Oasis of calm
Postmen Steve McDermott and Steven Hilton have helped turn their delivery office in Wellington Road, Wavertree, into an incredible oasis of calm and colour.
The green-fingered duo worked in their own time and used tyres and pallets to build a new outdoor area where colleagues can enjoy their break. They raised money for the project by selling tea and coffee to colleagues to buy the paint, turf and flowers they needed.
Their efforts prompted customer Sheila Fairclough to contact The Liverpool Echo, saying: ‘Hi, I am messaging about Wellington Road sorting office. Two of the postmen have decorated the front and back with lots of flowers and pot plants, all themed round the post office. The guys have made seats in the back out of pallets and cushions out of Royal Mail T-shirts. At the front of the building there are trousers and boots with flowers coming out of them.
‘It really puts a smile on your face when going to collect a parcel. The man on the desk told me the two postmen had done it out of their own initiative. He said it’s also such a happy place to work due to a manager who buys fruit for all the staff on Fridays.’
Steve McDermott, who has been a postman for 34 years, told the Echo: ‘It just began as a bit of a joke because we had a new manager. But it’s really taken off and we’ve been doing so much recycling and upcycling.
‘And customers off my post round have donated tomato plants and plant pots – so thank you to Mrs Williams, Mrs Curtis and Mrs Molyneux.
‘If we had received £1 for every nice comment people have made we’d be millionaires. They come in and take photographs, and the place has put a smile on so many faces.’
Steven Hilton, who has been a postman for 17 years, said: ‘People’s happy reactions make it all worthwhile. At first, some colleagues were taking the mickey out of us for doing it – now they all love being able to sit outside in the sun on their breaks.
‘I made the cushion covers out of old polo shirts. It was the first time I’d ever used a sewing machine, and my son called me a weirdo – but he’s been round to see what we’ve done and is quite impressed! And perhaps other sorting offices will now copy us – maybe we could even have a competition!’
Liverpool South East delivery office (SEDO) manager Kate Allen, a former postwoman who after joining the graduate scheme became office manager last November, said of Steven and Steve: ‘They came up with these ideas because they wanted to help improve the look of the office – and I said “Just go for it!”
‘Steve and Steven have played an integral part in improving the atmosphere in SEDO. They have done so much work in their own time, and the place now looks really funky. The response from our customers calling to collect their parcels has been overwhelming. I hear so many impressed customers saying “Look at that!” And parents have brought their children from the nursery around the corner to have a look. Many of them have even been donating flowers and gnomes to add to the display!
‘I wanted to create a happy, positive working environment at SEDO and I believe that through this and some management changes in the office it is now a more happy, positive and engaged office.
‘As well as ‘Free Fruit Friday’ for all the team we also ensure that colleagues are praised and thanked when they have done a good job. I try to keep everyone as informed as possible on any changes that are happening and involve them in decisions that take place within the office.
‘We try to do simple things such as accommodate days off where needed, ensure uniforms are ordered, everyone is paid on time and that I listen to ideas and involve colleagues as much as I can. We’re in the process of setting up a listening group to address issues that were brought up in last year’s engagement survey. I hope that all of these things help to contribute to making SEDO a positive place to work and improve engagement within the office.’
