Dan Gowar on a Friday...
POSTAL workers are among other groups on strike today.
Most will be aware far fewer letters are now sent as a growing number of businesses and private individuals choose to communicate via email and other electronic methods. While not part of their official remit, postal delivery workers play an important role in society aside from bringing us letters and parcels. They keep an eye out for elderly or vulnerable people in their delivery areas, noticing things like curtains still closed in the middle of the day.
It is reasonable to think that every year there must be several thousand UK residents who benefit from ‘posties’ raising the alarm when noticing something out of the ordinary.
‘Posties’ also have an amazing ability to deliver letters to the correct person even if the address is a bit vague or the intended recipient’s name is not quite right.
While not so happy after receiving another bill, I like to see a small red van pull up in the neighbourhood and the ‘postie’ going about his or her duties. There is a sense of reassurance similar to that of observing police officers on the beat.
Like police officers, ‘posties’ serve the community in all sorts of weather and it must be very difficult and extremely uncomfortable at times. Private citizens can choose to stay indoors when the weather is bad but that option is not open to ‘posties’ unless in situations where they would be in danger.
The secretary of a small organisation called me this week to ask if I could get a piece in the paper about its next meeting.
He told me something I was aware of impacting upon similar groups.
Meetings were not possible during the pandemic but some previous members, known to be still to the fore, have not returned. The secretary acknowledged there would be older members no longer at ease with being in close contact with others.
Friends and relatives of people falling into the above category can feel reassured that the average ‘postie’ will still be keeping an eye out for vulnerable people on their rounds.