Fond farewell to Sweep the cat who had official job title and id card

Sweep the cat had his own HDC id card (Image: Archant)

Sweep, who even had an official job title, joined cleansing colleagues by keeping their Eastfield House base free of mice.

Sweep, who worked on well into retirement, was still doing his rounds until just before he died after a short illness.

The cat had the official post of workshop assistant and was even issued with his own identity card.

Robert Ward, retired head of operations at the council, explained that Sweep became a key member of the council staff when a street cleaning team found a kitten dumped in a cardboard box on the A1 back in 2004.

Sweep was part of the team at HDC depot in Huntingdon (Image: Archant)

“The finders brought the cat back to the depot at Bridge Place, in Godmanchester, where it was adopted by the vehicle workshop staff and named ‘Sweep Bush’ as when he was brought to the workshop the fitters were repairing bushes on a roadsweeper,” he said.

“Recruited to the post of workshop assistant soon after arriving, Sweep carried out a relentless task of rodent reduction with diligence and enthusiasm.”

Mr Ward said: “Moving to the Eastfield House complex when the Bridge Place depot closed, Sweep was present when the facility was officially opened and can be seen in the picture discussing the new facilities with Huntingdonshire District Council’s chief executive at the time, David Monks, along with the chairman of the council and the Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire,”

Mr Ward said that in 2010 Sweep suffered a broken leg which needed pinning and his treatment was funded by donations, together with the support of a local vet.

“Working on well into normal retirement age, for a feline, Sweep continued his rodent patrol until he fell ill in May and, after a short illness, died on May 29,”

Mr Ward said. “He will be missed.”