First class postal service got Karin to destination on time

Published on Monday 4 July 2011 15:41

A SUB-POSTMASTER has proved he is first class, going beyond the call of duty by making a 280-mile round trip to ensure a widow got her passport in time for a holiday.

&#149 Ms Froebel Overton and Javid Rafiq

Big-hearted Javid Rafiq, 38, hand delivered missing documents from a passport application to a regional office in Durham at his own expense so that loyal customer Karin Froebel Overton would be cleared to travel to France this week.

Ms Froebel Overton, 61, was left crestfallen six days before her trip when she received a Home Office letter asking for more paperwork to support her passport renewal.

The retired immunologist had wanted to add her late husband's surname to her passport ID and had even brought the application to Grange Road Post Office on Salisbury Place before sending it - but staff failed to spot that her marriage certificate was missing.

Fearing her holiday dreams had been shattered, she pleading with her local post office for help and Mr Rafiq, the branch sub-postmaster, vowed to atone for the oversight.

He personally delivered the omitted documents to the passport office 140 miles away by train before returning to Edinburgh later that afternoon.

And thanks to his actions, the passport was rubber-stamped and delivered to his grateful customer within 24 hours.

Speaking to the News, a delighted Ms Froebel Overton said the sub-postmaster had taken commitment to customer service to a different level.

"I have never heard of anything like it before, I couldn't believe what he did for me," she said. I just think he is a very well-meaning person. He was extraordinarily helpful and went out of his way to assist me.

"It boiled down to two options: either get an appointment in Glasgow for a same day passport, or hand the marriage certificate in at the gate at the Identity and Passport Service office in Durham.

"Express delivery to their PO box could have meant another two-day delay until it got to desk of the person handling it, and the Glasgow office had no appointments available until July 11, four days after my planned departure date.

"Javid suggested that there was a train to Durham and went off looking at the rail timetable. After about an hour, and with a long queue behind me at the post office, we were talking about options and he said 'It was my mistake, I'll go there for you."

Ms Froebel Overton said: "Imagine my surprise when the doorbell went at 9am the following morning (Saturday] and my passport was delivered.

Mr Rafiq modestly played down his altruism and said he was sure many people would have done the same thing.

"She really needed her passport and I thought I could help her so I did," he said. "She is a very loyal customer but to be honest it's something I would do for anyone."