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Mother of an autistic man who was let go as a Waitrose When the volunteer asked him for payment, he revealed that he had been offered a job by a rival supermarket.
Francis Boyd said his son Tom, 28, had been volunteering twice a week at Waitrose in Cheadle Hulme for more than four years. Greater ManchesterBecause it gave them “a sense of purpose and belonging”.
However, when he asked if his son could be paid for “just a few hours”, Tom was let go from his position.
On Thursday, she revealed she had been offered employment at rival chain, Asda.
“We have great news – Asda has offered them two five-hour paid shifts a week,” he said. BBC,
She added, “It’s tremendous and they’re flexible in saying that if at any time they’re struggling they’re OK. It’s amazing how amazing a company can do that.”
A spokesperson for ASDA said Tom was offered the role as part of their supported internship program and partnership with DfN Project Search, through which 30 people have been offered work in their stores.
He said: “We’ve seen the positive impact it has on the individuals who join and also on our colleagues and customers. So, when we heard about Tom and his desire to find meaningful work, we knew he would be a perfect fit and we’re delighted to offer him a role at our local store.”
Tom started volunteering at Waitrose in 2021 as part of his skills development for the workplace on his Further Education course.
He continued to volunteer there two mornings a week, and was “very proud of his work” in keeping the shelves stocked and neat.
“If I went in and looked at him, he was smiling, and that gave him a sense of freedom, purpose and belonging,” his mother said. BBC,
“He gave over 600 hours of his time simply because he wanted to contribute, contribute and make a difference.”
Although volunteers do not have the same rights as an employee, Tom felt “deeply disappointed” when his appointment was put on hold when he asked about the possibility of paid work. He told the BBC that Waitrose said this because he “could not play the full role”.
Waitrose said it was investigating Tom’s case “as a priority” and on Thursday it revealed mail online It “wants to welcome Tom back into paid employment”.
A spokesperson said, “As those familiar with Waitrose will know, we care deeply about helping people who might not otherwise be given the opportunity to find a place in the workplace.”
“As such, we warmly welcomed Tom and his support worker to our Cheadle Hulme branch to gain experience and build his confidence. We have policies in place to support volunteering, and we are investigating what happened in Tom’s situation.
“We want to welcome Tom back into paid employment, and are asking for the support of his family and the charity to do so. We hope he will be back with us very soon.”
Independent Waitrose has been contacted for comment.