Refuse collectors now the most under-appreciated public sector workers in Gloucestershire

They finish way ahead of nurses, police and care workers in local survey – with bus drivers in second

Refuse collectors have been named as by far and away the most under-appreciated public sector profession in Gloucestershire.

A survey by public sector membership club Boundless asked people in the region to name professions they felt were under appreciated by the public - and it produced a shock result.

Whilst 22 per cent of those survey included nurses on their list, 21 per cent mentioned police and 20 per said care workers, the county’s refuse collectors were named by 47 per cent.

Bus drivers were also placed above nurses, on 27 per cent, to take second spot.

The survey was commissioned in the build-up to UN Public Service Day, which falls on Tuesday 23 June, to encourage more people to say ‘thank you’ to the nation’s public sector workers.

It revealed that the average key worker in the country has gone nine days since they were last thanked – way better than 57 days when the survey was last commissioned in 2019.

The survey also revealed:

• In Gloucestershire, the average figure was a little higher - at 14 days since a thank you.
• 47 per cent of public sector workers in Gloucestershire say they feel appreciated by the public.
• 77 per cent of NHS workers across the country say they feel appreciated by the public – it was only 48 per cent last year.

Now the people of Gloucestershire are being encouraged to continue their appreciation for key workers by supporting Public Service Day.

The day, officially launched by the United Nations as long ago as 2003, has barely been recognised in the UK so far.

However, Boundless, which was founded in 1923, wants to change things.

It aims to bring the UK together to celebrate the contribution made to society by millions of public service workers, from nurses to teachers, firefighters to administrators and police officers to care workers.

Darren Milton at Boundless said: “This year Public Service Day falls on Tuesday 23 June and it’s a wonderful opportunity for people in Gloucestershire to remind their public service workers that we won’t forget what they have done for us. Not least during the last few months.

“The figures coming back from our survey are hugely encouraging because they show that millions of people have been saying ‘thank you,’ and doing so far more often than a year ago.

“In Gloucestershire it’s especially exciting to see how often public sector workers are thanked and that people are starting to think about which professions in the region are under-appreciated.

“For refuse collectors to get twice as many mentions as nurses perhaps reflects that we have clapped every Thursday for the NHS but not always thought of the other public sector workers who have also made a huge contribution during the pandemic.

“We don’t want the appreciation to stop now. The next step is to back Public Service Day and to think about ways that we can value our public sector workers long into the future.”

The 10 most under-appreciated professions according to people in Gloucestershire in 2020 are:

1 Refuse collectors 47%

2 Bus drivers 27%

3 Nurses 21%

4 Police 21%

5 Care workers 20%

6 HMRC 18%

7 Lollipop crossing guards 16%

8 Civil service 13%

9 Teachers 12%

10 Doctors 11%

For more information, please visit www.boundless.co.uk/publicserviceday2020

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Editors notes

Boundless is a membership club for civil service and public sector workers who are looking for inspiration on getting the most out of their free time. With a heritage and expertise dating back more than 90 years, Boundless offers its 230,000 members deals on hundreds of unique experiences, events, volunteer activities and things to do. It’s also mutual, so all profits go straight back into the club to benefit members.