#InYourShoes
Postman Alex McDougall from Glasgow South East delivery office was joined on his delivery round by David Linden MP.
The MP’s visit was part of his ‘In Your Shoes’ work experience programme, which has so far seen him gain work experience at Parkhead Housing Association, Greenfield Park care home and Glasgow North East foodbank.
‘Although I’m no stranger to going door-to-door for canvassing or delivering leaflets, I was glad to have the opportunity to do some work experience with Royal Mail for day three #InYourShoes,’ he said.
‘When I arrived for my shift, I was paired up with Alex McDougall, who’s been working for Royal Mail since he was sixteen. He also started life in Cranhill, so that was a pleasant surprise!
‘Alex’s run largely includes Baillieston Main Street – where the majority of mail goes to local businesses – and a significant number of residential addresses in Garrowhill.
‘Before we headed out, Alex was hard at work, lifting huge quantities of letters and parcels off of his frame and packing them into countless iconic red Royal Mail bags.
‘Alex clearly knows his run inside-out and it was impressive to see just how he packed everything into the van, essentially meaning that it’s easier for him to locate parcels and bags for each area. I don’t know if that’s just how Alex ticks but it’s clear that efficiency is a huge aspect of the job.
‘Whilst I absolutely love #InYourShoes, I’m always worried that I’m getting under people’s feet when they’re trying to get on with their work, so I was glad when Alex handed me a few large piles of letters and set me off on a run of my own.
‘One of the real takeaways I got from this experience was how much more people can do to make a postie’s job just that bit easier. For example, if you’ve got a boisterous or unsettled dog who doesn’t do well with strangers, it’s wise not to let it run loose in the garden. Likewise, if you don’t want your mail to be chewed, then it’s advisable to get a basket or dog guard box on your door.
‘Injuries, sadly, aren’t uncommon for posties, so make sure that any loose tiles at your front door are repaired and, if you’ve got decking, make sure it’s not too slippy or grimey – particularly in the winter months.
‘Lastly – and this is a message as much for all political activists as well as others delivering flyers – make sure you post your leaflets all the way through the letterbox. Leaving leaflets half-in, half-out of a letter box can be a signal to burglars that no-one’s home. It also creates extra effort for our hard-working posties who deserve our respect and support! So let’s make sure we do all we can to support our posties.’
The MP said that Alex is: ‘undoubtedly a friendly, well known postie everyone has come to respect and he’s built up a strong relationship with residents and businesses.
‘Our posties are out in all weathers, making sure we get our post in time, and after my experience today I've got even more respect for them and the job they do so well.’
Click here to watch a short video of David Linden’s time with Royal Mail from his Facebook page.
