A major waste management company has issued a public apology after its employees were filmed clearing away all the worldly possessions of a homeless woman in a Kent town.
Incident Sparks Public Outcry
Footage captured in Dover shows two workers from Veolia, the council's contracted waste firm, removing personal items and a mattress from outside a Boots store. The items, some of which were sealed in plastic bags, were loaded into a refuse lorry and disposed of.
Witness Katie Whitcombe said she watched in horror as the operation unfolded on December 27. She described the scene as "heartless," particularly given the timing over the Christmas and New Year period. "She's now going to come back and have nothing, even though she's got nothing at all anyway," Miss Whitcombe stated.
She expressed concern that the woman might think her belongings had been stolen, unaware the council's contractors had taken them. Miss Whitcombe noted that some of the items appeared to be Christmas gifts from locals, including a small vase of flowers.
Council and Contractor Respond
Both Dover District Council (DDC), which launched an immediate investigation, and Veolia have confirmed the clearance was a mistake. A spokesperson for Veolia said the items were "incorrectly removed" following a request submitted through the public portal.
The company acknowledged its failure to follow established policies, which are designed to ensure items are only removed from the street when a person no longer needs them. "We understand the impact this will have had," the spokesperson added.
Training Ordered to Prevent Repeat
As a direct consequence of the incident, Veolia has announced that all its street cleansing crews in the area will undertake refresher training. This training will specifically focus on the correct procedures for handling requests to remove personal belongings.
Miss Whitcombe, who was unable to intervene during the swift operation, contacted the local street pastors' outreach team to alert them to the situation so they could offer the affected woman support. She highlighted the potential loss of vital items, saying, "We do not know that this lady didn't have medications, something very sentimental in her very few personal belongings."
