Best buddies

‘We’re like Laurel and Hardy - I’m the small one,’ jokes postman, Jeffrey Matthews, about his friendship with colleague, Paul Marston.

The pair have been working at Wigston Magna Post Office, in Leicestershire, for more than 70 years collectively.

‘I joined the Post Office in 1983 and Paul started a year later,’ said Jeffrey. ‘We hit it off straight away, and we’ve never fallen out about anything.’

Both postmen quickly realised they shared similar interests in rugby and football and also collecting music.

‘Paul’s into anything and everything from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, but I’m more of a mod,’ confessed Jeffrey, but it’s the at-work banter that fuels their friendship.

‘Royal Mail has changed a lot over the decades, and we’ve worked under around 15 different managers, but our friendship represents consistency. It’s so important to laugh and get on with colleagues.’

Jeffrey is 63 this year and is looking towards retirement. Will the pair keep in touch? ‘Absolutely,’ confirmed Jeffrey.

In the old days Paul and Jeffrey didn’t deliver the post together. But now, 35 years later, Jeffrey fills in on Paul’s partner’s days off.

‘Jeffrey talks about football, and we’re always talking about family and our grandchildren,’ said Paul. Most of all, though, with a friendship spanning more than three decades, they share a joke with each other.

‘The job has changed and there’s much more to do now, but Jeffrey and I still have fun after all these years,’ said Paul.

The pair always used to get together at Christmas and through the sports and social club that ran though work. ‘I think we are the only two left in the office from those times,’ Paul said, adding that many colleagues had come and gone.

With Jeffrey set to retire next year, Paul says that his light-hearted touch will be missed in the sorting office and on his rounds.