Royal Mail scandal as lost post from 2008 delivered in Oxfordshire

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/19306 ... fordshire/

BUNDLES of 'lost' post from as far back as 2008 discovered at the home of a former Royal Mail employee were finally distributed to its rightful recipients in parts of Oxfordshire.

People across Wantage and Grove were handed packs of letters and parcels last week, which they were supposed to receive 13 years ago.

While some of it was 'just bills', some victims got letters for cervical screenings, birthday cards with cash inside, tax reminders and items like a PC game, DVDs and catalogues.

One woman Natalie Jezzard-Bedwell also received a cheque for £151.

In a letter to one of the victims, Paul Leishman, operations manager for Thames Valley Oxford, apologised for the 'significant' delay and confirmed that the post was recovered from the home of a former employee.

Mr Leishman added: "I would like to offer my sincere apologies for any inconvenience or distress you may experience as a result of receiving this mail after such a long time.

"I am very sorry we have let you down on this occasion and I hope you will accept my apologies for any concerns this incident may cause."

It is still unclear who this ex-employee is and whether the post office has plans to take legal action against them.

It is also unknown how the Thames Valley officers discovered the bags filled with old mail in their home.

However, Mr Leishman confirmed that Royal Mail have taken this delay 'very seriously'.

While for some people this meant some lost birthday cards, others were handed out packages full of the correspondence of deceased family members.

One woman, whose mother passed away two years ago, revealed that she received a handmade wedding anniversary from her, which she was meant to get 25 years ago.

Another resident Andrew Clements said: "This is absolutely disgusting.

"So what is the crap excuse as to why it took so long?

"They should of been delivered ages ago."

Many people in Wantage and Grove took to social media to share their anger with Royal Mail.

This also comes after 'disappointing' service over the last year as depots across Oxfordshire struggled to deliver post on time during the Covid-19 crisis.

Resident Carl Pitson said: "I have not been receiving my diabetes medication.

"I waited more than three weeks for them to deliver them but it was to late.


"I ended up in the intensive care unit on Friday night last week, so I am lucky to to be still alive.

"I am still waiting on other medication to be delivered that was ordered weeks ago."

The problem worsened so much during the third national lockdown that Wantage MP David Johnston was forced to raise it in Parliament in March.

When asked by this newspaper if there are still lengthy delays, many people complained of slow service and weeks of wait for post.

The Oxford Mail contacted Royal Mail for a comment on the discovery.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Mail from 2008 is finally delivered after it’s found in dead postman’s house


https://metro.co.uk/2021/05/17/royal-ma ... wsnow-feed

The country has more-or-less been understanding of post taking a little more time to reach its destination throughout the pandemic. But 13 years is a bit longer than people can be expected to be patient for. Families in Wantage and Grove, in Oxfordshire, have received post sent as far back as 2008 after Royal Mail found bags filled with old cards, bills, cheques and gifts in a previous employee’s home after they died. It was a pleasant surprise for some as they got magazines from years ago, DVDs, PC and Nintendo Wii games and cards with cash inside.

A mum was pleased to find a BBC Doctor Who magazine, played by David Tennant at the time, from 2000 that was meant for her son. Another woman reportedly opened a handmade wedding anniversary card from her mum who had died a few years ago. Local residents’ social media groups set up threads for people who have moved houses in the last 13 years to get in touch and exchange post.

But not everyone had heartwarming stories to tell. Some had out-of-date cheques, one for £150, which they could no longer cash and called on Royal Mail for compensation. One local, Jo Dickie, said she is ‘raging’ at the post office after her mail from 2008 was found opened, making her worry about her and her family’s ‘information being taken’. It is not yet clear who the ex-employee was or how the situation came to light after all these years. Royal Mail included an apology letter in all their late post, from the operations manager for Thames Valley and Oxford Paul Leishman. It read: ‘I would like to offer my sincere apologies for any inconvenience or distress you may experience as a result of receiving this mail after such a long time.’

The Royal Mail apologised in a statement saying: ‘The vast majority of our postmen and postwomen are dedicated to delivering the UK’s mail safely and efficiently. ‘They have played a crucial role in keeping the UK connected during the pandemic. ‘In this isolated incident, a number of mail items were found at the home of a former employee following their death. ‘We are looking into what may have happened in this case.’