Postmistress redecorates to mark Platinum Jubilee

Patriotic postmistress Valerie Johnson has been a lifelong fan of the Queen and her royal family.

Msjohnson,runsthemost northerly Post Office in the UK at Baltasound on Unst in the Shetland islands, has decorated the branch with bunting, posters and flags galore.

Aided by her assistant, Shelleyhowden,herefforts have seen the branch transformed as Ms Howden pays homage to the 96-year-old monarch,.

Baltasound is the largest of three main settlements in the island which has a population of just over 630 hardy sould.

Ms Johnson did not want islanders and visitors to missoutonthequeen’sspecialoccasionandpulledout all the stops to do her bit.

She is currently busy workingalongsideherfamilytendingtotheirsheepand Shetlandponiesanddealing with the busy lambing and foaling season.

But no amount of work on the land kept Ms Johnson frommarkingtheplatinum Jubilee.

A new sign has just been installed which says ‘Britain’s Most Northern settlement’ and there is also a special postmark while the branch itself is bedecked in red, white and blue.

Msjohnson,whohasbeen thepostmistressfor24years and is an Unst native, said: “I do like the Royal Family, especially the Queen, so I wanted to make sure that I decorated my branch. This Jubilee is extra special as it marks the Queen’s 70 years reign. The Queen is a great figurehead. She has seen so much change in her life and she has always been there for us.”

The Queen's Platinum Jubilee began on 6 February, marking 70 years since she acceded to the throne on her father's death. The Queen was in Kenya when the news came through.