The Heywood community has raised over £1,000 to send its fundraising postman on holiday - when lockdown permits.
With the aim to raise as much money as possible for Heywood foodbank, postman Steven Kay has been delivering his rounds in fancy dress costumes since the start of lockdown in March 2020, even throughout May - one of sunniest and driest months on record for Greater Manchester.
To date, Steven’s total for Heywood Foodbank stands at a massive £27,748.
On average, £596 a week has been donated by the public because of Steven since the fundraising began nearly one year ago.
He was presented with a Christmas Star Award by BBC North West Tonight after raising £17,687 for his local foodbank just two months ago, in December 2020, and hoped to hit the £20,000 mark before the end of the year - which he certainly surpassed.
To show appreciation for the selfless hard work the postie has put in over the past year, a GoFundMe page was set up to give a little back to Steven.
The online fundraiser ‘Show Steven Kay some love back’ raised over £1,100 from 25 donations in just two days.
Steven said: “I’m speechless. Absolutely blown away with the towns love and generosity shown towards me.
“Wow, over £1,100 donated in two days. Feeling the love.
“Thank you to Jackie and Debs and everyone who has donated for my family. Let’s carry on making a difference for the less fortunate in our town.
“Oslo here we come!”
Debs Hill, who started the GoFundMe with Jackie Mullen, said: “We just wanted to make a difference to this legend's life - he’s never stopped fundraising and provided god knows how many families with support. We just wanted him to know how much Heywood and beyond appreciate him.
“I’m just a local resident who has watched, with the rest of Heywood, this beautiful man raise funds daily for our less fortunate in the area, and he isn’t stopping any time soon.
“I would actually love to change his life big time if I’m honest, but I’ll start with a little holiday so that once Covid has eased he can go on a well-deserved break!
“Hopefully, we can give him a huge smile.”
Jackie, who runs Ye Olde Bubbles Hand Car Wash and Mobile Valeting Services in Heywood, added: “We just wanted to give him a little something back for himself and his family. I would do a day’s fundraiser at my car wash if it wasn’t locked down.”
You can donate to Steven’s GoFundMe here:
www.gofundme.com/f/show-steven-kay-some-love-back