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Video: Marching into battle to save their post office
CAMPAIGNERS are fighting tooth and nail to save their village post office which has long been a community lifeline for residents and pensioners.
CAMPAIGNERS are fighting tooth and nail to save their village post office which has long been a community lifeline for residents and pensioners.For years Pat and Ron Rutterford have tirelessly manned the counter at Barnwell Post Office, and have become two of the most recognisable faces in the village.
Not only do they provide a post office service from 8am to 7.30pm six days-a-week, but they have transformed it into a fully-stocked shop and run a prescription pick-up service.
Ron can often be spotted driving around the village delivering groceries and dropping off doctors' prescriptions to grateful pensioners.
People from about 50 nearby villages also rely on the post office because of its long opening hours and ease of car parking.
But this could soon stop as the post office has been earmarked for closure by the Government, causing residents to group together and fight their rural corner.
The deadline for individual objections was yesterday, but there is still time to sign an online petition which will go to the House of Commons.
Campaigners fighting to save the crucial community asset launched a Save Barnwell Post Office Campaign website to attract people to the petition.
And only last week, 200 people marched from the three miles from Barnwell to Oundle to highlight just how far people will have to go to nearest post office and by their groceries.
Campaign secretary Heather Hanlon, who sits on the parish council, said the reaction to the potential closure had been overwhelming.
Mrs Hanlon added: "We are amazed as to how the community has taken to it. More than 300 people turned up to our first meeting and then 200 people showed up for the protest march.
"We were surprised they decided to close Barnwell Post Office because it's so busy, has fantastic opening hours and serves all the local businesses.
"Pam and Ron are a marvellous couple, the hours they work are absolutely astounding. Pensioners rely on their service, and they go out of their way to deliver groceries and get prescriptions out to people. We have done as much as we can to rustle up support and we can only wait to see what the Post Office company says to our case."
Post Office Ltd has proposed that Barnwell is one of the branches proposed for replacement by an outreach solution.
This could mean a mobile travelling service where a van, offering certain products and services, will visit at set times and days each week.
Sylvia Lawman (79) from Barnwell, was one of the people who went on the march, saying: "I'm doing it because I use the post office for stamps, paying my bills and I buy things in the shop. I have no transport to get to the post office in Oundle unless someone takes me in."
Since the website was set up 348 people have signed the petition, but the time deadline of January 30 is approaching fast.
And more than 200 younger people have signed up to a petition group on social networking website Facebook to register to show their concern.
It is not the first time the village has been hit with a shock closure. Barnwell Primary School was forced to close three years ago, meaning most parents had to travel to Oundle to get their children in school.
Post Office managing director Alan Cook said: “Post Office Ltd’s aim is to continue to provide essential services and support retail businesses and the local economy in as many communities as possible, subject to the very strict minimum access criteria set by the Government.”
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