For many former Vodafone franchisees, the promise of a lucrative business opportunity turned into a nightmare, with the telecoms giant allegedly putting them under immense pressure to take on struggling stores.
When Adrian Howe, 58, took his own life in August 2018, his family was left reeling from the impact of his 20-year tenure with Vodafone. Initially, the company's response seemed generous and helpful, but an investigation by the family uncovered a more sinister reality.
Howe had struggled to balance his new business venture with the pressures of working for the company as a franchisee. His daughter Kirsty-Anne Holmes recalls her father being reassured that he would be "reinstated" back into Vodafone, despite leaving weeks earlier. However, it became clear that this promise was empty, and Howe's family began to suspect that there were serious problems with his plan to run the stores.
As more former franchisees came forward, a pattern emerged of intimidation and pressure from Vodafone. Dan Attwal, who had once been hailed as a star within the company, revealed that he had received emails threatening fines for minor mistakes, while Rachael Beddow-Davison was subjected to "poor performance" notices despite her store being profitable.
The situation took a tragic turn when Howe's body was found in a lake just 24 minutes from his home. His family believes that the pressure from Vodafone led him to take his own life. The postmortem report suggested that anxiety and depression had played a role, but his relatives insist that this episode was short-lived.
Meanwhile, Beddow-Davison and Attwal are part of a group of 62 former franchisees who claim Vodafone "unjustly enriched" itself by slashing their sales commissions. The case has been likened to the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, with many feeling that they were put under undue pressure to take on struggling stores.
In a desperate bid to escape their financial woes, some former franchisees have turned to Vodafone for help. In September, the company began offering financial settlements to those outside of the high court group suing the business.
However, Holmes believes that this gesture is too little, too late. "In the end, when [my dad, Adrian Howe] really needed their help, he was merely a number to them," she says. "It's us, as a family, that have had to pay the price."
As Vodafone continues to face allegations of putting its franchisees under pressure, the mental health toll on those affected is becoming increasingly clear. The company's response has been criticized for being insensitive and dismissive.
The UK's Samaritans charity offers a lifeline to those struggling with mental health issues. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or feelings of distress, please contact them on 116 123 (free call) or email [email protected].
When Adrian Howe, 58, took his own life in August 2018, his family was left reeling from the impact of his 20-year tenure with Vodafone. Initially, the company's response seemed generous and helpful, but an investigation by the family uncovered a more sinister reality.
Howe had struggled to balance his new business venture with the pressures of working for the company as a franchisee. His daughter Kirsty-Anne Holmes recalls her father being reassured that he would be "reinstated" back into Vodafone, despite leaving weeks earlier. However, it became clear that this promise was empty, and Howe's family began to suspect that there were serious problems with his plan to run the stores.
As more former franchisees came forward, a pattern emerged of intimidation and pressure from Vodafone. Dan Attwal, who had once been hailed as a star within the company, revealed that he had received emails threatening fines for minor mistakes, while Rachael Beddow-Davison was subjected to "poor performance" notices despite her store being profitable.
The situation took a tragic turn when Howe's body was found in a lake just 24 minutes from his home. His family believes that the pressure from Vodafone led him to take his own life. The postmortem report suggested that anxiety and depression had played a role, but his relatives insist that this episode was short-lived.
Meanwhile, Beddow-Davison and Attwal are part of a group of 62 former franchisees who claim Vodafone "unjustly enriched" itself by slashing their sales commissions. The case has been likened to the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, with many feeling that they were put under undue pressure to take on struggling stores.
In a desperate bid to escape their financial woes, some former franchisees have turned to Vodafone for help. In September, the company began offering financial settlements to those outside of the high court group suing the business.
However, Holmes believes that this gesture is too little, too late. "In the end, when [my dad, Adrian Howe] really needed their help, he was merely a number to them," she says. "It's us, as a family, that have had to pay the price."
As Vodafone continues to face allegations of putting its franchisees under pressure, the mental health toll on those affected is becoming increasingly clear. The company's response has been criticized for being insensitive and dismissive.
The UK's Samaritans charity offers a lifeline to those struggling with mental health issues. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or feelings of distress, please contact them on 116 123 (free call) or email [email protected].
this whole Vodafone franchisee situation is like, really sad man... they took these people in with promises of a dream business and then just crushed 'em 
. it's all about the benjamins, you know? the company's trying to escape accountability for putting their own people through hell, but that's not gonna fly 
. it's like, Adrian Howe was literally pushed over the edge by the pressure... what a tragic waste of life 
. and now these other franchisees are still fighting for justice, but it feels like they're just being swept under the rug 
. can't we just have a company that cares about its people for once? 
can't just leave these people high and dry after they've given their all to the company. 20 years is a huge commitment, and if you're not going to support them when things get tough, then what's the point? 
it's like they're saying "good luck" and then just walking away 
. and now they're trying to offer some half-hearted apology with a financial settlement? lol nope not gonna cut it 
Vodafone's actions r appalling they put ppl under so much pressure & stress & it led to his death 
. And Dan's story is just as bad, those fines he got for mistakes? Totally unfair! 
They're like "just pay us more money" instead of helping their employees. It's not right. The fact that Vodafone's response was insensitive & dismissive 
₽ the mental health toll on ppl who've been affected is just heartbreaking 
.
. And I feel bad for Dan & Rachael too, they're not even getting the help they need from the company they trusted 
.
. They're just looking out for themselves & leaving a trail of broken lives behind 
Financial settlements aren't going to cut it, though. It's too little, too late for Adrian Howe and his family.
And Vodafone needs to own up to their mistakes and take responsibility for the impact they've had on these lives 
.
. They need to be more transparent and supportive of their franchisees, rather than just looking out for their own interests 
. It's time for some accountability, and I hope that the authorities will take this seriously 
.
my heart goes out to adrian howe's fam his daughter Kirsty-Anne Holmes is speaking truth lol dont get me wrong ill still rep vodafone but come on guys be more genuine & supportive 
vodafone needs 2 do better, especially when it comes to mental health & employee well-being 
it's just not right that these people had to go through this kind of thing and vodafone is just sitting there like "oh well" 
. i mean, what about the 62 former franchisees who are still suing them? do they get left behind in this whole mess? 