Save your local Post Office

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Older people’s Charity Help the Aged in Northern Ireland is urging people to have a say in what happens to their local community post office. The public consultation period for the proposed closure of post offices in Northern Ireland begins on 1 April and the Charity is providing a detailed briefing pack for people who wish to participate.

Older people’s Charity Help the Aged in Northern Ireland is urging people to have a say in what happens to their local community post office. The public consultation period for the proposed closure of post offices in Northern Ireland begins on 1 April and the Charity is providing a detailed briefing pack for people who wish to participate.

In May 2007, Post Office Ltd and the Government agreed that nearly one in five post office branches across the UK (2,500) should close. Details of which post offices are threatened with closure will be released on 1 April, the start of the consultation period.

Ciara Convie, Head of Community Development and Services said

"The Northern Ireland consultation period only lasts six weeks so people will need to act swiftly to prepare responses and submit evidence to try and save their post office. As many older people rely on their post office to collect their pension and to complete many other transactions, it is especially important that older people themselves get vigorously involved with this process.

"Some closures are clearly inevitable but well researched and factually based challenges to the Post Office proposals could shape the final outcome."

How to help

Help the Aged is issuing the following advice to people interested in responding to the public consultation:-

  • Write individual letters showing local knowledge and personal experience
  • Examine the facts presented for closure closely
  • Find out the views of the local post office staff – how do they help older people in the community?
  • Look closely at the journeys that will have to be made to alternative branches – are they practical? For instance is the one mile up a steep hill?
  • Find out what plans are in place to make nearby branches able to cope with increased demand
  • Make sure the timetable for consultation has been followed exactly
  • Enlist the help of the media, locally elected representatives and a local celebrity but only in conjunction with a detailed and well documented case
  • Use evidence gathered to campaign for a suitable replacement, for example, a mobile post office service

More information

If you would like to obtain a copy of the Help the Aged briefing pack, please contact:

Claire Killen
t: 028 9023 0666
e: claire.killen@helptheaged.org.uk.


Help The Aged In Northern Ireland | Claire Killen | 18 Mar 2008
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