Courier Magazine Summer 2023

Supporting your financial wellbeing

Borrow affordably through salary

n We offer affordable loans with lower interest rates.

n If you have higher cost debts like payday loans, credit cards, and overdrafts, Salary Finance may be able to help you save money by paying off those debts with one single, lower cost loan. Representative Rate 7.9% APR (fixed).

n Loans are repaid straight from salary meaning there is no hassle or admin and you can never miss a repayment.

n It’s simple and quick to apply online. Visit My Bundle+ and click on ‘My Money Matters’ to get started.

Learn better money habits

Our Learn platform offers educational resources in all shapes and sizes to suit different financial situations and learning styles: webinars, YouTube-style insights, guides, tools, calculators, articles and blog posts.

Did you catch our latest article on Money & Mental Health? It provides resources to help you cope with financial anxiety – scan the QR code to read the blog.

is for guidance and educational purposes only and is generic in nature. Salary Finance does not offer regulated financial advice. Please seek independent financial advice.

Your mental and physical health are affected by many things –including money. Good financial wellbeing comes from being in control of your day-to-day finances, reducing debt and learning more about your money habits.

If these sound like things you want to improve, then Salary Finance may be worth exploring.

SUMMER 2023 COVER

Clockwise from top left: Jaimin Patel and Winchel Meader from Midlands Super Hub; Harry Gasiorski and Sasha Monique HenryCrawford from Central Operations in Farringdon.

GET IN TOUCH

Share your feedback and stories.

CALL 0800 183 0569

EMAIL courier@linney.com

WRITE Courier, Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW

TEAM

Rachel Brennan –Editor at Royal Mail

Damon Parkin –Editor at Linney Create

PRINTING

Acorn Web Offset Limited, Normanton WF6 1TW

MAILING

MAMS, 4 Middleton Grove, Leeds LS11 5BX

DISTRIBUTION

To notify HR of a change of address, employees should email HRSC.Personal.Data@royalmail.com or write to The HR Service Centre, Pond Street, Sheffield S98 6HR Pensioners should write to: Pensions Services Centre, PO Box 5863, HRSC, Pond Street, Sheffield S98 6AB

ADVERTISING

To advertise in the next edition of Courier, email royalmailadvertising@linney.com for details of availability, suitability and rates. Courier is delivered to c.145,000 homes four times a year.

BARKING VIOLATION

How

THE DATA DAY

Discussing the digital world, and how AI can benefit our business, with our chief analytics and data officer Mark Briers.

KEEPING TRACK

Hopping

DESTINATION: NORTHERN IRELAND

We

How mail measures up

Commercial mail can contribute to a sustainable economy

– that’s the key finding of a Royal Mail Marketreach study.

Data from the Life Cycle Assessment has helped shape an online tool that breaks down the carbon footprint of each stage in the supply chain.

Users can now compare the carbon emissions of the 10 most common mail formats and see how they measure up against everyday products. For example, the overall carbon impact of a postcard is 43.61g CO2e – less than the impact of one orange.

WATCH Marketreach’s new circularity campaign film

Get involved with RHF Day

The first Rowland Hill Fund Day takes place on 13 June and the charity for postal people is inviting colleagues to participate and ‘Share Your Thanks’.

Visit the Rowland Hill Fund Workplace group for further details and ideas about taking part during June.

WINDRUSH 75

June marks the 75th anniversary of the Empire Windrush arriving in Britain. Join EmbRace on Workplace to mark this milestone event.

DUO NOMINATED

Group health and wellbeing’s Kimberley Whelan and environment lead Zebrina Hanly are finalists in June’s everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards.

New service is the complete package

Our new automatic redelivery service is increasing convenience for customers and delivering great results for our business. All delivery offices began offering the service in May, following a six-month trial across six sites where the combined day one and day two automatic redelivery success rate achieved 99.5%.

When customers aren’t home to accept parcels, we leave a ‘Something for you’ card and call again the next working day. Customers can still ask for items to be left in a safe place, with a neighbour or redelivered to another local address or Post Office.

QUAD SQUAD

Oxford posties are trialling electrically assisted pedaland-motor quadricycles as part of our Steps to Zero strategy.

“Delivering a new process nationally on a single day is always a challenge, without having to cope with the technical issues which impacted many parts of the business,” says automatic redelivery project manager Bryan Macefield. “The operation rose magnificently to that challenge, implementing the manual contingency process while technical issues were resolved. We’re already seeing more customers getting their parcels delivered over the two delivery attempts.”

Project deployment manager Ian Evans has praised the determination of posties to get the parcels into the hands of our customers.

“The operation has worked with us to get through the deployment issues,” adds Ian.

“We’re monitoring things very closely and logging feedback for future learning.”

Incorporating redeliveries into our regular rounds cuts down journeys to customer service points for missed mail – a win for our customers and the environment.

“It’s good for customers as they don’t need to leave home,” says postie Dustin Comperat, from Abergavenny Delivery Office, one of the sites involved in the pilot project. “It’s a doorstep service that saves them time and effort.”

Your Watch&Win leads

Our latest Watch&Win campaign for leads from the health sector marketplace has seen two spotters claim rewards worth £200 and a £50 goodie bag delivered to their door.

Our third and final winning spotter, and a manager who has engaged with the competition, will be announced at the end of June. From July to September, the focus will be on leads from pet-related suppliers.

To enter the health campaign before it ends on 30 June, submit a lead on the People App and include the word HEALTH in the comments box. From July onwards, use the key word PETS accompanied by your pet-related lead.

FIND OUT MORE Look out for more on the Watch&Win website.

Browse previous issues at myroyalmail.com/courier or by scanning the QR code. This edition will appear online around three weeks after it’s been delivered.

USING QR CODES

Use your smart device’s camera to scan codes throughout this edition of Courier for more features and interviews.

Great leap forward on our parcels mission

Royal Mail’s largest automated site moves into live operation this summer, heralding a game-changing moment in our quest to win in parcels.

Capable of processing 60,000 parcels an hour, with the potential to produce two million a day, Midlands Super Hub is a significant investment in the future of our business. Testing is almost complete and colleagues moving from our National Distribution Centre have been assigned roles and are finishing their training.

Opening day will come just under three years since the first spade was placed in the ground at the site in Daventry, situated by the M1 with full national network connectivity reaching all our mail centres and estate.

“It’s very exciting to be part of such a major development for Royal Mail,” says OPG Will Smith.

Parcelforce on the move

Parcelforce is relocating its London Central depot from Camden to the capital’s greenest urban industrial development, SEGRO Park Tottenham. Some operations will transfer to other Parcelforce or Royal Mail sites.

The move to the new logistics park within the next two years means Parcelforce will benefit from strong transport links to help grow business in the express courier market.

SEGRO Park Tottenham has been designed with wellbeing in mind, featuring a dedicated biodiverse amenity space with wildflower grasses, deciduous trees, evergreen hedge boundaries and an outdoor seating area with gym and cycle parking. The building is constructed from zero-carbon technologies and will run on renewable energy through photovoltaic panels and LED lighting.

Midlands Super Hub, which is large enough to fit 14 jumbo jets inside, will cross-dock 40% of Royal Mail’s entire traffic every day. A single parcel takes just seven minutes to move through its state-of-the-art Automated Parcel Sorting System. It’ll contribute hugely as we move closer to the 90% industry standard for parcels automation.

With solar panels, rainwater harvesting, its own rail terminal and electric vehicle charging points, there’s a green aspect too, boosting our Steps to Zero journey.

Look out for coverage of the official opening on Workplace at the end of June.

COURIER CATCH-UP

A difficult year for everyone...

...but reasons to be optimistic.

Our full results for 2022-23 paint a mixed picture of obstacles and optimism as we enter a new financial year focusing on rebuilding trust, restoring high standards of service and returning Royal Mail and Parcelforce to profit.

We’ve made progress to stabilise the business and improved our customer offering. Our achievements over the past year include reaching agreement with the CWU, subject to ballot, and making good progress on our Steps to Zero environmental plan – read more on page 16. We reached 76% parcel automation by the end of the financial year – a figure which continues to increase and has now reached 80%. We’ve also improved our customer offering with new products and services, and growing Sundays and Parcel Collect.

Focus on improving Quality of Service

Despite making progress in many areas, we’ve fallen short of the high quality of service standards our customers expect. To 26 March 2023, Royal Mail delivered 90.7% of Second Class mail within three working days (95.2% adjusted for the impact of strike action) and 73.7% of First Class within one working day (81.5% adjusted).

In the fourth quarter of the year, 94.5% of Second Class mail was delivered within three working days and 78.9% of First Class was delivered within one working day.

This has been one of the hardest years in the company’s history with Quality of Service damaged by the long-running industrial dispute, compounded by high levels of absence, which has continued to affect our operational performance.

But the fact remains that it’s still below where we – and our customers – want it to be. Restoring our service to the high standards our customers expect has to be our top priority.

Rebuilding trust

As we enter the new financial year, there’s reason for us all to be optimistic. But we must deliver the changes outlined in the negotiators’ agreement with the CWU and improve quality at the same time.

With that, we can grow the business to show a return to Group profitability this year (2023-24) and see Royal Mail itself in profit the year after.

3

3

3

3 3

CWU agreement reached – subject to ballot

Delivered five-point plan to stabilise the business 76%

WATCH

Scan the QR code for a film reviewing our year.

What is ‘impairment’?

The industrial dispute and ongoing risk to our business mean that we’ve had to write down the value of the Royal Mail business by £539 million to £900 million. This is on top of the £419 million loss. This known as an ‘impairment’ and is a non-cash accounting adjustment, required under accounting rules.

Adjusted operating loss:

-£419 million Reported operating loss of £1.04 billion, including impairment

Market share, domestic parcels:

Revenue: £7.4 billion

Our full-year results provide details of the financial performance of International Distributions Services, including breaking out performance for Royal Mail and GLS. Parcelforce performance is not split out separately, but it is now materially loss making. That is why optimising the synergies between the Royal Mail and Parcelforce networks, and the Strategic Review we are undertaking as part of the CWU agreement, are so important for Parcelforce’s future.

13 % DOWN

DOWN UP compared to pre-Covid volumes

4 %

2 % Domestic parcel volumes: 1.1 billion1

DOWN

9 %

22% DOWN

Letter volumes: 7.3 billion3

1 Excludes International volumes.

2 Parcel automation now 80% at May 2023.

3 Addressed letters, excluding elections.

Reign and shine

We join the postal team delivering to the King’s favourite royal residence in the build-up to the Coronation.

Cotswolds postie Chris Page enjoys exchanging friendly greetings with customers on his rural round. The village vet visiting the local racehorse stables. The farmer climbing aboard his combine harvester. King Charles III taking a morning stroll through his garden.

“I sometimes catch the King feeding his chickens or tending to his plants,” says Chris, whose Westonbirt route takes in

Highgrove House. “And, when he notices me, he’ll always give a wave.”

Chris is among an 18-strong team of Tetbury Delivery Office posties serving this scenic patch of Gloucestershire, which is home to film stars, writers and royalty.

“Highgrove House is the King’s favourite royal residence,” insists customer operations manager (COM) support and workplace coach Paul Sharpe, citing Charles’ return to Highgrove for a brief spell of respite and solace in the busy days following the death of his mother.

Mail addressed to Highgrove is despatched by Special Delivery to the Buckingham Palace Court Postmaster for security screening before being returned to Tetbury and handed to Chris ahead of his round.

“Highgrove mail hits its peak during historic royal events,” says COM Nigel Keates. “We handled many cards of condolence last September and, in the build-up to King Charles’s Coronation, up to 25 items a day rather than the usual five.”

Although Chris Page is a daily visitor to Highgrove House, where the stunning gardens designed by the King are open to the public, he didn’t make the guest list for the Coronation.

“I applied for tickets to the Windsor Castle Coronation Concert for my family,” he reveals.

Perhaps if the King had spotted him in the crowd, they’d have exchanged friendly waves.

Win special edition Coronation stamps

Royal Mail has released a stamp issue marking the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey on 6 May 2023. Turn to page 28 for the chance to win this commemorative collection.

ROYAL ROUND

Royal ties

Courier Editorial Panel member and Epping postie Nick Park on an occasion to treasure.

The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla was an historic moment –and our business was at the heart of it. Remember, King Henry VIII founded our company in 1516, the word ‘Royal’ remains in our name and there’s a crown in our logo. Our close ties with the royal family were reinforced by Coronation postboxes (below), themed postbox toppers, a commemorative stamp issue and special postmark.

This was an occasion enjoyed beyond the United Kingdom, with millions around the world watching the spectacle unfold. I’m sure that a few posties descended on London to pay homage. I wandered along Oxford Street the day before the Coronation, to soak up the sights, sounds and atmosphere of anticipation.

It was a working day for many of us. We listened on radios and watched on our phones as it played out. At Epping Delivery Office, we were fortunate to witness the RAF flypast. One fellow postie remarked that this significant event would be talked about and taught for centuries to come.

We were all involved in different ways. Union Jacks were flying, there were parties in full swing and well-wishers young and old lining the route.

The crowning of the King and Queen captivated millions, uniting all ages and backgrounds. Let’s hope they continue to serve our nation for many years to come. Just like Royal Mail.

Chris Page’s scenic Westonbirt route takes in Highgrove House.

EDITORIAL PANELLIST

DATA EQUAT

The way he tells it, Mark Briers’ career was shaped by one pivotal moment in secondary school. He wasn’t a particularly diligent student but he vividly remembers that, at 16 years old, a teacher told him to avoid A-level maths because he’d never be a good mathematician. “I remember thinking: I’ll prove you wrong.”

He scored top marks and became a professor of statistics. Mark never interpreted his teacher’s throwaway statement as a slight, but it certainly helped him to “buckle down and focus on a topic I found naturally intuitive”.

The beginning of his career took him to farflung locations in defence and national security.

From working in national security to playing a leading role on the pandemic frontline, Mark Briers has had a varied career. Now Royal Mail’s chief analytics and data officer has his sights set on the digital era.

ION

He then moved into academia as a professor – teaching students and running research projects on behalf of the UK Government. It was while he was working at The Alan Turing Institute, named after the pioneer who helped the British Government develop the technology to decrypt Nazi Germany’s secret communications during the Second World War, that Mark was launched into the country’s most high-profile data role.

ANALYTICS

We need to be front runners in the digital world so we can out-compete the competition and complement our doorstep relationship.

Going the distance

Covid-19 had only just hit the headlines when health secretary Matt Hancock phoned Sir Adrian Smith, head of the institute, to request a handful of his best for a new team taskforce.

“Because of my defence background on radars and distance estimation, I was a natural fit. Two phones communicating with each other to infer distance isn’t too dissimilar from using a radar to figure out where an aircraft is,” he says. “I became a lead scientist on the NHS Covid-19 app.

“To be involved was certainly a career highlight. There were some scientifically reviewed papers that were published as part of our work. One showed that in England and Wales – despite all publicity around the ‘ping-demic’ – the app directly led to a reduction in Covid-related deaths by around 10,000. To prove that happened is incredible.”

One of the most high-profile projects he’s managed since joining Royal Mail is the “ability to predict into the future with forecasting”, all while helping to shape the organisation around our customer needs of the future.

“If you look at this from a delivery office level, it’s about our ability to predict the workload coming in a week to two weeks’ time so that we can resource appropriately and maximise quality of service for our customers.”

STERNICZUK Courier Editorial

Panel member and Stafford postie

KAMIL: What is the short-term and long-term data telling us?

MARK: They’re telling us that, post-Covid, consumers’ behaviour and their demands of a delivery company are changing. There’s a growing market for parcels, a declining market for letters, expectations around speed of delivery and a desire to minimally impact the planet. Fortunately, by taking an evidence-based approach, there’s lots of opportunity at Royal Mail to satisfy these customer needs. Many of the change initiatives occurring across the organisation are designed to achieve just that.

From an organisation level, it’s being able to understand what the market is going to be doing in two to four years’ time. Predicting the future can be a challenge, but it keeps Mark and his team occupied.

AI on the horizon

Since joining Royal Mail in 2021, Mark has seen artificial intelligence (AI) racing ahead and understands the importance of embracing its benefits.

“We’re already using AI in lots of different areas at Royal Mail. For instance, our estimated delivery window algorithms are a form of AI. Our business operates at an enormous scale, so to optimise our customer and colleague experience, we need the ability to process lots of different data points simultaneously. AI essentially helps us to optimise across the network.”

At the heart of Mark’s mission to enhance the customer experience is a project he and his team have nicknamed MINT. The current network has a fixed predicted day of delivery. If a Tracked 24 parcel enters our network, there’s an expected delivery day from its entry point. In reality, the network can change for many reasons. So, Mark and his team are working on how the business can ‘dynamically cope with these problems’.

KAMIL

WORCESTER SOURCE

Mark checks in with the team at Worcester Delivery Office.

“It’s kind of like having an AI ‘eye’,” he explains. “MINT gives us the capability to inform the different operational decisionmakers about problems, to optimise the route of the parcels through our network. This is a benefit across the board – from our posties to those in the senior leadership team.”

From Mark’s perspective, the world is becoming digitised – whether we like it or not. And that means moving away from an organisation steeped in 500 years of manual process to a company that adapts to a digital landscape.

“We need to be front runners in the digital world so we can out-compete the competition. As it stands, we own trust at the doorstep. It’s that human relationship that really differentiates our brand. I’d like us to continue to own that doorstep relationship, but it needs to be complemented by a digital relationship. That means making sure posties have the right information in front of them to be able to deliver.”

Delivering difference

Mark recounts a defining moment of comparison between Royal Mail and a competitor that shed light on how we’re perceived by our customers.

“The postie knocked on my door, delivered my parcel and we had a quick chat,” he recalls. “On the same day, a competitor knocked on the door and, by the time I’d answered it, he’d driven off in his van and left my parcel out in the rain.”

Mark is witness to the business opening up more channels of communication alongside digital elements to build on existing relationships with our customers.

“There’s a lot to be said about the human interaction and attention our posties put into their deliveries. Their passion for their relationships with customers is remarkable. Now we need to match that with rewarding digital interactions.”

Watch this space.

NICK: Considering the changes engulfing Royal Mail, what’s going to keep us ahead of our rivals?

NICK PARK Courier Editorial Panel member and Epping postie

It’s like having an AI ‘eye’, giving us the capability to optimise the route of the parcels through our network.

Police, canine, action

We’ve teamed up with South Yorkshire force to tackle the threat of dog attacks in one of the most hazardous postcodes in the UK.

When a vicious dog attack forced Donna Taylor to take months off work, she knew she wanted to educate posties and owners about the risks of keeping dangerous breeds.

“I’m not scared of dogs,” says Donna. “In fact, I’m a dog person. My family’s always had pet dogs and our German mastiff cross Freddie’s a big part of my life.”

But her attitude towards other people’s dogs changed forever when Donna, a postie at Halfway Delivery Office, on the outskirts of Sheffield, was attacked during her round in March 2022.

Paws for Posties

East London postie

Bob Armitage has been educating local schoolchildren about the pet threats we face on our rounds. He used our Paws for Posties presentation, created by the Dog Working Group in partnership with the CWU, to deliver the message to pupils aged five to nine.

“It was a great opportunity to give the children an idea about the role of a postie and the hazards we face,” says Bob. “The children were eager to hear about how they could help.”

“I wasn’t even on the customer’s property,” she recalls. “But the owner had absolutely no control over her dog. There was a makeshift fence separating her garden from the road. The dog, a Staffie type, escaped through it, coming straight for me.”

Donna sustained injuries to her arms, wrists, legs and even her face during the terrifying ordeal. She managed to fight off the dog before seeking shelter in the house of another customer, who called an ambulance. Donna was in hospital for three days and was placed under general anaesthetic for surgery.

After a phased return to work, Donna’s now back on her round. Today, the owner of the dog must visit the delivery office to collect her parcels.

There were 1,673 dog attacks on Royal Mail colleagues in 2021-22, an average of 32 a week, with some leading to permanent and disabling injuries.

Dog attacks are the most common causes of injury for our posties and, when it comes to nationwide incidents, South Yorkshire’s ‘S’ postcode – which includes Sheffield and Rotherham – is the most hazardous in the UK.

GET INVOLVED

Scan the QR code to download the Paws for Posties presentation

Now, Royal Mail has teamed up with South Yorkshire Police to create the Dog Working Group.

“The force has set up an online reporting process just for posties,” says Royal Mail’s safety planning manager Nicholas Burns. “They can

AVOID

As we head into the school summer holidays, Royal Mail’s Dog Awareness Week campaign (3-9 July) aims to highlight the heightened risk of children answering the door without considering what may happen if their pet escapes. We’ll also remind all colleagues to AVOID dogs.

AVOID interaction with all dogs. Never pet or feed a dog, enter a garden where a dog is present or take assurance from a customer that their dog won’t bite.

VALUE yourself. Your safety is much more important than delivering an item of mail. So never take unnecessary risks and always shout out to the customer to restrain the dog before opening the door. Use your posting peg where a dog may be behind the door and never put your fingers through a letter box.

OBSERVE your hazard card before your round so you know where dogs live and mark letters with a ‘D’ as a prompt for when you arrive at the address.

INFORM your manager and colleagues of new hazards. Do you carry blank hazard cards with you on delivery so that you can note all details? If you need some, ask your manager.

DEFEND yourself by using delivery equipment, such as your pouch or trolley, to create a physical barrier between you and the dog. Most bites occur on the limbs, so wearing long trousers and sleeves can help protect from serious injuries.

report dog attacks, threats and near misses. The police have committed to investigating, offering advice and taking action where necessary.”

One requirement is the enforced completion of an online training course created with dog charity Blue Cross.

Royal Mail, in partnership with the CWU Bite back campaign, is pushing for changes in the law to reflect the severity of dog attacks and protect our workers. Dogs can be legally destroyed if a worker is seriously injured. In Donna’s case, the owner, a mother of young children, requested that her dog was put down.

“Having survived a dog attack, my advice to fellow posties would be to always listen to your instinct,” says Donna. “If a property doesn’t feel safe, don’t venture onto it.”

Leicester attack

Earlier this year, a postie was attacked by a dog that smashed through a pane of glass in the front door of a Leicester property. The postie was bitten, although not badly injured, and ran through the garden before climbing over a fence to escape.

1,673 DOG ATTACKS ON COLLEAGUES IN 2021-22

30%

happened in the garden

8% 23%

took place through the letter box

OCCURRED IN THE STREET OR ROAD

STRATEGY LAUNCH

2022

STEPSTOZEROTARGETS >>>

NET ZERO BY 2040 50 gCO2e

PER PARCEL

(about the same as making a cup of tea with milk)

Largest commercial electric van fleet in UK

5,000 ELECTRIC VANS

NEARLY at more than 150 delivery and collection units, 17 of which are 100% electrified

80 % FEWER EMISSIONS PER MILE THAN DIESEL COUNTERPARTS

80

trucks in Bio-CNG fleet

DELIVERING OUR FUTURE

We’ve taken great strides to decarbonise our operations over the past year. But there’s much more to do to retain our status as the UK’s greenest postal and logistics company (based on publicly reported CO 2 from competitors). Look out for our Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) report later this month.

7 %

We’re already down by against our baseline year, 2020-21

£1 MILLION

saved in energy costs

99% renewable electricity consumption

13 %

Gas consumption reduction

Electricity use reduced by around 4%

20% OF OUR DELIVERY ROUTES ARE NOW ZERO EMISSION

More than 50% of our delivery routes wholly or partially on foot

Bio-CNG trucks have saved over 5,000

TONNES OF CO2e

(equivalent to 600million smartphone charges) ONE YEAR ON

Over time, new plastic sleeves for yorks will reduce up to

2,000

TONNES OF CARDBOARD WASTE

Self-sealing mail bags launched to reduce plastic waste from cable ties by up to 170 tonnes

Moving forward as one

A workplace that’s inclusive for all of us, that’s the collective ambition of One Royal Mail, a business-wide mission already spearheading powerful growth and change.

This includes our six employee resource groups, each one providing vital support, raising awareness and ensuring every colleague has a voice when it comes to shaping Royal Mail of the future.

“We all want to work in a business where we not only feel safe and supported, but can thrive and feel like we really belong,” explains Winnie Annan-Forson, Royal Mail’s head of diversity, equity and inclusion.

ONE ROYAL MAIL SO FAR

• Established six Employee Resource Groups (meet them all on the next page)

• Ran a series of workshops and built a five-pillar action plan: Increasing diversity, Generational transformation, A force for good, An inclusive environment, Vibrant national networks

• Achieved Disability Confident employer status

• Launched a cross-business ethnicity mentoring programme

• Provided access to female role models and quality learning resources

ONE ROYAL MAIL: WHAT’S NEXT

• Increased accessibility

• Equipping our colleagues to build an inclusive culture

• Increasing the diversity of our workforce

• Nurturing links with charity partners and highlighting diversity through BHF partnership

• Relaunching Springboard for emerging female leaders in operations

• New social mobility initiative

Take the LEAP

In support of One Royal Mail, all colleagues are encouraged to complete at least one LEAP action. Which one will be yours?

LEARN

I will educate myself on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)

E NGAGE

I will join at least one Employee Resource Group

ALLYSHIP

I will support and advocate for colleagues at Royal Mail

PART OF IT

I will create an environment where my team feels included

ONE FOR ALL Winnie Annan-Forson is helping drive growth and change.

“And this is what’s at the very core of One Royal Mail. It’s about bringing our vision for an equitable, inclusive and accessible culture to life for all of us.”

Yoma Omale (above left), our diversity and inclusion manager, agrees. “One Royal Mail is about equipping ourselves with the tools to support each other as allies. It’s about working together to cultivate a supportive environment.

“It’s about connecting, learning, and making healthy progress that benefits us all as individuals and as a collective.”

TURN THE PAGE TO MEET THE EXCITING EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS WORKING TOWARDS ONE GOAL >>>

Every business must grow and adapt. To make sure we do this authentically and with our people front and centre, One Royal Mail is leading the way.

ONE ROYAL MAIL

Meet members of the thriving Employee Resource Groups you can lean on and be part of.

RM Women and Allies

The ERG for female colleagues and advocates

“We’re a platform for connection, inclusivity and community, with members from all corners of the business. We celebrate success, host impactful events and provide a safe space for female colleagues to speak about their experiences.

“We have partnerships with everywoman, BITC, DIAL Global and GenM. We’re also a proud charity partner for Hestia, which supports adults and children in crisis.”

EmbRace

The ERG for race, multiculturalism and religion.

“EmbRace seeks to empower ethnic minority colleagues and people of any faith to bring their whole self to work, to equally access opportunities for personal and professional growth and make a positive contribution to Royal Mail and the communities we serve.

“From recruitment to retirement, we are developing inclusive programmes, campaigns and mentorship opportunities. We work collaboratively with Business in the Community, DIAL Global, like-minded companies and allies to share best practice. Join our volunteer squad to get involved in one of our five big ideas for 2023!”

Caring

The ERG for working families

“We’re growing a robust network to help parents and carers thrive, both in the workplace and at home.

“We raise challenges and get support. We have help and advice pages packed with guidance, access to practical information and a partnership with Carers UK.

“Last year we hosted a virtual event for National Breastfeeding Week, and there’s much more in the pipeline for 2023.”

play a valuable role in building an equitable, inclusive and accessible Royal Mail.

LGBTQ+ & Friends

The ERG delivering m♥re with Pride for colleagues and allies

“We’re a safe space and growing community for LGBTQ+ & Friends, colleagues and our allies. We’re breaking barriers and building allies so every colleague can feel empowered and comfortable being themselves.

“We’re improving the colleague experience by providing education, raising awareness, addressing stigma and helping shape business policy.

“And, of course, we have fun celebrating who we are – especially during Pride!”

enABLE

The ERG for all things disability

“Our network’s passionate about supporting colleagues going through a diagnosis, those who already live with a disability, and their allies. The range of conditions that disability encompasses is vast, some visible and many invisible. We’re committed through our combined passion to creating a more accessible business, while having a safe space through our community to ask, support, champion and educate. Look out for exciting areas of improvement this coming year. So please join us and become part of a passionate network of colleagues.”

NextGen

The ERG for Royal Mail’s Next Generation

“We represent Royal Mail colleagues under 30 and their allies. Last year we hosted our first Hackathon, where more than 100 under-30s came together to solve business challenges. We helped shape the Next Generation strategy and remain passionate about attracting even more young people into a career with Royal Mail.

“We’re rebranding and working on a clear strategy for what we want to achieve in the next 12 months.”

HARRY GASIORSKI

HR director, Parcelforce Worldwide (below)

CHRIS BARBER Demand manager –Product Engineering (IT) (below right)

LEONIE HEARNSHAW Deployment lead

SUZANNA BAILEY Procurement manager, Finance (above)

‘Instinct and adrenaline kicked in’

Quick-thinking Blackpool postie John Edwards’ CPR training saved a customer’s life. It demonstrates the power of our partnership with British Heart Foundation.

In his 24 years as a postie, John Edwards had never been called on to put his CPR know-how into action. All that changed when a customer on his Blackpool round ran from her house in search of assistance for her boyfriend.

It had been more than eight years since John had completed his CPR course, but in responding to this cry for help, the knowledge came flooding back.

“I found the man lying on his bed,” recalls John. “He wasn’t breathing. I instinctively started CPR while we waited for the paramedics.

“I took part in the training for my kids – just in case I needed to know what to do. I used to think ‘I’m never going to need to use this, it won’t happen to me’. Then this happens.

“When I spoke to the paramedic afterwards, he said I’d be surprised by how many times he arrives at a scene to find people standing there frozen. They’ve not done the training, so they just don’t know what to do.

“For me, it was instinct and adrenaline that took over,” adds John. “I’d only ever practised on dummies, but it’s amazing how much you remember all these years later.”

The man was in a medically induced coma for five days and has no memory of the day. He and his girlfriend have been in touch to say thank you.

John’s dramatic first-hand experience of delivering CPR means he’s an enthusiastic supporter of our national charity partnership with British Heart Foundation. Royal Mail’s on a mission to raise £2 million by 2026. At the time Courier went to print, colleagues

had already raised and donated more than £70,000 and more than 900 had completed CPR training.

“It’s great that Royal Mail is teaming up with British Heart Foundation,” says John. “And I would encourage everyone to learn CPR.

“At the end of the day, you could be saving someone’s life.”

KNOW WHAT TO DO Scan the QR code to learn CPR for free in just 15 minutes with BHF’s RevivR training tool.

I USED TO THINK ‘I’M NEVER GOING TO NEED TO USE MY TRAINING’. THEN THIS HAPPENS.

Support on hand when you need it

From free health services to wellbeing ambassadors –there’s a wealth of help for colleagues facing challenging times.

Let’s Talk Menopause

Let’s Talk Menopause provides support for colleagues and loved ones living with menopausal symptoms. Launched last year, it encourages everyone to share their experiences and normalise menopause conversations. Local support is available from our Meno-Mates network, which provides confidential support and raises awareness.

“I now see the menopause as my new beginning in life, especially now that we can talk about our emotions openly and honestly,” says Liz Price, an advanced customer advisor at our Stoke Contact Centre. “I’m so grateful to be part of the Let’s Talk Menopause group.”

The Let’s Talk Menopause Workplace group features e-learning and external speaker sessions on topics such as nutrition, holistic therapies and perimenopause as well as monthly menopause cafés, which are confidential spaces to ask questions and share experiences. You’ll find a factsheet with guidance on symptoms and support, which is also available through the People App’s People Policy tile.

Wellbeing ambassadors

More than 700 wellbeing ambassadors are supporting their local colleagues – whatever they’re going through. And they’re looking for more volunteers to join them.

It’s a fulfilling and rewarding role where you can really make a difference. You’ll help raise awareness and promote resources to improve the wellbeing culture and support those around you.

Whether it’s support with physical and mental health or financial wellbeing, there’s someone close by to help guide colleagues to the right place.

This voluntary position will run alongside your current role. Just agree your involvement with your manager and, once you join, you’ll receive everything you need to get started.

Help@hand 360

Colleagues have been sharing positive feedback about the new wellbeing booklet outlining the support available through Help@hand. This includes 24/7 online GP access, mental health consultations, physiotherapy and the free, confidential and independent Employee Assistance Programme.

New updates include the removal of the cap on mental health consultations, which means you and your partner can access unlimited consultations whenever you need them.

We’ve also introduced the 360 Wellbeing Score, which unlocks personalised lifestyle coaching. Complete this to see the areas of your life that are flourishing and those you need to focus on. Sign up to make small changes that can make a big difference to your wellbeing.

Belfast North postie Lee Bradley was the April winner of our Workplace photo competition for his superb shot of sunrise over Ballygalley, on Northern Ireland’s Antrim coast. Runner-up was Westhill postie John Rutherford with his spectacular image of an aurora taken in Norway. Tyneside Mail Centre’s

Brett Giroux landed third place by capturing a stunning sunrise in Darlington. Share images from your working day for the chance to win an iPad or £350 worth of shopping vouchers. Head to Team Royal Mail on Workplace and use #PicturePerfect with your image and a short description. Check each month’s theme before you post.

Ending the stigma, period

WUKA® founder and Royal Mail customer Ruby Raut is all about changing period care for the better.

I grew up in Nepal where the way periods are managed is very different from the UK. My mum gave me rags of her old saris to cut and use as a reusable pad. There were embarrassing incidents, which is probably why lots of girls in developing countries on their period miss school and extra-curricular activities.

Girls like me and my sisters were banished for bleeding. You’d hear stories every so often about a girl dying in remote parts of Nepal due to the extreme conditions she was subjected to on her period. The stigma and shame surrounding periods still exists today, worldwide.

When I moved to London to study environmental science, I was overwhelmed by the disposable product choices. Entire aisles are dedicated to period products. But the downside is they’re filled with plastic. I saw a gap in the market.

In 2017, I launched WUKA® – pronounced Wooh-ka – creating the UK’s first reusable and leak-proof period underwear. For my business to succeed, I needed to find a partner that could offer cost-effective and easy-to-use shipping options.

We were one of the first brands to trial the new Click & Drop service. Everything was so easy to navigate. The game-changer for us has been the Large Letter service. It has meant that up to 70% of our orders, classed as small packages, can fit through a letterbox. As a sustainable brand, this type of service is exactly what we’re after. It reduces the carbon footprint and minimises lost post. We use Parcelforce for orders over

10kg, usually for retailers and stockists. I’ve noticed more customers are willing to pay for a good service. Around 20% of our orders are now Tracked. Having this option offers peace of mind for our customers but also helps us to keep them and hopefully order again.

Our products aren’t seasonal, but we do see patterns. We get a lot of requests saying, ‘Help – my daughter is about to go on camp, how quickly can you ship?’.

Holiday season is also a big one for us.

I’m thrilled that posties are also wearing WUKA® undies on the job. It makes sense considering a large percentage of the workforce are out and about and don’t always have access to facilities.

WUKA® wouldn’t exist without Royal Mail services. If your service stops, we stop too.

If orders don’t get shipped, this has a big impact on our business.

We’ve been with Royal Mail for six years. I feel like the business is a ‘familiar face’. Come rain or shine, you always show up. That reliability makes me love the service.”

COURIER OFFER

Receive 50% off your first pair of WUKA® Ultimate Midi Brief Period Underwear by visiting wuka.co.uk and using the code RMWUKA50 before 30 June 2023. Available in sizes 2XS-6XL and light to super-heavy flow. One pair of WUKA® prevents up to 200 disposable pads and tampons from going to landfill. Wear up to 12 hours.

BEYOND BELFAST

Our Northern Ireland operation takes in far more than just the bustling capital – it’s a region ripe with stories and characters.

“We’re proud of where we live and what we do.” Carrickfergus postie Stephen Millar’s sentiments are echoed by everyone we encounter on our journey through Northern Ireland.

Carrickfergus sits on the north shore of Belfast Lough, just 11 miles outside of the capital city. County Antrim’s oldest town is drenched in history, with its own sense of community and belonging. And it’s watched over by the imposing and iconic 12th century Carrickfergus Castle.

“I’ve lived here my whole life,” adds Stephen. “It’s had its problems, like a lot of areas around Belfast. But it’s much calmer now.”

Stephen and fellow postie Andy Martin have worked for more than three decades at Carrickfergus. They’ve seen the land in front of the castle transform from a large coal yard supplying most of Northern Ireland into a thriving leisure and retail destination.

Building familiarity is a big advantage because you develop a rapport and people have genuine confidence in you.

DESTINATION: NORTHERN IRELAND

Andy loves walking the same route each day, building up familiarity with his customers and catching up with friends and neighbours.

“It’s a big advantage because you develop a rapport and people have genuine confidence in you.”

Custodian of change

It’s not only out and about where trust is placed in Andy. This year, he’s taken the lead role in preparing the office for the start of its delivery revisions. This has involved adapting the frames with new labels for the extended delivery points as well as keeping colleagues up to date with the adjustments along the way. He admits that the changes have brought challenges.

“We’ve had a pretty stable office over the years, with very little change to our operation. My job has been to keep the team involved along the way, so everyone understands what’s happening and why.”

Being at the heart of the revisions was a natural extension of Andy’s duties as a workplace coach, where his ethos is all about the power of great preparation.

“Once you’re out of the office, you’re your own boss,” he says. “We all love that part of the job. Sometimes I see new starters rushing to get out, but that extra five minutes indoors can make

WHAT’S UP, DOCK

D E S T I

all the difference. The more you rush, the more you’re going to make mistakes. It’s easy to make small errors that can cost you when you’re out.”

Conquering complexity

Check in at Parcelforce Belfast and you’ll discover a unique, complex operation that handles around 35,000 items a week arriving by ferry, air and road. The team here must demonstrate diligence at all times.

Supported by two satellite depots at DerryLondonderry and Portadown, it’s not uncommon for the crew to receive an email notifying them of a 90-minute delay to an inbound flight which tests the team’s agility to the maximum.

IER SUMMER2023

“It’s a cliché, but no two days are ever the same for us,” says delivery manager Mervyn Ewing. “On the mainland, the mail probably makes four to five movements. But it can be up to nine for us, depending on the depot’s location, as onboarding and off-boarding involves different modes of transport. We deal with a lot of moving parts.

“So, we have to take a bespoke approach and have a range of duty start times to ensure we can be flexible. But nothing ever fazes the team –they’re massively versatile.”

Driver Neil Graham is one of around 160 colleagues based across the three sites.

“It’s not always as simple as A to B,” he insists. “If it’s too windy or too icy, it’s likely there will be transport delays, which cause us problems. Whatever happens, we all muck in to make sure it gets done.”

Neil Graham visits Belfast’s Queen’s Island shipyard.

NORTHERN EXPOSURE Carrickfergus postie Mary Johnston.

EXPLORE See more images from our Northern Ireland tour on Workplace.

Life in the city

Once the logistics headache’s eased, delivering in Belfast City is an experience to savour.

“There’s a good buzz about the place,” says Neil, who’s spent 15 years delivering across the city. “There’s been a lot of renovation work and new property. It’s become more and more popular in recent years.

“There’s a lot of diversity and culture in Belfast; it’s very open now. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you do or where you go, you’re always welcomed. It’s quite a compact city, but there’s a lot to do and so much to see.”

Titanic Belfast (below) – built just over a decade ago – has been a big part of the transformation in the docks area at Queen’s Island. Here, the Harland and Wolff twinned shipyard cranes – nicknamed Samson and Goliath – dominate the skyline, and a short distance away is the impressive Stormont parliamentary building.

On the days he’s not going full throttle on the racetrack, two-time TAS Racing British Champion Alastair Seeley’s busy delivering letters and parcels two days a week to his Carrickfergus customers.

frames and delivering the correct parcels to the correct place helps to keep your concentration, which is another vital part of racing.

Neil’s favourite part of Belfast is out to the east of the city, where he used to live with his dad. “It has a great community feel, and I grew up there knowing the people around you were always there for you – whatever you needed.”

The sense of community and support Neil recalls from his childhood is reflected in the culture of collaboration and comradeship that are the hallmarks of Parcelforce and Royal Mail teams across Northern Ireland.

The British Superstock Championship star rides with Synetiq BMW. While he can be found most weekends racing live on Eurosport under the nickname the ‘Wee Wizard’, he certainly doesn’t underestimate the part delivering for us plays in his success.

“People think it’s just about twisting the throttle, but there’s a lot more to it – we all train like Olympians.

“So, this is the perfect job. The walking helps maintain my fitness on the days I’m not training, but doesn’t leave me fatigued.”

Alastair says that other aspects of the job can help too. “Preparing the

“The business has been very good, and I could not have asked for more with the flexibility it gives me.”

Along with the parcels comes plenty of adulation. Alastair recalls the moment he returned to work after breaking the North West 200 record. “I got clapped into the office. I always get great support and that was a real red-carpet moment.”

The customers love to see him in our uniform too. “It’s become common knowledge that I’m a postie in Carrickfergus. People stop me on the street and love to talk about racing.

“Customers have even given me cakes on my round – but I have to remind them that I’m an athlete.”

FOR YOU

Two-year National Trust Membership Win! WIN!

Discover stunning sites of historic interest and natural beauty with two years of National Trust membership.

You’ll enjoy free entry to more than 500 locations – from houses and buildings to coastlines and countryside. With free parking, a National Trust handbook and magazine subscription, you’ll be inspired to explore our nation’s most breathtaking destinations.

For the chance to win two years of National Trust membership, worth around £400, just tell us in fewer than 30 words which story you’ve most enjoyed in this issue of Courier – and why.

Email couriercomp@linney.com using ‘ Trust’ in the subject line. Or post your entry to Courier Competition, Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW. Include your name and address – along with your job role and location. Entries must reach us by Friday 28 July and may be published in a future edition.

WIN! One of 10 £10 One4all Gift Cards

KEYWORD CROSSWORD

When you’ve found the keyword, post your entry to Courier Crossword, Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW or take a photo and email it to couriercomp@linney.com by Friday 28 July.

ACROSS

4. Looking to tax less for car part (4)

6. and 14 across. Country which is home to Giant’s Causeway (8,7)

7. Slang for cash, if you knead (5)

8. June’s celebration of everything LGBTQ+ (5)

10. Network of tracks in Bedford is a passion in Wayne’s world (7)

12. Attempt to get over the line in rugby encounter (3)

14. See 6 across

15. Insects in the undergarments of restless fidgeters! (4)

16. Mix a cream to find recording device –and make it snappy! (6)

DOWN

1. Crowning glory for Charles (10)

Stamp set honours King’s Coronation

A new commemorative stamp issue marks the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey on 6 May. The stamps and a range of collectible souvenirs – including coin covers and framed artwork – celebrate the monarch’s role today while reflecting the longstanding traditions and pageantry associated with the Coronation. The images use newly created wood engravings and depict the Coronation, Diversity and Community, the Commonwealth and Sustainability and Biodiversity.

It’s a crossword with a twist! Once you’ve completed the grid, fill in the keyword, below, that’s revealed by the shaded squares.

2. Male deer (4)

3. A lock opener (3)

4. Rangy characters get extremely annoyed after getting in a twist (5)

5. Sporting chart for keeping track of live progress (11)

9. Was woman coerced into trip to Caribbean island? (7)

11. Guides to West Yorkshire city (5)

13. Bryan, Douglas or Tony (5)

We’re proud to present a collection honouring a significant event in the life of our nation, the Commonwealth and beyond. We’re giving away 10 sets of King Charles III: A New Reign stamps. Email couriercomp@ linney.com with your name, address and contact number – and use ‘Stamps’ in the subject line. Or post your entry to Courier Competition, Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW. Entries must reach us by Friday 28 July

Discover more stamps, souvenirs and gifts by visiting royalmail.com/shop or scanning the QR code.

CONGRATULATIONS Alexandru Radu, from Barnes and Mortlake Delivery Office, the spring edition winner of a high-spec mountain bike.

Readers share tales of Royal Mail life and reflect on stories from the spring edition of Courier.

Tales of far-flung pen pals

I enjoyed Kamil’s story about Canadian postal agent Doreen. It gave me an interesting insight into the lives of postal workers worldwide and a feeling of camaraderie.

Will Marren

OPG, Borehamwood

Power of three

It’s great to see women succeeding in what is predominantly a male environment – showing us this is a diverse company to work for.

Louise Gourley

Customer service advisor, Doxford

Zoe on target

My brother is an alcoholic, so I’ll share Zoe’s story to show him that you can have a second chance at life – and that it’s never too late.

Gary Brooks

OPG, Oldham

Backstory

This photograph from The Postal Museum archives brought back such happy memories. My father and I bought a time-expired postbus, turned it into a camper van and had holidays from Cornwall to Scotland.

Michael Finch

Fleet mobile mechanic, Ramsgate

Reflections of a postcode pioneer

Our article about PAF brought back memories for Brian Burt, from Dorset. Brian was part of a team of four responsible for introducing postcodes to the Bournemouth area in the 1960s.

We began work in March 1967, locating every delivery point on each round in what would become the BH district. Working in pairs, we’d survey two rounds a day on foot before splitting each delivery into roads, or portions of roads, ready to allocate codes.

I’d make early morning delivery office visits to count items of mail for businesses, to determine whether they’d need individual postcodes. We prepared a postcode directory for distribution and held an official launch at Beales department store in Bournemouth on 21 October 1968.

Red letter day

When her primary school held a ‘Hero Day’, Lexi Baines knew which hero she wanted to dress up as – her mum Amy, a postie at Goole Delivery Office.

Rita Hesp

COM, Goole Delivery Office

Big-hearted partners

After an unexpected heart attack recently, it’s great to read about the partnership with British Heart Foundation. Knowing that support’s there for my journey back to health is brilliant.

John Webb

Relief OPG, Dornoch

I then spent two weeks publicising the new postcodes at Bournemouth Pavilion before taking an exhibition caravan on the road for seven months, stopping off at car parks across the BH district to explain the purpose of postcodes.

Unfortunately, I’m the only surviving member of the team. I look back with pleasure and pride at the small part I played in what has become such an invaluable part of our nation’s life.

SHARE YOUR STORY

There’s a £20 Amazon gift card for the writer of every letter we publish. Email courier@linney.com or write to us at Courier Letters, Linney Create, Adamsway, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG18 4FW. Also share your own news and views on the Courier Workplace page.

WAYNE’S WORLD OF TRAINS

How a Parcelforce driver and model railway enthusiast got his childhood dream on track.

Meet Wayne Jeeves. He’s the Parcelforce delivery driver who’s built a village in his backyard.

It all started with a Great Western train set – a gift from his grandfather when he was just a few hours old. This one small gesture grew into a big fascination with model railways. A little too big, in fact, for the Bedfordshire home he shares with his wife and their daughter.

“I’d spend hours setting up,” Wayne explains, “only to have to clear it all away again because there was nowhere in the house to lay it out permanently.”

All that changed six years ago when Wayne installed a garden shed. This one simple addition gave him the green light to start creating the set-up he’d always wanted.

“I sourced kits from modelling shops and eBay,” he recalls. “I built a market square, a fire station and a farm I modelled on one from my Parcelforce round.”

There’s a cricket ground, too – in homage to the sport Wayne used to play – and a brewery because, well, he likes a beer now and then.

A circular railway line connects the whole village, complete with Parcelforce depot and one of Wayne’s favourite projects –Travelling Post Offices – creating a dual operation just like the real one up the road in Hatfield.

With around £6,000 worth of gear to maintain, Wayne spends evenings and weekends cleaning track and tinkering with engines, occasionally with a little help from daughter Darci.

On Sundays, Wayne makes videos to share with colleagues on Workplace. The interest has taken him by surprise and brought his journey full circle.

“People seem to really like it,” he says. “The reaction from everyone I talk to is always positive. Some even tell me that seeing what I’ve built has inspired them to take up the hobby themselves.”

A first-class return if ever we heard one.

WAYNE ON WORKPLACE

DID YOU KNOW?

Travelling Post Offices (TPOs) were specially adapted railway carriages introduced in the 1800s that carried mail workers sorting items for despatch to towns on the route. The final TPO ran on the night of 9 January 2004.

SUPER MODELS Some of Wayne’s beautifully detailed environments.

Scan the QR code to keep track of Wayne’s rail adventures.

It’s my round

As Alton postie Roz Packett marks 50 years with Royal Mail, she shares tales of a rewarding role with memorable moments.

I became a postie because I fancied something different . I’ve lived in Alton all my life and was working in a shop – but I wanted a new challenge. Royal Mail was advertising, so I filled in the form and sent it off. I joined the team on 14 May 1973 and haven’t looked back.

Everyone likes to see the postie. Overall, I’ve really enjoyed it, even after a tough day. The postie is everyone’s favourite person to see.

The people I see each day on my round have become friends. I’ve been delivering to the same people for years. We used to change rounds regularly, but for a long while now I’ve been on the same duty, which means I’ve got to know the people on my round really well.

My Royal Mail role meant I had a real community wedding. After my first husband died, I met my current partner. We got married 18 years ago in the parish church in Froyle, which is part of my delivery round. Working and living in the village means I’m part of the community, and we had a proper community wedding.

The postie has a key role to play in a village like mine. My job means I can look out for people, especially having worked so long in the same area. If I haven’t seen someone for a few days, I ask about them. People who are on their own really look forward to seeing me and having a bit of a natter. The postie might be the only person they speak to in person that day.

WORKING AND LIVING IN THE VILLAGE MEANS I’M PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

This has been a great way to spend my working life. Being out in all weathers is something I take in my stride – and you get a lovely tan in the summer. Sometimes you start your day and think, oh no, it’s still raining. But once you’ve got your wet weather gear on and set off, it doesn’t matter. It keeps me fit too; I reckon I walk up to nine miles a day.

I’m not ready to retire just yet. Every year I say I’ll just do another Christmas. So will I stop this year? Ask me in December!

MAIL MEMORIES Roz on her round in the early ’80s

FRIENDLY FACE Roz is part of the Alton community

BACKSTORY

BORROWDALE, CUMBRIA, 1937

A postie captured crossing a bridge over the River Derwent on his scenic Lake District round. Explore photographs, artefacts and exhibitions covering the history of our business during The Postal Museum’s next Royal Mail open days on 9 July and 27 August. Admission for colleagues, family members and friends is just £1 and includes all exhibitions, activities and a ride on Mail Rail. Email bookings@postalmuseum.org to reserve your place and visit postalmuseum.org for more details.

Supporting postal families for over 150 years

Apprenticeship Bursary

New apprenticeship financial package launched by the Postal Family Fund

Our new support aims to help young people through their apprenticeship journey. The bursary covers expenses such as travel and specialist equipment required for work.

How much is the bursary?

£500 for every 6 months of the apprenticeship contract, up to a maximum of £1,000.

When do I apply?

Applications for the Apprenticeship Bursary start in May 2023 and remain open throughout the year.

You can apply or find out if you are eligible at postalfamilyfund.org

University Bursary - applications are open from May to July

Our University Bursary helps postal families support a young person at a university or equivalent institution in the UK.

The value of the bursary is £1850 per year for a maximum of 3 years. Plus £600 towards the purchase of a laptop and course materials if the child is entering their first year. Apply at postalfamilyfund.org

‘ A big thank you to the Post Office Remembrance Fellowship for its kind donation of £25,000. ’