Postal workers bring service with a smile
POST MEN AND WOMEN have been going above and beyond on their daily routes, delivering not only letters and parcels, but essential services and smiles to people.
Postman Johnny Flynn said he, like all postal workers, has never been busier, working longer days to deliver all of the parcels and letters to people, along with school lunches for children attending Deis schools like Horeswood NS in the south west Wexford community.
Johnny said: ‘On my route, there is no one stuck for someone to see them.’
He wants to reassure people that all postal workers are using hand sanitiser regularly, as well as disinfectant wipes.
He stops to wash his hands at outdoor taps in community facilities along his route and is asking people to leave a note for their postman if there is a tap at the rear of their house.
‘It’s just so that I’m not putting new hand sanitizer on top of old hand sanitizer. I bring my own soap and towel and wash my hands and put on the hand sanitizer again. It’s nice to be able to wash your hands every so often.’
The one thing Johnny misses is the banter with people along his route. ‘Before, I used to be able to talk about the rugby match or the sport. This (coronavirus) is all everyone is talking about. People are tense and there is a fear in the air because everyone is afraid they will get it.’
Public Affairs Manager at An Post, Angus Laverty said postal workers came up with the suggestion that they could call in on vulnerable people within communities.
Mr Laverty said: ‘ They have been looking after the routes for years and for generations even. They have been communicating to us and through the Communications Workers’ Union the need to put this on a very structured basis between the union and staff so we’ve put a structure around postmen and women calling to houses. People can register online for visits and family members can do this also.’
Everything from meals to medical supplies can be arranged to be supplied, either through Wexford County Council or Alone.
‘In the ordinary course of a postman’s route they are tuned up to call to someone who is isolated or in lockdown for whatever reason. For a lot of people the postman’s visit might be the only person they might meet in a day. It’s a fact of modern life in many ways.’