A Pizza Express waitress has been praised for looking after an older gentleman who was having a sad Valentine’s Day.
Multiple posts on Facebook and LinkedIn praised 19‑year‑old Paige Whiles after she helped Cllr Dr Roy Bailey at the Bracknell Pizza Express in The Lexicon.
Dr Bailey is a former senior policeman, an executive member of Bracknell Forest Borough Council and the father of Government Minister Olivia Bailey, the MP for Reading West and mid‑Berkshire, who serves as Parliamentary Under‑Secretary of State for Early Education and Parliamentary Under‑Secretary of State for Equalities.
Dr Bailey’s wife Jeanne is suffering from dementia and has recently moved into a care home. He wrote on Facebook:
“I was greeted by a young waitress, full of warmth and a genuine desire to be helpful. Not only did she sort out my Pizza Express app, she was keen to make me feel welcome and comfortable.
“During the course of my time there, I explained why I was alone and that, over the years, Jeanne and I had been regular patrons to both the Wokingham and Bracknell restaurants.
“The young woman asked about my wife and, when I told her she was in a care home, she was visibly moved.
“When it came to pay for my meal, the waitress returned to my table with the manager. They insisted on giving me a special discount, which of course embarrassed me.
“The young woman (I didn’t get her name) asked me for a hug.
“She is such a nice woman, full of kindness, empathy and generosity.
“She’s only 19 and I thanked her for making my evening much more interesting than it otherwise would have been.
“I have always believed that our young people are naturally kind, thoughtful and optimistic.
“With so much hate, intolerance and bigotry in our social media, young people like my waitress tonight give me, and us, hope for the future.”
Paige Whiles said: “It was so lovely meeting you. Thank you so much for your kind words, I am so sorry for what you are all going through and send all my love to you all.”
So far, his touching post has received 1,163 likes on LinkedIn, 302 hearts, 152 hearts and 628 likes on Facebook.
Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter
