Popular Hackenthorpe Postmistress who has marked 30 years at the helm of her Post Office on the edge of Sheffield

Pictured l -r Post Office Regional Manager Tony Sanghera, Postmistress Melanie Bailie, Amanda a member of staff, Gary Bailey and Post Office Area Manager Gideon Hancock.

Long-serving postmistress, Melanie Bailey, said: “The best thing about the role is the people that you serve. I still love being a postmistress as much today as when I started.

I know the community so well that you know so much about their lives – their family, jobs and holidays. One of my customers I remember as a dinner lady at the village school.

“This has been my home for the past 56 years, since I was a small girl. This was my dad’s Post Office, then my husband, Gary, took over in 1980 and I worked occasionally at the branch, whilst our three children were very young. Then I became the postmistress in 1993, and Gary got another job elsewhere.

“Hackenthorpe used to be a village, but more and more homes were then built. It’s now a large residential area on the edge of Sheffield city. We are a busy office meeting the needs of this larger community. For the last 14 years I have had a wonderful member of staff – Amanda Leaver.

“My Post Office remained open throughout the pandemic apart from when I caught Covid very early on. People were very grateful that we stayed open as people wanted to send parcels and letters to people that they could not see and to send home shopping returns.

“There are no banks in Hackenthorpe, so people come here to do their banking on behalf of all of the high street banks and to withdraw their cash.”

Post Office regional manager Tony Sanghera and area manager, Gideon Hancock, visited Melanie to present her Post Office 30 Years’ Long Service Award at her branch at 1 Beighton Road, Hackenthorpe, S12 4LP.

Gideon Hancock, said: “Melanie really is at the heart of this community. Not only did Melanie grow up here, but she really cares about the people of Hackenthorpe and she truly is a pillar of this community. I want to thank Melanie for her loyal and devoted service. Melanie is very knowledgeable about the range of Post Office services that she provides. Customers love to visit her branch.”