Really cool feel good story about Greg and a Holiday

[Phobia]

with so much depressing new being reported pieces like this are a breath of fresh air

 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/05/23/315270117/greg-asked-for-a-holiday-the-internet-helped-him-get-it

 

Greg Asked For A Holiday. The Internet Helped Him Get It

by

May 23, 2014 5:42 PM ET

It started out as a simple vacation request to the boss. It quickly became an Internet phenomenon.

And, now there's even a .

Greg Heaslip, who works as a security guard at U.K.-based fashion retail group , emailed his manager asking for some time off.

But the reply, which suggested Heaslip would not be granted the request, got inadvertently forwarded Thursday to 3,500 staff members at the company, sparking a wave of sympathy for Heaslip's plight. Within hours it had spilled out of the office and onto Twitter via the hashtag .

Does anyone know if Greg's holiday has been approved? Edge of my seat here!

— Rebecca McGuigan (@RebeccasPixels)

:

"An Arcadia employee, Kimberly Jaina, seems to have been the first to and use ... #GiveGregTheHoliday. Within minutes, others were using the hashtag."

 

— Arti Joshi (@aisforarti)

 

Some chimed in with possible destinations ...

Greg if your holiday request is approved, might we suggest the Cayman Islands?

— Cayman Islands (@Cayman_Islands)

According to the BBC, the hashtag "became a top trend in the UK with more than 2,000 tweets — and that is when the marketing started. Companies tried to put their messages across using the hashtag, including some like Miss Selfridge that are actually part of Arcadia Group." Then, tour operator Trek America offered a free weekend in Vegas:

We're taking action and have decided to . A TrekAmerica mini adventure with flights to Vegas. !

— TrekAmerica (@trekamerica)

Nice one Greg you're off to Sin City, here's some stuff to fill your baggage allowance

— VO5 Extreme Style (@VO5ExtremeStyle)

Other retailers got into the act, offering Heaslip toiletries and hair care products for his trip to Vegas. Arcadia's own TopMan topped off the package with a new suit.

Arcadia Group told the BBC that the email was in error and that Greg's request was in fact approved. "The holiday request had actually already been approved on the system and Greg will get his holiday!" it said.

There's only one problem:

Can anyone help us find Greg? We really do want to give him his holiday to Vegas

— TrekAmerica (@trekamerica)

The BBC couldn't reach Heaslip for comment and says "he may not actually know much about what has happened."

"Greg works nights," his employers were quoted as saying, "so we are not totally sure as to when today he became aware of the interest in him and his holiday."