Paul became a recognisable face across the media, he has been stopped for selfies and even Facetimed strangers who have followed his story.
He continued: ‘We’ve not got anything planned, we’re just going to play it by ear. Mostly, I just want to relax by the beach.
‘I’ve got an app and it says that usually at work I do 22,000 steps a day, which is around ten miles.
‘So it’s nice to put my feet up for a week.
He usually goes on holiday in places like Kent and Great Yarmouth (Picture: SWNS for Mailonline)
People in the community of Beckenham, south east London, fundraised £3,000 for Paul (Picture: GoFundMe)
‘Don’t get me wrong – I love my job. But if you’re asking me now if I’m excited to go back to work, then the answer’s no.
‘I’m planning on doing as little walking as possible.’
He also has no bitterness towards his employer Veolia at all and added: ‘It’s all fine.
‘My boss has loved all the attention and the company has donated £3,000 to Cancer Research which is very generous of them.’
Paul’s friend Lisa Knight set up the GoFundMe page for him and she said: ‘I’m overjoyed that Paul is finally on a beach enjoying his dream holiday. When I started the fundraising this is all I wanted to happen.
‘So to know he is in the sunshine enjoying some well-deserved relaxation makes me and I’m sure the rest of the UK incredibly happy.
‘I want to say a huge thank you to the local community in Beckenham who have been so generous and have supported this cause right from the very start – it is a true testament to what a special place it is.’
Zoe Harris, chief customer officer at On the Beach said: ‘The people of Britain can breathe a sigh of relief, Paul Spiers is on a beach in Portugal at last!
‘It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions for us all but we’re so happy knowing that millions of people will have a smile on their face looking at pictures of Paul living his best life on a Portuguese beach.’
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