A beloved Evri driver left with life-changing injuries after being dragged down a road by van thieves has become the focus of an extraordinary community fundraising effort that’s raised thousands of pounds in just 24 hours, highlighting both the dangers facing courier drivers and the appreciation customers feel for those who go above and beyond.
Agnieszka, known locally as “Aggie,” was delivering a parcel on Blunsdon High Street in Swindon on Monday, September 22, when an opportunistic thief jumped into her white van and attempted to drive off with it.
In a desperate attempt to stop the theft, the driver in her 40s held onto the vehicle and was dragged down the road, suffering what police have described as potentially life-changing injuries that required immediate hospitalisation.
The Attack That Shocked a Community
The brazen daylight theft occurred shortly after midday on a busy high street, demonstrating the vulnerability that delivery drivers face while simply trying to do their jobs.
Police have since recovered the van and launched an investigation, appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage of the incident that left a hardworking driver fighting for her recovery in hospital.
The attack represents yet another example of the dangerous working conditions faced by courier drivers, who are increasingly targeted by criminals who see delivery vans as easy opportunities for theft.
Unlike traditional employees, drivers like Aggie often work as self-employed contractors with minimal protection when things go catastrophically wrong.
An Evri Driver Who Became Part of the Community
What makes this case particularly heartbreaking is the clear affection the Blunsdon community has for Aggie, who residents describe as far more than just a delivery driver.
Sam Fitzpatrick, the Blunsdon resident who set up a GoFundMe page for the injured driver, explained: “Aggie is not just a delivery driver but goes above and beyond, taking time to talk to her customers and is a genuine ray of sunshine.”
The fundraising page has already raised over £8,000 in less than 72 hours, with donations pouring in from customers who want to show their appreciation for someone they clearly consider part of their community.
“She’s an incredibly special lady,” Fitzpatrick added. “We’re trying to raise as much as we can for her to show her how loved she is and that her community are behind her.”
The Community Response That Says Everything
The response from Blunsdon residents reveals something that courier companies often overlook – customers genuinely care about the individual drivers who serve their communities day after day.
The Heart In Hand pub has joined the fundraising effort, setting up a donation box and message book for well-wishers to support Aggie during her recovery.
A pub spokesperson said: “A lot of people in the village will know the lovely Evri delivery driver Agniezka. To get behind her and her family and help her in this hard time we will have a donation box at the pub.”
The fact that residents have spontaneously organised multiple fundraising efforts demonstrates the personal connection Aggie had built with her customers – something that’s increasingly rare in an industry focused on efficiency over relationships.
The Devastating Impact on Working Drivers
For drivers like Aggie, such attacks represent not just physical trauma but potential financial catastrophe.
As self-employed contractors, courier drivers typically have no sick pay, limited insurance coverage, and face immediate loss of income when unable to work.
The “life-changing” nature of her injuries suggests Aggie may be unable to return to driving for months, if at all, leaving her to rely on community support rather than employer protection.
This vulnerability is precisely why residents feel compelled to rally around drivers they’ve come to know and appreciate – they understand that when things go wrong, these workers are largely on their own.
Another Week, Another Driver Under Attack
This latest incident comes amid a disturbing pattern of attacks on delivery drivers across the UK.
Recent weeks have seen a Yodel driver mauled by three dogs while delivering to an inadequately secured property, and a DPD driver using company systems to personally insult customers.
Meanwhile, investigations have revealed that Evri may be quietly selling customers’ “lost” parcels at auction houses rather than returning them to their rightful owners.
The combination of dangerous working conditions, inadequate protections, and corporate indifference creates an environment where drivers bear all the risk while companies maintain distance from the consequences.
When Community Matters More Than Corporate Support
The outpouring of support for Aggie highlights what’s missing from the modern courier industry – genuine human connection and care for the people who make deliveries possible.
While Evri focuses on merging with DHL and managing their crumbling ParcelShop network, it’s local communities that step up when their drivers need help.
Fitzpatrick’s hope that the fundraising will “relieve some of the financial pressure” and show Aggie “how appreciated and loved she is” represents exactly the kind of support that should come from employers but rarely does.
The fact that residents describe Aggie as “an asset to Evri” while organising their own support network speaks volumes about the disconnect between corporate priorities and community values.
As one donor noted, Aggie has been “recognised as a local treasure” – recognition that comes from customers rather than the company she works for.
For a driver who clearly took pride in building relationships with the people she served, the community response provides some comfort during what will undoubtedly be a long and difficult recovery from an attack that should never have happened.
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