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.

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.